CIAA Extends Football Contract in Salem, Announces 2017-18 Championships Schedule

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces 2017-18 locations and dates for its 14 championships, including the signing of a 3-year contract with Salem, Virginia to host the conference's football championship through 2019. For the 13th consecutive year, the annual men's and women's basketball tournament will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina. The CIAA's championship season begins in October with cross country and concludes in May with outdoor track & field.

The 2017 CIAA Football Championship will be held at Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia on Saturday, November 11th. Last September, the CIAA and its Board announced the relocation of eight (8) conference championships six weeks prior to the scheduled football championship. The City of Salem has hosted nearly 90 NCAA National Championship events since 1993, including 25 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowls. The Division III National Football Championship Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl has been played at Salem Stadium, the site of the upcoming conference championship. Last year's CIAA Football Championship impacted over 300 youth through school visits by football student-athletes while the game attracted nearly 3,500 fans during its first appearance in the new host city.

"The 2016 game was a great experience for local fans and Salem is honored and privileged to host the CIAA football championship for an additional three years," says Salem Mayor Randy Foley. "We have worked extremely hard over the years to earn the name 'Virginia's Championship City' and we're excited that the CIAA will now be an important part of our championship legacy."

The City of Salem will host three additional CIAA events throughout the 2017-18 season. Football Media Day will be held on July 20th at the Sheraton Hotel. Further details, including media registration, will be announced by the conference office on Thursday, June 8th. The 2017 Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be hosted at Green Hill Park on October 26th while softball will take place April 30 – May 2, 2018 at Moyer Park.

"The city of Salem did an exceptional job hosting last year's football championship. We were pleased with their support and welcoming spirit to host the competing member institutions, fans, and sponsors," stated CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. "We are excited to bring the rich legacy and tradition of CIAA championships to a city known for hosting top NCAA championships and who understands the value of serving its community through athletics. Our priority, annually, is enhancing the student-athlete experience through community impact, leadership programs, and championships. We are confident that the city of Salem will continue to help us grow and expand our championship footprint."

The 2017 football season marks the 125th anniversary of black college football, which began with two CIAA member institutions. On December 27, 1892, Livingstone College hosted Johnson C. Smith University, then named Biddle Memorial Institute, for the first-ever black college football contest. The CIAA will honor its rich football history throughout the season, including the use of a celebratory football championship logo, leading up to the annual Commemorative Classic between Livingstone and Johnson C. Smith on November 4th and the CIAA Football Championship on November 11th.

While many locations remain consistent after a successful 2016-17 championship season, the conference's Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship will return to JDL FastTrack in Winston-Salem, North Carolina after a one year hiatus. The return will fulfill the last year of a previously drawn, 3-year contract with the facility. The two-day event will be held February 11-12, 2018.

Teams, alumni, and fans will return to Charlotte from February 27–March 3 for the 2018 CIAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament. Known as the largest basketball championship in NCAA Division II, the event will once again be held in two Queen City venues: Bojangles' Coliseum and Spectrum Center (formerly Time Warner Cable Arena). The CIAA's Fan Housing Program, which ensures the best hotel rates for Charlotte visitors, is now open. Fans may book reservations online via www.ciaatournament.org or by calling 1-844-293-6678.

With the close of the 2016-17 season, the CIAA has discontinued sponsorship of its baseball program. The conference dropped to five teams in 2014 after the departure of the Elizabeth City State University program while the NCAA requires a minimum of six teams for sponsorship. The 2017 Baseball Championship marked the end of the CIAA's grace period, officially concluding conference-wide support of the sport.

2017-18 CIAA Championships

Sport Date Location
Men's & Women's Cross Country October 26, 2017 Green Hill Park | Salem, VA
Football November 11, 2017 Salem Stadium | Salem, VA
Volleyball November 17-19, 2017 Virginia State University Multipurpose Center | Petersburg, VA
Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field February 11-12, 2018 JDL FastTrack | Winston-Salem, NC
Men's & Women's Basketball February 27-March 3, 2018 Bojangles' Coliseum & Spectrum Center | Charlotte, NC
Women's Bowling March 23-24, 2018 AMF Western Branch Lanes | Chesapeake, VA
Men's Golf April 19-20, 2018 The Crossings Golf Club | Glen Allen, VA
Women's Tennis April 19-21, 2018 Bowie State University | Bowie, MD
Softball April 30-May 2, 2018 Moyer Park | Salem, VA
Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field May 4-5, 2018 Bowie State University | Bowie, MD

For more official conference updates, follow the conference on Facebook (The CIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), and Instagram (@CIAASports) or visit www.theciaa.com.

COURTESY CIAA.COM

Tough, too easy FCS non-conference schedules

DOVER, Delaware -- Delaware State is opening the season upstate against Delaware - a program that's beaten the Hornets seven times by an average of 28 points since they first met 10 years ago.

And that's Delaware State's easiest non-conference game this season.

The Hornets will pick up big paydays when they play at West Virginia and Florida State, but also lopsided defeats in one of the hardest non-conference schedules for an FCS team.

But after a winless 2016 season, the MEAC's Hornets aren't expected to be much better this year, so their difficult non-conference schedule is not going to make an impact on a national scale.

For teams that ranked in or received votes in the final STATS FCS Top 25 last season, it's a bigger deal. Plenty of non-conference schedules stand out - the difficult ones and those that are not tough enough.

CONTINUE READING

Hughes determined to get new JSU Tigers ready for football, college life

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State coach Tony Hughes is taking steps to ensure as many of his 28 high school freshman signees as possible make it to campus.

The athletic department confirmed Tuesday that 16 freshmen football players and one transfer were already enrolled in summer classes.

"I'd like to see 10 or 11 more in the second session of summer school," Hughes said.

Among the freshmen who are already enrolled are quarterback Tavis Williams, offensive linemen Donovan Runnels and Valanez Hopson, defensive linemen Tyler Casby, Jaiqavius Bell and Mark Smith, tailbacks Keyshawn Harper, Joshua Little and DeAndre Williams, tight ends Trevarious Clark, Kyland Richey and Laquantis Hennington and defensive backs Markel Gladney, Kendrick Paul and Kevin Berthey.

That number also includes Mississippi State transfer Jamoral Graham, a 5-foot-10 cornerback who transferred from Starkville after recording 28 tackles and three interceptions, including a pick-six in Mississippi State's 47-35 win over Massachusetts, as a junior.

CONTINUE READING

5 JSU Tigers primed for a big season in 2017

JACKSON, Mississippi -- There's no doubt the Tigers have some big shoes to fill before they take the field against TCU on Sept. 2.

And while there is plenty of time for players to step up in Fall camp, there's a handful of players on which Jackson State is already counting.

Here's five Tigers who are primed for a big season in 2017.

No other player had the kind of breakout performance in the spring game like Lyles did.

The red-shirt sophomore completed an efficient 23 of 26 passes for 237 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Blue team past the White team 41-38.

With the departure of Jarin Morikawa, who decided to forego his senior season after suffering another concussion in the spring game, the quarterback race appears to be Lyles’ to lose.

Although he played sparingly last season, he’s a guy who brings athleticism — something the Tiger offense lacked last season — at that position.

CONTINUE READING

McCullum Signs Two to Florida A&M Rattler Hoops Squad

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M head basketball coach Robert McCullum wasted no time preparing for the 2017-18 season. Today FAMU Athletics announced the signing of two players to the Rattler basketball squad.

Forward Darian Jones is a transfer from Tulane University. Jones will come in as a sophomore after playing sparingly for the Green Wave last season. Out of high school, Jones averaged a double-double. He earned All-District honors while also averaging three blocks per game.

McCullum welcomes Jones' athleticism to the squad. “We're elated to add Darian (DJ) Jones a 6'9”, transfer from Tulane University, and Kamron Reaves, 6'1 from Champaign, IL.

DJ, played sparingly last season at Tulane as he lacked the physical strength and weight necessary to play in the AAC. But what he doesn't lack is athleticism. His ability to run & jump sets him apart from most players his size and is what attracted him to the Tulane coaching staff. He averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks as a high school senior. He was named 1st Team All District, 2nd Team All Region, and Honorable Mention All-State. In addition to “DJ's” athleticism, his versatility and tremendous upside is what gets me so excited. We can play him in different positions on both ends of the court making us much more effective offensively and defensively. He plans to major in engineering, and is the younger brother of the Golden State Warriors 2016 1st Round draft pick Damian Jones who played collegiately at Vanderbilt,” McCullum said.



Point guard Kamron Reaves will be a true freshman from Champaign, IL. Reaves' speed and ability to move the basketball are two of his top qualities. The 6'0” one guard could see action this season.

McCullum felt the team could use the assistance of a pure point guard with great distribution skills.

“Kamron is a point guard who thinks ‘pass first,' understanding the importance of getting his teammates involved, where the ball should go and why.  He's very good in transition at advancing the ball via the pass as opposed to over dribbling. His ability to see the floor, and get the ball to open teammates sets him apart. While he thinks pass first, he's very comfortable shooting the three-pointer as he had three games with four three-pointers, and a season high of six in a win vs crosstown rival Champaign Central. Kamron played off the ball his senior year at Centennial high school after transferring across town from Central HS. He averaged 13 points, four assists per game scoring 20 or more six times with a season high of 30 in the first round of the district tournament. He was named to both the All-Conference and All-Area Teams.

Kamron more than held his own last summer at the prestigious Pangos All-American Camp in Cerritos, CA. The camp featured 15 of the nation's top 40 rising seniors, and 40 of the Top 100 players in the 2017 class. Clark Francis of Hoop Scoop Scouting Service rated Kamron the 14th best point guard out of the 24 that made up the 120 player camp,” McCullum said.

McCullum, whose contract was approved by the FAMU Board of Trustees on yesterday, will enter his first campaign this Fall as head coach of the Rattlers. His team will be built on the success of senior Desmond Williams, who is the lead returning player.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

B-CU's Tiller Finishes 12th At NCAA Championship

EUGENE, Oregon – Bethune-Cookman senior Michael Tiller concluded a champion's career Friday night with a 12th place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Track and Field Championship at storied Haywood Field.

The five-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion improved on his first jump of 51 feet, two and three-quarters inches with a final attempt of 51 feet, seven and a quarter inches, but did not qualify for the finals.

His 12th place finish was the highest for a Bethune-Cookman athlete at the NCAA meet since 2016 Olympian Ronnie Ash won the 110 hurdles in 2009.

"That puts him in great company and among the elite," Bethune-Cookman Head Coach Donald Cooper said of Tiller. "I'm very proud of what was a solid effort here and even prouder of a great college career."

Tiller scratched on his second attempt, and Cooper thought that contributed to him not being able to deliver a third jump that would have advanced him into the finals.

"He needed a 52 (feet)," Cooper said. "The foul put him into a tentative mode."

Tiller appreciated the opportunity to compete in his first national championship.

"To be able to be here felt pretty good," Tiller said.
Tiller will now focus on the USA Track and Field championships in Sacramento June 23-25, 2017 for a chance to qualify for the IAAF World Championships.

"Hopefully, he'll have the one jump in him," Cooper said.

Florida's KeAndre Bates won the event with a leap of 55 feet.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Five A&T Aggies Earn Second-Team All-American Nods

EUGENE, Oregon – The North Carolina A&T women's track and field team did not have anyone making through to Saturday's finals on Thursday at Historic Hayward Field, but they did earn two second-team All-American recognitions to complete their experience at the 2017 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships.

N.C. A&T's women started their afternoon by coming one spot shy of qualifying for the final of the 4x100 meter relay. The team of freshmen Tori Ray and Taliyah Townsend and junior India Brown and sophomore Kayla White finished ninth in 44.41 to earn second-team All-American honors. The top-8 teams qualify for the finals. The Aggies could have lowered their school record run of 44.01 they set two weeks ago at the NCAA East Preliminary Round, they would have bested Kansas State's eighth place finish of 44.27.



“There was a bad exchange between our second and third legs,” said Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs, about the exchange between Brown (No. 2) and Townsend (No. 3). “That completely took us of the race. Those are the type of little mistakes you can't afford when you're going against the best in the country. But they're young. They will get another chance.”

White will also come away with second-team honors in the 100-meter hurdles. She completed the second heat in 13.29 to finish fourth in the heat and 13th overall. Two weeks prior she ran a 12.94 which would have easily qualified her on Thursday.

“When you come here, you have to run your (personal record) to make sure you're in the finals,” said Ross. “I can't pinpoint what it was with Kayla today. She just didn't seem to have the same pop she normally has.”

Ross said the same of Brown after she finished seventh in the second heat and 18th overall in 11.49 in the 100 meters. But not even Brown's PR of 11.34 would have qualified her for Saturday's final. Brown later ran a 23.43 to finish seventh in her heat and 18th overall.

“This group of young women are young. India is the only one who has been here before,” said Duane Ross, the Aggies director of track and field programs. “It is just something we have to look back on and where we went wrong in terms of preparation. I know they can do better. What I like is they're not pleased. I don't think they looked bad. They executed, but it just wasn't there today. They know today was just not their day.”

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Belcher, NCA&T Aggies Make History at NCAA Nationals

EUGENE, Oregon – North Carolina A&T senior sprinter Christopher Belcher wasn't nervous. He wasn't intimated. He even described himself as ready to go before his three event finals Friday at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships at Historic Hayward Field. He was just running against some of the best athletes in the world.

That may have been easy to forget after Belcher's terrific performance Wednesday when he qualified for the three national finals with a 38.48 as a part of the 4x100 meter relay, a 9.93 in the 100 meters and a 20.01 in the 200m. Friday wasn't Wednesday but Belcher helped the Aggies reach the award podium twice with top-3 placements. Along with freshman Jaylen Mitchell, senior Caleb Gabriel and sophomore Rodney Rowe, Belcher helped the 4x1 team finish third nationally in 38.57.

Approximately 45 minutes later Belcher placed third in the 100m final in 10.19. After another approximate 45-minute layoff, Belcher finished fifth in the 200m final in 20.66. Belcher walked away from NCAA nationals with three first-team All-American honors. He has four for his career after earning second-team All-American honors in 2016 with the 4x1 team. He is the first Aggie to come away with multiple All-American honors from the NCAA championships.

NCAA FINALS RESULTS



“Today was a struggle, but I am so blessed to be here,” said a winded Belcher after his third event on Friday. “It's not easy to get here. Being here means the world to me. To come out here and race the best in the country, it doesn't get any better than this. I wasn't even nervous today. I already know I'm going to see the best in the world. Coming into these big events I was always nervous with the bubble guts all the time. Today, I was ready to go.”

As a team, the Aggies finished tied for 14th nationally with 16 points, the highest finish ever for an historically black college or university. N.C. A&T finished tied for third among non-Power 5 conference schools (ACC, Big 10, Pac-12, Big 12, SEC). Florida took home the team national championship. The Aggies may have gone higher, but sophomore triple jumper Lasheon Strozier fouled on all four of his jumps Friday.

“We made history this week and I'm proud of that,” said director of track and field programs Duane Ross. “There are more than 250 Division I track and field teams in America. To finish where we finished is a true achievement. I'm proud of these guys.”

The 4x1 team ran their second-fastest time of the season, finishing behind NCAA champion Houston and second-place finisher Auburn. The Aggies had a good first exchange between Mitchell and Belcher as the Aggies came out of the first split in sixth place. Belcher helped the Aggies make up some ground, but the exchange between him and Gabriel wasn't as smooth. When Gabriel gave the baton to Rowe to run the anchor the Aggies were a part of the pack. But Rowe ran past runners from Texas A&M and Texas to make one last effort to win the national title. But Rowe, who completed his split in 9.5 seconds, ran out of track as Houston crossed in 38.34 and Auburn crossed in 38.48.

"We've come a long way when you think about it," said Gabriel, who ran the third leg. "We didn't even make the final last year and this year we're No. 3 team in the country. It still hurts because we wanted to win it. We came in really feeling like we had a chance to win it."

N.C. A&T's third-place finish in an NCAA 4x1 final is the best in school history, surpassing the 2001 team of Timothy Walls, Theo Wilds, Gerald Wright and Titus Haywood who finished fifth in 39.48. "We could have run a better race. I'm sure there are a lot of the things to critique. But at the end of the day we have to be happy with the progress we've made," said Gabriel. "The good news is, the program is good enough to get back here and do better."

Belcher's chief competition in the 100m was Tennessee's Christian Coleman who ran an NCAA record 9.82 on Wednesday. Coleman jumped out to an early start on Belcher and won the national championship in 10.04. Houston's Cameron Burrell came in second in 10.12. Coleman won the 200m as well (20.25).

“He is the best starter in the world, so I definitely didn't get out the way I wanted to,” said Belcher about the 100m race. “He is a talented guy. I know what I did wrong. We're going to go out there and fix whatever needs to be fixed and get ready for U.S. championships.”

The next step for Belcher, who solidified himself as an Aggie legend this week, is the USATF Outdoor Championships at Sacramento State in California June 22-25.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XULA Rush have 3 ITA All-Americans, No. 2 doubles team

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, the No. 2 team in NAIA men's tennis each of the past two seasons, had three players named Thursday to the 2017 ITA NAIA All-America team: senior Karan Salwan and freshmen Moses Micheal and Antoine Richard.

     
The ITA designates as All-America the top 20 singles players and top 10 doubles teams in its postseason individual national rankings. In singles, Richard was ranked third, Micheal 13th and Salwan 15th. In doubles, Richard and Micheal were second — the highest-ever ITA NAIA national ranking for the Gold Rush at any point in a season.
     
Salwan, from New Delhi, India, is ITA All-America for the second straight year. Micheal is from Kaduna, Nigeria, and Richard is from Laval, Quebec.
     
Salwan, Micheal and Richard earned berths May 23 on the NAIA's committee-selected All-America team.
     
Fourteen NAIA schools accounted for the 31 ITA men's All-Americans. National champion Georgia Gwinnett and semifinalist Campbellsville had four honorees apiece, and William Carey, Northwestern Ohio and San Diego Christian joined XULA with three apiece.
     
The XULA women produced no ITA All-Americans but had three — sophomore Charlene Goreau and seniors Emma Kranendonk and Brandi Nelson — in the final national or South Region rankings.

XULA's All-Time List of ITA NAIA Men's All-Americans
2007-08 — Miroslav Vukicevic 2010-11 — Hassan Abbas, Zach Taylor 2011-12 — Loic Didavi, Zach Taylor 2012-13 — Loic Didavi, Kyle Montrel 2013-14 — Kyle Montrel 2014-15 — Kyle Montrel 2015-16 — Kevin Chaouat, Kyle Montrel, Karan Salwan, Thomas Setodji 2016-17 — Moses Micheal, Antoine Richard, Karan Salwan Most Years Earning ITA All-America:  Kyle Montrel 4, Loic Didavi 2, Karan Salwan 2, Zach Taylor 2
XULA in the 2016-17 End-of-Season ITA NAIA Rankings
Men's Singles
Name	Class	NAIA	Region
Antoine Richard	Fr.	3rd	3rd
Moses Micheal	Fr.	13th	7th
Karan Salwan	Sr.	15th	8th
Catalin Fifea	Jr.	26th	12th
Women's Singles
Name	Class	NAIA	Region
Charlene Goreau	So.	31st	11th
Brandi Nelson	Sr.	—	20th
Men's Doubles
Names (Class)	NAIA	Region
Antoine Richard (Fr.)-Moses Micheal (Fr.)	2nd	2nd
Pierre Andrieu (So.)-Catalin Fifea (Jr.)	12th	5th
Tushar Mandlekar (Sr.)-Karan Salwan (Sr.)	20th	9th
Women's Doubles
Names (Class)	NAIA	Region
Charlene Goreau (So.)-Emma Kranendonk (Sr.)	13th	9th

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

FAMU athletics finally has a balanced budget

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- For the first time in more than a decade, Florida A&M’s athletic department has a balanced yearly budget.

Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Wednesday told members of the university’s Special Committee on Athletics he managed to turn a projected 2016-17 year-end deficit of $651,724 into a surplus of more than $9,000.

Overton announced the original budget shortfall in December.

It wasn’t easy – Overton insisted it wasn’t a one-man effort – but Wednesday’s announcement marks a reversal of years of overspending from the athletic department.

“There were a couple of things we did to address this deficit,” Overton told the committee. “Obviously, we reduced our expenses and increased our revenue. We reduced some salaries. We’re a little more efficient in terms of personnel and how we do business.”

CONTINUE READING

Salwan: 1st CoSIDA Academic All-American from tennis

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Karan Salwan was named Monday to the 2016-17 Academic All-America College Division Men's At-Large Team, making him the first XULA tennis player to receive this honor.
     
Academic All-America teams in the College Division are comprised of student-athletes from NAIA, Canadian and two-year institutions and selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Beginning in 2008-09, eight XULA student-athletes have earned a combined 12 berths on Academic All-America teams. CoSIDA has sponsored the Academic All-America program since 1952.
     
Salwan, from New Delhi, India, attended XULA the past two years after transferring from NCAA Division I Utah State. The business management major graduated cum laude from XULA May 13 and with honors in business. On the court Salwan was NAIA All-America both seasons and helped the Gold Rush finish second in the 2016 and 2017 NAIA National Championships. Those are the only XULA teams in any sport to reach the final round of an NAIA national tournament.
     
"Karan has been a great addition to our program. He has probably been one of the smartest players I've ever had on the court," XULA coach Alan Green said. "He has also had one of our highest GPAs. He shows great respect to opposing players and coaches, and he has shown great leadership with our younger guys, using his experience to teach them how to be good team college tennis players. He has also been actively involved in the community with several service projects, most notably with the Salvation Army."

XULA's All-Time List of Academic All-Americans (chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America)
Year	Name	Sport	Team
2008-09	Joe Drexler-Dreis	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2011-12	Matt Pieri	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2011-12	Javon Mead	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Third Team
2012-13	Taylor Reuther	Women's Volleyball	Third Team
2012-13	Matt Pieri	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2012-13	Javon Mead	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Third Team
2012-13	Catherine Fakler	Women's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2012-13	Devinn Rolland	Women's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2014-15	Catherine Fakler	Women's Track and Field/Cross Country	First Team
2014-15	Devinn Rolland	Women's Track and Field/Cross Country	First Team
2015-16	Brent Kitto	Men's Track and Field/Cross Country	Second Team
2016-17	Karan Salwan	Men's Tennis (at-large)	Second Team

Karan Salwan's XULA Honors

2015-16 •  NAIA All-America first team — selected by an NAIA committee •  NAIA All-America — selected by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association •  ITA Scholar-Athlete •  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Honor Roll •  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week (four times: Jan. 25-31, Feb. 1-7, Feb. 8-14 and April 18-24) •  All-Louisiana first team •  Louisiana Newcomer of the Year 2016-17 •  NAIA All-America second team — selected by an NAIA committee •  CoSIDA Academic All-America, College Division at-large second team •  CoSIDA Academic All-District, College Division District 2 at-large •  NAIA Champions of Character •  Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week (Jan. 23-29) •  All-Louisiana honorable mention Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA  twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold

End Of The Ride: B-CU's Run Stalls in Regional Final

GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Bethune-Cookman's wondrous run through the 2017 NCAA Gainesville Regional ended Monday with a 6-1 loss to the host University of Florida before a McKethan Stadium crowd of 2,166 and an internet thoroughly enamored by the Wildcats' bleached beards. And calm demeanor, despite the situation. And passion. And, well, everything about the program.

After losing to Bethune-Cookman for the first time in 31 meetings on Sunday night, the No. 3 national seed Florida Gators (45-17) got a three-run homer and a solid pitching effort from freshman lefty Austin Langworthy to advance to next weekend's Super Regionals, where they will host Wake Forest beginning Friday.

Bethune-Cookman, which defeated two nationally ranked teams in USF and Florida on Sunday and posted more regional victories (three) in 36 hours than the two in the previous 36 years, concludes the season at 36-25 with its 19th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship. The 36 victories are the most in season in the Jason Beverlin era and third-most in program history.

Langworthy's yard shot broke open a scoreless tie. Before that, Florida put men on second and third on a questionable no-call on an infield error that appeared to cause interference from the batter trotting to first on the pop-up to first baseman Danny Rodriguez.

Bethune-Cookman broke the shutout in the seventh when Kyle Corbin scored from second when Josten Heron beat out a two-out infield single, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

Two teams supposedly all but depleted of pitching put on a defensive display the first five innings.

Bethune-Cookman forced Florida to leave eight runners in scoring position before the sixth, while the Gators limited the Wildcats to three hits during that time and seven overall.

Tyler Krull started, working three scoreless innings before yielding to Joseph Calamita. Isaak Gutierrez and Nate Sterijevski aBOXlso worked relief.

Adonis Lao and Heron each had two hits for the Wildcats.

For the tournament, Sterijevski finished with a .500 average (10-20) with one home run and eight RBI. Lao hit .352 (6-17) while Austin Garcia batted .333 (5-15).

BOX SCORE

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Repairs to FAMU's Bragg Stadium to be completed by July

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Mandatory repairs to Florida A&M's Bragg Memorial Stadium are on schedule to be completed before the Aug. 26 start of football season.

A Power Point presentation that will be shown to the FAMU Board of Trustees' budget, finance and facilities committee on Wednesday shows the final cost of the repairs will be $390,968.35 -- a huge drop from the original estimated cost of $622,000.

The new, lower cost was provided by Tallahassee-based Barkley Consulting Engineers.

The Power Point says the repairs should be complete by the end of July. FAMU opens its season with the Jake Gaither Classic on Aug. 26 against Texas Southern.

The most recent competition held at Bragg was FAMU's spring game. Sections of the stadium were taped off during that game.

According to the Power Point, the scope of the work includes metal structural fabrications, cast in place reinforced concrete and masonry electrical, plumbing and selective painting.

CONTINUE READING

Pair of former Hampton Pirates coaches on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Thursday the names on the 2018 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, including 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 98 players and 31 coaches from the divisional ranks.

The announcement of the 2018 Class will be made Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. The city is serving as the host for the CFP National Championship, which will be played later that day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Some of the inductees will be on site during the announcement to represent the class and share their thoughts on being elected. The Jan. 8 announcement will be televised live, and specific viewing information will be available as the date draws near. A few inductees will also participate in the pregame festivities and the coin toss before the championship game.



2018 DIVISIONAL COACH CANDIDATES

Gideon Smith -- Hampton (1921-40) - Led Pirates to 1922 Black College National Championship… Recorded four CIAA titles and two unbeaten seasons in career…Longest tenured coach in Hampton history, boasting the second-most wins all-time at the school.

Joe Taylor -- Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984-91), Hampton (1992-07), Florida A&M (2008-12) - Winningest coach in Hampton history (74%), leading Pirates to four Black College National Championships…Led teams to 10 conference titles and 10 playoff appearances throughout career…Four-time MEAC Coach of the Year.

CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M Rattlers Jake Gaither Classic still not finalized

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Week Zero lineup is falling into place with FCS games, so is the inaugural Jake Gaither Classic next?

ESPN announced on Wednesday a restructured schedule of games for Aug. 26 and 27. The lineup did not include the Jake Gaither Classic, which matches SWAC member Texas Southern at MEAC member Florida A&M in Tallahassee, but the cable television giant is said to be seeking a game time that weekend for one of its family of networks.



The NCAA doesn't allow Division I programs to begin their seasons until the Thursday preceding Labor Day, but there is an "FCS First Contest Exception" in the NCAA Bylaws, which allows for two non-conference programs to face each other prior to that Thursday (this year, it's Aug. 31) as long as they are playing in a nationally televised contest (broadcast or cable, not Internet-only). They are considered Week Zero games.

ESPN networks are televising Chattanooga-Jacksonville State and Colgate-Cal Poly matchups on Aug. 26 and Richmond-Sam Houston State on Aug. 27. All three games have 7:05 p.m. ET kickoffs.

Texas Southern and Florida A&M announced their matchup in January. The holdup with the kickoff could involve game-time parameters due to summer heat.

CONTINUE READING

B-CU Advances to First Baseball Regional Final

GAINESVILLE, Florida. -- Bethune-Cookman made history Sunday with a 6-4 victory over South Florida in the NCAA Gainesville [Fla.] Regional at McKethan Stadium.

Nate Sterijevski, Austin Garcia and Demetrius Sims each had two hits, while Alex Herrera, Ivan Countinho and Joseph Calamita combined to throw six consecutive shutout innings to help the Wildcats (35-24) pull away from a 3-3 tie and advance to a regional final for the first time in program history.

Bethune-Cookman will face host Florida at 7 p.m.



South Florida (42-19) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Kevin Merrell's solo homer, but the Wildcats answered by scoring three runs without hitting the ball out of the infield.

Sims scored on Danny Rodriguez's infield single, Adonis Lao when Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk, and Jameel Edney plated on a double play to make it a 3-1 game.

After the Bulls tied the game with two in the second, Sterijevski smacked a two-run homer to left in the third to help the Wildcats regain a two-run lead. Lao singled home Josten Heron in the fourth.

Herrera (4-1) buckled down after giving up six hits in the first two innings, giving up just two hits over the next four innings before yielding to Countinho, who worked two-innings of one hit relief.

Calamita entered in the eighth and squashed a Bulls rally with just five pitches. He gave up a harmless home run to Tyler Dietrich in the ninth en route to his third save of the season.

Donte Lindsay will start for the Wildcats tonight.

BOX SCORE 

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

HU hurdler Jaelen Williams has come a long way, and he's just getting started

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Having come so far in a relatively short period of time, Hampton University hurdler Jaelen Williams didn't go into last weekend's NCAA East Regional Qualifier with a timid approach. If anything, his coach feared he was teetering in the opposite direction.

So Maurice Pierce went to work.

"He was so amped up," Pierce said. "He said, 'Coach, I'm going to run a 49.5, I'm going to do some damage out here!' I said, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, you don't have to do all that! This meet here is just to advance.'

"He's so good that sometimes you have to calm him down because he gets antsy. I wanted him to concentrate on winning his section and advancing to the nationals. We can chase a time when we get there."

There is the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Nationals in Eugene, Ore. — a.k.a., Track Town USA. Williams will be the only freshman of 24 competitors in the 400-meter hurdles when the preliminaries begin Wednesday night.

Last weekend in Lexington, Ky., he automatically qualified by winning his heat with a PR time of 50.32 seconds. That came only four weeks after he ran a 51.42 in the Penn Relays. And, assuming he heeded Pierce's advice, he wasn't even running all out.

CONTINUE READING

Check out 15 of Roger Cador's finest over his stellar 33-year career at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Who were the best players of Roger Cador’s 33-year run at Southern?

The icon provided 15 of his top players to The Advocate.

The list should start with Trent Hubbard, a player Cador inherited when he began as a coach in 1987, convincing the 5-foot-9 junior to switch into the infield, a move that got Hubbard drafted and eventually launched a 10-year major league career.

And the run should finish with two of his latest gems: first baseman Frazier Hall, a two-time SWAC player of the year in 2010 and 2011, and a little-known pitcher from Puerto Rico, Jose De Leon, who blossomed from a late-round MLB draft pick in 2013 into one of the top prospects in the game.



The headliner is clearly second baseman Rickie Weeks, who in 2003 was named college baseball’s top player and drafted No. 2 overall by the Milwaukee Brewers, eventually becoming an All-Star.

Weeks — along with shortstop Fernando Puebla, third baseman Antoin Gray and pitcher Dewon Day — powered Cador’s best team, the 2003 squad that went 47-7 and won an NCAA tournament game.

Weeks caps a trio of three of the best players Cador coached, after second baseman Michael Woods (the 32nd pick in the 2001 draft) and outfielder Fred Lewis (the 66th pick in the 2002 draft).

CONTINUE READING

Bethune-Cookman eliminates Marist, 4-2 in NCAAs

GAINESVILLE, Florida  –  Tyler Norris threw a complete game and Bethune-Cookman found its hitting on Saturday afternoon as the Wildcats defeated Marist, 4-2 in an elimination game of the NCAA Gainesville [Fla.] Regional at McKethan Stadium. For the Wildcats, the win was their third ever in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. For Head Coach Jason Beverlin, it was his second postseason NCAA win with the Wildcats – the first for the program since 2014 [vs. Columbia in Coral Gables, Fla.].

Bethune-Cookman junior right-hander Tyler Norris settled down quickly after a rocky top-half of the first inning, as Marist (32-23) got to the Coral Springs, Florida native for a run to start off the game.

Shortstop Nate Sterijevski's single through the left side in the bottom of the first gave BCU the lead – one in which the Wildcats would not relinquish, scoring Jameel Edney and Danny Rodriguez as the bases were loaded for the Wildcats.

That vaulted Bethune-Cookman (34-24) ahead, 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, junior third baseman Jameel Edney powered up for his fifth home run of the year, lifting a two-out solo shot clear the wall in left.

That allowed BCU the 3-1 lead after five innings complete.

The Wildcats allowed themselves some breathing room in the bottom of the seventh, stretching the lead at 4-1.

Adonis Lao reached out and smacked a run-scoring double down the line in left to plate Josten Heron with one out.

Marist brought a run back in the top of the eighth inning as shortstop Randy Tavares got to Norris with a one-out solo homer to left field brining Marist to within 4-2.

In the end, it was All-MEAC performer Norris settling down to collect the final two outs of the game, including his seventh strikeout of the day.

Norris collected the win to move to 9-1 on the year. He worked a complete nine inning for the Wildcats, becoming the first nine-inning complete-game performer since Alex Seibold versus North Carolina A&T (March 26, 2016). He allowed just the two runs on six hits, picking up seven strikeouts and walking a pair.

The loss went to Marist left-hander Charlie Jerla to drop him at 9-2 for the season. He worked 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, walking three and striking out four.

The offense for BCU was powered by six players with a hit each, including the homer from Edney, as well as the two-run scoring single from Sterijevski. Lao also supplied the RBI hit for the Maroon and Gold.

Bethune-Cookman now faces the loser of Saturday's evening contest between USF and No. 3 national seed Florida on Sunday at noon. The game was moved up to noon due to impending bad weather moving into the Gainesville area.

Follow Bethune-Cookman Baseball on Twitter (@BCUDiamondCats) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).

BOX SCORE

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern officially announces Roger Cador's retirement, opens search for new baseball coach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- It was 11,991 days since the Southern baseball program was last led by someone other than Roger Cador.

That streak officially came to an end Friday, when Cador and athletic director Roman Banks held a news conference in the lobby of the F.G. Clark Activity Center to announce the retirement of one of the most influential figures in not only Southern history, but the game of baseball.



But there was nothing sad or mournful about the event. Cador’s trademark over the last 33 years has been his charisma and personality, which was on full display as he declared his departure from his life’s work.

“This has been an amazing time to be here today and let you know it’s coming to an end. I’m going home,” Cador said. “And I’m going home in the most wonderful way. After so many years of having so many wonderful relationships… It’s been one hell of a run for me to experience coaching these guys.”

While Cador is stepping away from coaching, he won’t leave Southern athletics entirely.

CONTINUE READING

Florida high court to hear FAMU hazing appeal

Dante Martin is serving a seven-year prison sentence for the hazing death of a drum major

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida Supreme Court will take up the appeal of Dante Martin, a former Florida A&M University Marching 100 band member convicted in the hazing death of Robert Champion six years ago.

Martin filed a petition for review to the state’s highest court in February, arguing that Florida’s hazing statute is overly broad and criminalizes conduct that, although brutal, is nonetheless protected by the federal constitution.

“This statute renders illegal a substantial amount of constitutionally protected conduct that is, notably, openly discussed, critiqued, promoted, advertised and practiced by students statewide,” the petition said.

The statute “affects each and every student of the State of Florida’s public schooling system, from kindergarten to the graduate level,” the petition said. “The statute’s chilling effect on the exercise of constitutional rights is substantial.”

CONTINUE READING