No. 3 Gold Nuggets await next week's announcements

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana remained No. 3 Tuesday in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25. It's the final ranking before the national tournament.
     
The Gold Nuggets (17-7) are in the top five for the fifth consecutive poll. It's their 15th all-time top-3 ranking; all occurred during the last six seasons.
     
The top-25 appearance is XULA's 56th in a row.
     
The postseason timeline:
     •  Monday:  NAIA will announce at 3 p.m. CDT the 24 women's teams that qualified for the NAIA National Championships.
     •  Tuesday:  NAIA will announce at 1 p.m. CDT the seeds and bracket for nationals. The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes.
     •  May 13 (Sunday):  XULA will depart for Mobile, Ala., the site of nationals.
     •  May 14 (Monday):  Tournament banquet, which will include the presentation of ITA end-of-season and NAIA Champions of Character awards.
     •  May 15 (Tuesday):  First round of competition at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608, phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round. Women's matches will start in the morning.
     •  May 16 (Wednesday):  Round of 16. The Gold Nuggets are expected to receive a first-round bye and play their first match on this day.
     •  May 17 (Thursday):  Quarterfinals.
     •  May 18 (Friday):  Semifinals.
     •  May 19 (Saturday):  Championship.
     •  May 22 (Tuesday):  NAIA announces its All-America team.
     •  May 23 (Wednesday):  NAIA announces postseason top 25, and ITA announces its end-of-season singles and doubles rankings.
 

NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through April 29)

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	Keiser (Fla.) (13)	20-2	343
2	2	Georgia Gwinnett	14-2	332
3	3	Xavier (La.)	17-7	321
4	4	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	12-2	308
5	5	William Carey (Miss.)	11-5	293
6	6	Brenau (Ga.)	16-7	292
7	8	William Woods (Mo.)	16-6	263
8	9	Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)	13-6	258
9	7	SCAD Savannah (Ga.)	11-4	255
10	11	Northwestern Ohio	15-4	252
11	10	Indiana Wesleyan	29-4	241
12	12	LSU-Alexandria (La.)	10-6	226
13	13	San Diego Christian (Calif.)	11-6	208
14	14	Middle Georgia State	11-6	207
15	15	Westmont (Calif.)	9-11	186
16	16	SCAD Atlanta (Ga.)	11-6	182
17	17	Arizona Christian	10-11	164
18	18	Union (Ky.)	15-5	159
19	19	Cumberlands (Ky.)	10-10	141
20	20	Campbellsville (Ky.)	12-7	129
21	21	Loyola (La.)	12-7	126
22	22	Cumberland (Tenn.)	13-10	111
23	23	Reinhardt (Ga.)	12-7	107
24	24	Mobile (Ala.)	11-6	91
25	25	Marian (Ind.)	17-4	76

Dropped from the Top 25: None

Others Receiving Votes: Georgetown (Ky.) 50; Southwestern (Kan.) 46; St. Thomas (Fla.) 27; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 18; Asbury (Ky.) 17; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 11; Tennessee Wesleyan 11; Missouri Baptist 9; Huntington (Ind.) 6; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 6; Midland (Neb.) 4.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Rush No. 4; postseason is just around the corner

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana remained No. 4 Tuesday in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25. It's the final ranking before the national tournament.
     
XULA (11-11) extended its streak of consecutive top-25 appearances to 94. That's the longest active streak in NAIA men's tennis. The streak began April 4, 2007.
     
The Gold Rush have not played since April 16. XULA has three victories this season against ranked opponents and four against NCAA Division I members, including Nicholls and Troy.
     
The postseason timeline:
     •  Monday:  NAIA will announce at 3 p.m. CDT the 24 men's teams that qualified for the NAIA National Championships.
     •  Tuesday:  NAIA will announce at 1 p.m. CDT the seeds and bracket for nationals. The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes.
     •  May 13 (Sunday):  XULA will depart for Mobile, Ala., the site of nationals.
     •  May 14 (Monday):  Tournament banquet, which will include the presentation of ITA end-of-season and NAIA Champions of Character awards.
     •  May 15 (Tuesday):  First round of competition at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608, phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round. Men's matches will start in the afternoon.
     •  May 16 (Wednesday):  Round of 16. The XULA men are expected to receive a first-round bye and play their first match on this day.
     •  May 17 (Thursday):  Quarterfinals.
     •  May 18 (Friday):  Semifinals.
     •  May 19 (Saturday):  Championship.
     •  May 22 (Tuesday):  NAIA announces its All-America team.
     •  May 23 (Wednesday):  NAIA announces postseason top 25, and ITA announces its end-of-season singles and doubles rankings.
 

NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through April 29)

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL)	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	Georgia Gwinnett (14)	23-0	374
2	2	Keiser (Fla.)	15-6	362
3	3	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	14-0	348
4	4	Xavier (La.)	11-11	335
5	5	William Carey (Miss.)	12-3	329
6	7	Cumberland (Tenn.)	21-2	305
7	6	William Woods (Mo.)	14-6	302
8	8	Mobile (Ala.)	19-2	287
9	9	Cardinal Stritch (Wis.)	14-4	284
10	T10	Arizona Christian	18-7	260
11	T10	Campbellsville (Ky.)	13-6	253
12	12	Northwestern Ohio	13-5	245
13	13	Middle Georgia State	10-4	233
14	14	Reinhardt (Ga.)	16-3	226
15	15	Westmont (Calif.)	8-9	203
16	16	Tennessee Wesleyan	11-4	196
17	18	Union (Ky.)	13-5	175
18	17	San Diego Christian (Calif.)	8-7	172
19	19	Asbury (Ky.)	15-1	153
20	20	Lawrence Tech (Mich.)	20-5	146
21	21	Coastal Georgia	11-7	136
22	22	Indiana Wesleyan	27-8	117
23	23	Point (Ga.)	15-8	103
24	T24	Cumberlands (Ky.)	8-11	102
25	T24	McPherson (Kan.)	14-3	98

Dropped from the Top 25: None

Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M-Texarkana 56; Loyola (La.) 37; St. Thomas (Fla.) 36; Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 30; Missouri Valley 28; Bethany (Kan.) 22; St. Francis (Ill.) 12; Aquinas (Mich.) 9; Bluefield (Va.) 7; Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) 6.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Cooper named Position Coach at USA Baseball

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University head baseball coach James Cooper finally received the news that he had been waiting on for nearly two months as he was named on Wednesday to the United States of America (USA) Baseball National Development Under-16 Team as a position coach.

Cooper was selected by Matthew Blood, a former scout for the St. Louis Cardinals who thought that he fit the coaching description perfectly.

"Once he explained it to me and told me about the opportunity to possibly win gold medal for the USA, I totally accepted it," Cooper said. "I got extremely excited about it. I felt like a little kid at the candy store or a little kid on Christmas Eve getting ready to open all those gifts."

Although Cooper was unsure of how the selection process went for choosing the coaches, he said Blood did mention he had been following Cooper's success over the years, and even mentioned players such as Edwin Drexler, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 38th round in 2015, and Tanner Lee Raiburn, who was selected in the 33rd round to the Boston Red Sox to play for the Gulf Coast League in 2017. Additionally, Marshawn Taylor who won multiple Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) awards last season.

Currently in his ninth season as the head coach at Grambling State University, Cooper, who was will make his USA Baseball coaching debut at the 16U National Team Development Program (NTDP). He started his career at GSU as a player before becoming an assistant coach and then taking over at the helm. As a head coach, he led the Tigers to a SWAC championship in his first year and was selected the conference Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2017). As a player, he was second team all-conference twice and received first-team All-SWAC honors after his senior campaign. He was selected in 33rd round of the 2004 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Houston Astros.

Joining Cooper, who will be a Stars Position Coach, on this journey will be Scott Berry (Stars Position Coach), Greg Brown (Stripes Position Coach), Rusty Filter (Starts Pitching Coach), Eric Kibler (Field Coordinator), Jayson King (Stripes Manager), Bill Mosiello (Stars Manager), Eric Patterson (Stripes Position Coach), Gregg Ritchie (Hitting Rover) and Ryan Schmidt (Stripes Pitching Coach).

The USA Baseball National Team Development Program offers athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for future national team experience. The program includes skill development sessions, off-field education seminars, intrasquad Stars vs. Stripes games and exposure to professional scouts, college recruiters and the 18U National Team staff and task force.

The 2018 16U NTDP will take place August 4-7 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, Olympic, Premier12 and Pan Am teams (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women's National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year. The organization is responsible for the continued proliferation and health of the sport, and leads a number of amateur initiatives including PLAYBALL and Pitch Smart. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit the organization's official websites: USABaseball.com, USABaseball.Education, PLAYBALL.org, PitchSmart.org, GoldenSpikesAward.com and USABaseballShop.com.

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For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

2018 Celebration Bowl is back on ABC, featuring MEAC and SWAC champs

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Celebration Bowl, featuring football champions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), will kick off the 2018 bowl season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 15.

“We are proud that once again the Celebration Bowl will kick off the college football bowl season on ABC in Atlanta, Georgia,” said Celebration Bowl executive director John Grant. “Each of the past three years we have presented exciting games that went down to the wire in determining who would claim the coveted Celebration Bowl trophy.”

It’s the fourth consecutive year that the conference champions will play. The MEAC leads the series 2-1, with both wins coming from North Carolina A&T, whose last-minute 21-14 win over Grambling State in 2017 capped the first unbeaten season in MEAC history. Grambling won the SWAC’s first title in 2016 with a 10-9 victory over North Carolina Central.

“I would like to thank ESPN for their vision and dedication to establishing the Celebration Bowl as one of the top collegiate bowl games,” said interim SWAC commissioner Edgar Gantt. “We are excited and look forward to participating in this year’s bowl. Our student-athletes, coaches and fans have enjoyed this first-class event.”

“The exposure for our conference and institutions on a national level is tremendous for our branding,” said MEAC commissioner Dennis E. Thomas. To start the 2018 bowl season is an excellent opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches and institutions as they play on a national platform.”

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Southern University announces interim director of bands after firing last leader

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University's associate director of bands will step in as the interim director after the former leader of the famed Human Jukebox was fired earlier this week following allegations that he requested kickbacks in exchange for the band performing for public school kids.

Kedric Taylor will serve as the interim director while former director Lawrence Jackson will act as a consultant to the band department, according to a news release Friday evening from university spokeswoman Janene Tate.

University officials fired Nathan Haymer as director on Tuesday after an internal investigation into the kickback allegations, which was prompted by a recent lawsuit. Haymer said in a statement that he was disappointed in the decision and denied the allegations.

Southern University fires popular band director, he says he is disappointed with decision.

Taylor participated in the band for the four years he attended Southern University, and he has worked with the band department since 2014, Tate said Friday. As associate director of bands at Southern, he was Cresponsible for music arrangements, band rehearsals and direction of the saxophone and wind ensembles.

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Southern University fires popular band director, he says he is disappointed with decision

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Ending days of limbo for its band director, Southern University on Tuesday fired Nathan Haymer, bringing his leadership of the famed Human Jukebox to an abrupt end.

Haymer broke the news in a statement issued about 4 p.m, and a university spokeswoman soon confirmed it. Haymer’s departure comes after an internal investigation prompted by a recent lawsuit accusing him of requesting a kickback in order for the band to appear at an event for public school children.

“It was my goal to uphold the prestigious legacy of the Human Jukebox by taking the band to greater heights of unprecedented success,” Haymer said in his statement. “I always took pride in being an ambassador for Southern University and at no time did I ever act in a nefarious manner by accepting ‘kickbacks’ as falsely reported by the media.

“Needless to say, I remain disappointed with the University’s decision and will weigh my legal options for further appeal. But at the end of the day, I will always and forever be a Jaguar!”

Haymer’s brother and attorney, Niles Haymer, said his brother received his termination notice about 4 p.m. Tuesday.

A few minutes later, Southern University President Ray Belton sent out his own letter addressed to the “Southern University Community.” He did not say why the university is firing Haymer. Belton allowed that “you may hear varying conversations of the matter," but said Southern will keep focusing on “upholding standards of accountability and transparency.”

“This departure is not an easy one, as Mr. Haymer has been a great asset to our students, band program and overall community,” Belton said.

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12-Year NBA Veteran George Lynch Named Clark Atlanta University Men’s Basketball Head Coach

ATLANTA, Georgia -- George Lynch, a 12-year NBA veteran, coach, former Division I college assistant, and former University of North Carolina star, has been named the new head coach of the Clark Atlanta University Panthers men's basketball team, CAU Athletic Director J Lin Dawson announced Monday.

Lynch takes over for Darrell Walker, who accepted the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in March.

"I'm very excited to represent Clark Atlanta University in 2018-2019 season," Lynch said. "Coach Darrell Walker has left the program in great shape with some great players. It's an honor to follow him as a head coach with the opportunity to lead the Clark Atlanta basketball team moving forward. I'm looking forward to joining the CAU campus community and being part of a great program."

Lynch spent 12 years playing in the NBA after he was drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1993. A defensive force, Lynch also was the first rookie since Magic Johnson to score 30 points in a game. He played for four NBA teams during his career (L.A. Lakers, Vancouver Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and the New Orleans Hornets), playing the NBA Finals with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001. He was also a second-team All-NBA defensive player that year.

After his playing career, Lynch worked with Southern Methodist University in player training and development and ran a non-profit youth basketball organization in the Dallas area. In 2010, he joined the University of California-Irvine, first as an assistant athletic director for Community Relations and then as a strength coach for the men's and women's basketball programs. He served in the same capacity at SMU from 2012 to 2015 before becoming the school's player development coach in 2015. He has been assistant coach with the Grand Rapid Drive of the NBA's "G" League since 2017.

Lynch, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, helped lead the Tar Heels to the 1993 Atlantic Coast Conference championship, along with the NCAA National Championship where he was the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA East Regional. Lynch, a four-year letterman, was captain of the 1993 team, was on the NCAA's All-Tournament team

"I am excited to enter this new era in men's basketball with George Lynch," Dawson said. "George embodies the attributes that we looked for as a campus community. Our student-athletes will benefit from his experience as a successful player, mentor, strength coach and player developer, and he will be great addition to Clark Atlanta athletics and the entire CAU community."

The Panthers finished 24-6 this past season, narrowly missing out on winning their second-consecutive Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. The Panthers earned their second consecutive NCAA Division II Men's National Basketball tournament bid and were nationally ranked the entire second half of the season.

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Virginia State University Trojans Football’s all-time leading rusher,Trenton Cannon drafted by New York Jets

ARLINGTON, Texas  – Virginia State's running back Trenton Cannon was selected by the New York Jets with 204th pick overall in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
 
"I can't believe I am a New York Jet," said Cannon. "This is what I have worked for and dreamed of since I was a kid. I have been working hard to get to this moment. I want to thank Virginia State University's Head Football Coach Reggie Barlow and the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to shine on the field and believing in me. Trojan Nation, I want to thank you for all the love and support. It's my turn. Thank you so much to everyone who believed in me and helped me get to today, but the work has just begun. New York, let's get to work."

Trenton Cannon has received numerous accolades for his outstanding performance this season. Cannon was selected to play in the 2018 National Football League Player Association Collegiate bowl that took place on January 20. Cannon led the Trojans to an undefeated regular season, piling up 245 all-purpose yards per game. In addition, he was named the CIAA Offensive Player of the Year, and was the second consecutive VSU player to take home the Lanier award. The Lanier award is given to the best small-college player. Trenton received the Offensive Back of the Year honor by the Touchdown Club of Richmond. Cannon lead the CIAA in overall rushing yards this season (1,387) and rushing yards per game (154.1). He also produced 14 touchdowns on the season. Out of the ten-week regular season, the Hampton, VA native earned five Offensive Back of the Week honors. Trenton is currently VSU's All-Time Rusher with a total of 3,780 yards.

For his college career he played in 38 games (25 starts), rushed for 4,246 yards (7.1 yards/carry) and 46 touchdowns, caught 51 passes for 638 more yards and seven more TDs, and also averaged 32.6 yards/kickoff return with three TD returns the last two seasons.

Cannon turned a 4.40 time in the 40 at his pro day.

Cannon is only the second player taken from Virginia State, with the first, DB Jim Williams, selected in Round 7 of the 1970 draft.

Cannon joins a Jets organization that is looking to overcome back-to-back seasons of going 5-11 and finishing last in the AFC East.

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MEAC Produces NFL Highest FCS Draft Pick, Darius Leonard, South Carolina State University Bulldogs

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The first FCS player selected came out of the MEAC when the Indianapolis Colts picked outside linebacker Darius Leonard in the second round (36th overall) Friday night.

There were no draft selections from the Big South Conference, the Pioneer Football League and the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Ten of the 13 FCS conferences had at least one player selected in this year’s NFL Draft.

CAA Football, the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Southland Conference led the way with three selections. The CAA increased its total in the 2010s to 25, breaking from a tie with the Southern Conference for the most in the FCS.

The Ivy League, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Ohio Valley Conference had two selections each. The Big Sky Conference, Northeast Conference, Patriot League and Southern Conference had one each.

2018 NFL Draft: Round 2

33. Cleveland Browns: Austin Corbett, OL, Nevada

34. New York Giants: Will Hernandez, OL, UTEP

35. Cleveland Browns: Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

36. Indianapolis Colts: Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State

37. Indianapolis Colts: Braden Smith, T, Auburn

38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ronald Jones II, RB, USC

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Grambling's Carter goes undrafted, heads to Redskins on free agent deal

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The 2018 NFL Draft put Martez Carter's time-killing skills to the test.

Playing the card game Uno with his family and friends, grabbing quick cat-naps while tuned in to the near, seven-hour long marathon at a watch party at his home with his family, the former Grambling State running back ultimately did not hear his name called by a franchise.

But his free agent wait didn't last a fraction of the time as his wait on the Day 3 of the Draft Saturday. Less than 30 minutes after the last pick was announced, Carter decided to join the Washington Redskins on an undrafted free agent deal.



"It's been a long day. My agent insisted that we wait until after I get the call today to the simple fact of how the running back position was going," Carter said. "At the end of the day, I was able to get a call and it was a great call. It's been a long day, I'm just glad it's adjourned, I'm glad it came to an end with some positive results.

"Not getting drafted was a bummer. But I feel like everything happens for a reason. When it all boils down to it, today was still a great day for me. I got a call and I still have an opportunity to play football on the next level. I didn't walk away from this thing empty-handed. I feel like today wasn't a wasted day. It could've been way better, but you can only ask for so much and the way the chips fell, I'll pick them all up, stack them up again and see how they fall on the next level."

The Monroe native was being courted as a free agent by the reigning Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, among a few others, after the Draft concluded but chose to head to the nation's capitol. Carter will report to the Redskins on May 10.

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Draft recap: Grambling State trio earn UFA deals after NFL Draft

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The excruciating long weekend of the NFL Draft and the intense wait games it brings with it for the players has come and gone.

Now, it's time to decompress.

All the smoke from the bells and whistles has cleared and initially on the other side, three former Grambling State football players find themselves getting the opportunity to play on the professional level. After going undrafted, the trio didn't have to wait long to reach free agent deals Saturday night.

Here's a shakedown of where the former Bulldogs are heading:

Running back Martez Carter

Day 3 of the NFL Draft was a long "on edge" day for Martez Carter and his family. The former Grambling State star running back had been projected to be a sixth or seventh round selection, but that didn't pan out after tuning into the near, seven-hour long marathon.

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QB play highlights UAPB spring game

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Silent for about an hour, the Golden Lions' first touchdown of the Cedric Thomas era was loud enough.

Junior quarterback Shannon Patrick lofted a pass and hit junior wide receiver Kolby McNeal in stride for a 62-yard touchdown just 23.6 seconds before halftime in the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's spring football game Saturday afternoon at Golden Lions Stadium.

UAPB SPRING GAME PHOTO GALLERY



Patrick, who transferred from Northland (Minn.) Community College this spring, introduced himself to a UAPB program that was making its debut under Thomas.

"Just overwhelmed," said Thomas, a UAPB alum who played cornerback from 1998-1999. "This is the first time that it just actually hit me that I'm the head coach back at my school. Just seeing the people in the stands that could've been doing anything in the world this Saturday. But they came to fellowship with us as a Golden Lions family, and that was just a blessing. That was the most exciting thing about it."

Patrick's touchdown spurred further excitement, and it was one of two touchdowns in the Black and Gold game that ended in an arbitrary 7-7 tie after three quarters. An undisclosed offensive lineman suffered a minor ankle injury, Thomas said, and he didn't want to risk further injury.

Defense dominated in the opening six drives of the scrimmage, which included six sacks, but then Patrick found McNeal wide open in the middle of the field.

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Raiders Select N.C. A&T's Brandon Parker In Third Round Of 2018 NFL Draft

ARLINGTON, Texas -- After trading the No. 75 overall pick, the No. 152 overall pick and No. 212 pick to the Baltimore Ravens, the Oakland Raiders selected North Carolina A&T tackle Brandon Parker with the No. 65 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

A top of NFL prospect, the 2017 preseason accolades poured in … Earned STATS first-team All-American honors after the 2016 season … Earned his second straight MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year award … Also earned his second straight Black College Football All-American honor from the American Urban Radio Networks … He is a three-time All-MEAC selection, twice being named first-team all-conference … Behind Parker the Aggies have the MEAC’s No. 1 rushing offense for three straight seasons … In 2017, the Aggies ranked No. 1 in the conference in 3rd down conversion, total first downs, rushing offense, scoring offense, fewest tackles for loss allowed, fewest sacks allowed and total offense … Has never surrendered a sack in his career … Enters his fourth straight season as the Aggies starting left tackle … Has only been called for four penalties in his career … Has played in 35 straight games with 35 straight starts … Was the first Aggie to win MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year since Qasim Mitchell did it in 2001 … He and Mitchell are the only two linemen in program history to win the honor from the MEAC … Has good speed, good length and plays hard on each down … Has the longest reach on the team at 107 ½ inches … Has gotten stronger and increased his weight during his time at N.C. A&T … Can bench press 225 pounds 20 times in one set … Improved his bench press max from 340 to 360 pounds … Also has a squat max of 510 pounds … Came to N.C. A&T with a talented class that also included record-breaking players such as Tarik Cohen, Denzel Keyes and Cody Jones … His sister Jasmine played for the Aggies women’s basketball team ... Has started all 36 games played.

2016 Season: Started all 12 games … Earned offensive lineman of the week five times from the MEAC … Was in on 779 gradable plays with 48 total knockdowns and an average grade of 87 percent. He graded out at higher than 90 percent five times … Offensively, the Aggies had the No. 1 total offense, rushing offense and third rated passing offense in the conference … A&T also allowed the fewest sacks, had running back Tarik Cohen break the school’s single-season rushing record (1,583) and quarterback Lamar Raynard break the school’s single-season completion percentage record (64.6) while leading the conference in completion percentage and passing efficiency (140.8).

2015 Season: Started all 12 games… Earned first-team All-MEAC honors along with being named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year … Also earned All-American honors from American Urban Radio Networks and Boxtorow … Led the Aggies in pancake blocks and graded out well throughout the season… Graded out well at Florida A&M (Oct. 31) and against Alcorn State (Dec. 19).

2014 Season: Played in 12 games in 12 starts…Earned third-team All-MEAC honors as an offensive lineman…Graded out well against Florida A&M on Oct. 25 and Morgan State on Nov. 8…Helped quarterback Kwashaun Quick have his best passing season of his career by keeping him from being sacked.

High School: Led his team to an 8-4 record as a senior…Played three varsity seasons under Mike Newsome and Ron Massey at A.L. Brown, where he was a starter for two years...Ranked 46th in the state by Max Preps…His team averaged 287 yards rushing per game, and completed 62.4 percent of its passes...Graduated Cum Laude from A.L. Brown.

Personal: Full name is Brandon Malik Parker...He is the son of Curtis and Regina Parker...Was born on Oct. 21, 1995 ... Majors in electrical engineering.

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Chickens & doodles: How GSU's Crumitie honed his speed, draws his inspiration

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Speed is home grown.

At his childhood home in the outskirts of Tallahassee, Florida, that’s where the story of Damien Crumitie’s windbreaking speed sprouted its origins. His father, David Crumitie Sr. owned three acres of farmland just outside the Sunshine State’s capital city and as a boy, Damien spent most of his afternoons after school in the yard with his dad and three brothers.

Like most kids, the quartet of Crumitie brothers rode 4-wheelers and played football. Damien, more than his brothers, helped his father with working on the land, cutting grass and helping in the garden. While spending so much time outside, and not much else to do in the rural area, Crumitie found a seemingly old-fashioned way to grow his speed.

“We chased chickens a lot so that helped my speed,” he recalled. “Running after chickens with my brothers. There’s really nothing to do out there in the country so that’s what we did. Out there working, riding lawnmowers, 4-wheelers and stuff. Playing backyard football in the sand barefoot. That’s how I really got better in defense and toughness, we were playing backyard football.

“It took like three times. It took a while to catch (a chicken), but I was good after that. I caught 10 chickens. We had like 15 out there, so I caught most of them. My oldest brother (David Crumitie Jr.) did it, too. I always tried to compete with him because he was the fastest one at the time. That’s what made me want to go out there, too, to chase chickens.”

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Howard University Athletics Announces 125 Years of Football, Season Tickets, Camps and Clinics

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the spring semester wrapping up and student-athletes preparing for graduation, the Howard University Department of Athletics is preparing for a number of camps and clinics, football season ticket sales, and the 125th football fundraising campaign.

Nearly 26 years after Howard University opened its doors, collegiate football was established and HU welcomed a new kind of student to “The Mecca.” Today, 125 years later, Howard football boasts a legacy of historic wins and football standouts. In celebration and in honor of 125 years of Howard Football, the program has launched early bird season football tickets for $125. With each season ticket purchase, season ticket holders will receive reserved seating, discounted Circle City Classic fan pack rates, the homecoming VIP tent experience and homecoming parking. Additionally, fans can purchase vintage helmets ($250) and jerseys ($150). There is also the ongoing option of making a donation in support of the 125th football anniversary fund. (Purchase Season Tickets)

This summer, the University’s athletic teams are hosting various camps and clinics. Football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball and swimming and diving are providing opportunities for young talent to improve their skills. Under the guidance of head football coach Mike London, Bison football will host team camps and one-day prospect camps. Team camp will be held Friday, June 22, with one-day prospect camps that will feature coaching staffs from the University of Michigan, Boston College, Syracuse and the University of Massachusetts. Dates and campus focus vary. For more information, visit http://www.totalcamps.com/mikelondonfootballcamps.

Following their international competition in Africa, the Howard University women’s volleyball program will host a two-day college prospect camp on July 14 and July 15. To register, visit http://www.howardvolleyballcamps.com.

The highly-anticipated men’s and women’s basketball programs will host camps. Men’s basketball will hosts the Kevin Nickelberry camps for ages 6-15 and 15-18. More information can be found at http://www.coachnickelberry.com/view/camps. Women’s basketball will welcome 9th-12th graders to Burr Gymnasium on Saturday, Aug. 4, for the 2018 Ty Grace camps. Interested participants can enroll at http://www.tygracebasketballcamps.com/.

About Howard University Athletics

The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

GCAC weekly awards for Riggs, Terry, August

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Justyce Riggs (women's track), Alysia Terry (women's field) and Christopher August (men's track) are Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Players of the Week for April 16-22, the GCAC announced Tuesday.
     
Riggs, a sophomore from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and a graduate of Choctawhatchee High School, finished second in the 100-meter dash and fourth in 200 at the GCAC Championships this past weekend. She also helped the 400 relay team finish second in a school-record 46.45 seconds. Riggs's 200 time of 24.89 met the B-qualifying standard for the NAIA National Championships and is the Gold Nuggets' fastest time at this distance in four years.
     
Terry, a freshman from the New Orleans suburb of Terrytown, La., and a graduate of Ursuline Academy, became the first XULA woman since 2004 to win the triple jump at the GCAC meet. Her best mark was 11.38 meters/37 feet, 4 inches. Terry also placed eighth in the long jump and third in the 100 hurdles.
     
Riggs and Terry helped XULA repeat as GCAC women's team champion and score a women's-meet-record 258 points.
     
August, a senior from the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School, won the 5,000 and 10,000 at the GCAC meet and helped the 3,200 relay team finish first. August also placed fourth in the 1,500 and as part of the 1,600 relay. His 27 1/2 points helped XULA place second in the team standings — its best men's finish since 2004.
     
The GCAC weekly awards are the sixth of Riggs's season and career, the second of Terry's season and career and the first this season for August and the second of his career.
     
XULA will compete in two weeks in a last-chance meet at William Carey (Hattiesburg, Miss.), then travel to Gulf Shores, Ala., for NAIA nationals May 24-26.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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