XULA's Riley jumps nearly 19 feet to qualify for nationals

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi — Xavier University of Louisiana's Ry-Anne Riley long-jumped 5.74 meters/18 feet, 10 inches Friday at the William Carey Tune Up track and field meet to qualify for the NAIA National Championships.

The sophomore from New Orleans produced a XULA PR in the event, surpassing her old mark of 5.48 meters/17-11 3/4. Riley previously had qualified for nationals in the 400- and 1,600-meter relays.

Riley finished second in the event. There was no team scoring.

XULA's Brandon Matthews placed third in the men's long jump and second in the triple jump. His long jump mark of 6.81 meters/22-4 1/4 is a XULA PR.

NAIA nationals will be May 24-26 at Gulf Shores, Ala.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Benedictine’s SG Jahdon Robinson commits to Hampton Pirates

RICHMOIND, Virginia -- Jahdon Robinson, a junior at Benedictine Prep, has given a verbal commitment to play basketball at Hampton University starting with the 2019-20 season.

The 6-foot-5 forward averaged about 18 points and seven rebounds this past season for the Cadets.

Robinson plays travel ball for Team Richmond-Garner Road U-17 Elite, coached by Del Harris.

He will play during his upcoming senior season at Benedictine under new Coach Mark Royster.

Following decades of competition in the CIAA and MEAC, HU is moving to the Big South Conference for ...

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SC State's road to building tennis dynasty paved with trials, triumphs

ROSTER

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- When you’ve won 25 conference tennis titles – 12 men’s and 13 women’s – in a 17-year career, including 14 straight seasons with at least one title, it can be difficult for a coach to decide which of those championships he ranks highest.

Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State’s tennis coach since 2002, has no problem settling on his most challenging season, though. That would be the one that just concluded with this year’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference men’s crown.

It might also be his most satisfying.

“Because of the personal stories, the injuries and other losses – that’s why (this season) is special,” the 48-year-old Canadian native of Indian heritage said Thursday after a “Salute and Send-off” for his eight-man team, held at Orangeburg Country Club and attended by more than 100, including S.C. State president James E. Clark, city mayor Michael Butler, and a representative from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s office.

This weekend, the Bulldogs travel to Gainesville, Fla., to face No. 13 Florida in an NCAA Tournament first-round matchup on Saturday. The Gators will be heavily favored, but simply getting to the post-season capped an effort that Judge’s boss, first-year athletics director Stacy Danley, dubbed “phenomenal.”

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MEAC Golf Champions Augusta prepares for NCAA Regionals

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- The Augusta University men's golf team earned the 12th seed in the 2018 NCAA Men's Golf Regional, held in Raleigh, N.C. at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course. The three-day, 54-hole regional will be held Monday through Wednesday, May 14-16, and will be hosted by N.C. State.

The Jaguars are making their fourth straight appearance under head coach Jack O'Keefe and the 21st all-time to the NCAA postseason (1993, '94, '95, 98', '99, 00', '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '15, '16, '17, and '18). The announcement came on May 2 from the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee via a live selection show on Golf Channel.

Six 54-hole regional tournaments will be conducted May 14-16. Thirteen teams and ten individuals not on those teams will compete at each of three regionals while the other three regionals will have 14 teams and five individuals not on those teams. The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each regional will advance to the finals.

Team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 25-30 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State University is the host institution for the 2018 championships.

The Jaguars won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship for the fourth consecutive year on April 21 at Crosswinds Golf Club. The Jaguars shot 7-under-par in the last round to best the eight team field by 33 shots and finish the three-day event with a score of 861 (292-288-281, 3-under). Augusta earned an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships with the conference tourney victory.

Augusta last competed at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in the 2016-17 season for the N.C. State Wolfpack Intercollegiate October 3-4, 2016. The Jags shot 11-over-par and took sixth.

NCAA RALEIGH REGIONAL

Lonnie Poole Golf Course – Raleigh, North Carolina Hosted by North Carolina State University
Teams (seeded in the following order):

1. Georgia Tech [Atlantic Coast Conference]
2. California
3. Texas
4. Arizona State
5. Duke
6. NC State
7. Liberty [Big South Conference]
8. Missouri
9. Santa Clara
10. Campbell
11. Middle Tennessee State [Conference USA]
12. Augusta [Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]
13. Davidson [Atlantic 10 Conference]
14. Iona [Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]

Individuals:

1. Dawson Armstrong, Lipscomb
2. Mark Lawrence, Virginia Tech
3. Conor Purcell, Charlotte
4. Alex Weiss, Marshall
5. Brendan MacDougall, High Point

 Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags

AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Judge headed to NCAAs with 25th MEAC championship team

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Four years ago, when Hardeep Judge had just reached 400 career victories and 20 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles as men’s and women’s tennis coach at South Carolina State, two of his three children – daughter Natia and son Naylin – helped him put such accomplishments in perspective.

Naylin, now 11, marveled at S.C. State’s decision to name the school’s on-campus tennis center in his honor.

“Dad, that means you’re getting old,” Judge recalled his son saying. Natia, now 14, followed that with, “Dad, they only name tennis courts after dead people.”

“And then my son came back with, ‘So … that means you’re somewhere between old and dead,’” Judge, now 48, recalled with a laugh.

Imagine how the England-born, Canadian-raised coach of Indian heritage feels now.

Thursday, Judge was reflecting on having reached 25 MEAC tennis titles (13 women’s and 12 men’s) and 500-plus victories, as S.C. State honored him and his 2018 MEAC champion men’s team with a “Salute and Send-off” at Orangeburg Country Club.

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Donnie Marsh Resigns as AAMU Head Men’s Basketball Coach

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M men's basketball coach Donnie Marsh has resigned after one season, the university announced this afternoon.

The Bulldogs went 3-27 overall and 3-15 in the SWAC last season. Alabama A&M ranked last in the nation - No. 351 - in scoring offense at 60.4 points per game, and was No. 276 in scoring defense (76.4).

Marsh replaced Willie Hayes, who stepped down after going 54-121 in six seasons.

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ASU Announces Changes, Additions To Football Staff

ALBANY, Georgia -- Albany State University head football coach Gabe Giadina has announced two additions to the football staff for the fall 2018 season.

Joining the ASU coaching staff will be Denares Waites and Travian Robertson. Waites will serve as the Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties coach while Robertson will take on the assignment of guiding the Rams' defensive line.

Waites come to ASU after eight seasons as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, TN. At CNU, he guided the wide receivers for one year before moving to the defensive side to coach the Eagles' secondary for the next seven seasons. He also spent time coaching special teams during his tenure in Jefferson City.

"(Dino) Waites brings a wealth of Division II experience and as a native of Bacon County, his recruiting connections in south Georgia are deep," says Coach Giardina. "As a player and a coach under the legendary Ken Sparks, he was a part of several playoff teams during his tenure in Carson Newman. He and coach (Nick) Reveiz will do a great job as Co-Defensive Coordinators going forward."

Waites was named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts as the Eagles' defensive backs and special teams coach in 2013.

Robertson joins the Golden Rams' staff after spending one season at Georgia State University as a graduate assistant. A 2011 graduate of the University of South Carolina, he appeared in 43 career games for the Gamecocks before being selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round (249 overall pick) of the 2012 NFL Draft.

"Travian Robertson is an exciting new addition to our staff as the Defensive Line Coach and NFL Liaison. He is a great technician and teacher brings a wealth of NFL playing experience to our staff", states Giardina. "At South Carolina he played at a high level and as a former NFL player, has seen first-hand what it takes to compete professionally."

Robertson played two seasons for the Falcons, was signed in 2014 by the Seattle Seahawks and was later claimed off waivers by the Washington Redskins.

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN RAMS SPORTS INFORMATION

Lane Dragons release 2018 football schedule

JACKSON, Tennessee -- Lane College has released their ten game 2018 football schedule with some familiar faces coming to Hub City, along with some newcomers for fans to see.

The Dragons open the 2018 campaign at home against Lincoln University (Sept. 1), looking for revenge after the Tigers took the game 12-9 thanks to a last second field goal when the two teams met last in 2016 in Jefferson City, Mo.

Lane is at home for the next three weeks, taking on SIAC foe Morehouse College (Sept. 8) before jumping out of conference play to host Livingstone College (Sept. 15) then resuming conference play the next week against visiting against Albany State University (Sept. 22).

Week five and six see the Dragons hit the road, first at 2017 SIAC Champion Tuskegee University (Sept. 29) then to Virginia to take on NCAA Division-I opponent Hampton University (Oct. 6).

The Dragons return home for the next two weeks taking on Allen University (Oct. 13) as part of the week long homecoming festivities before jumping back into conference play to host Miles College (Oct. 20).

Lane stays in SIAC conference play for the final two games of the regular season, both on the road starting with Kentucky State University (Oct. 27) and wrapping with the regular season finale in Wilberforce, Ohio taking on Central State University (Nov. 3).

For ticket information contact the Office of Athletics at (731) 426-7568.

LANE COLLEGE DRAGONS SPORTS INFORMATION

Nuggets receive program-best 3 ITA regional awards

NEW ORLEANS — The women of Xavier University of Louisiana won a program-best three Intercollegiate Tennis Association/NAIA regional awards Wednesday. The Gold Nuggets' honorees in Region IV (South) are:\

     •  Nour Abbes, tasc Assistant Coach of the Year.
     •  Charlene Goreau, Player to Watch.
     •  Mariia Borodii, Rookie of the Year.
     
Abbes, Goreau and Borodii will receive their awards Monday evening in Mobile, Ala., at a banquet for the women's and men's teams participating in the NAIA National Championships. The ITA's national winners will be announced at that time.

Of the 16 NAIA women's teams to receive ITA regional awards, only Tabor (6), Arizona Christian (3) and XULA collected more than two.
     
This is Abbes's fifth ITA honor. She was the regional and national rookie of the year in 2013-14, and she was All-America twice.
     
"Nour is a major reason why our women's team has gone from a top-20 team last year to a potential national champion this year," said Alan Green, XULA head coach and director of tennis. "Nour gained the team's respect from her first day of coaching."
     
Goreau, a junior from Toulouse, France, is 23-5 in singles this season — she won her last 14 decisions — and 18-10 in doubles. The ITA ranks her ninth in NAIA singles.
     
"Charlene has been more professional with her preparation and study of the game," Green said. "She has been listening and more accepting of the coaching and applying it directly on the court. She has stepped up her game big-time."
     
This is Goreau's third ITA honor. She was All-America and Region IV Rookie of the Year in 2015-16.
     
Borodii, a freshman from Zapozizhzhia, Ukraine, is 15-0 in singles — winning all those matches on the first court — and 15-4 in doubles with 10 victories in her last 11 decisions with Yi Chen Pao. Borodii is the only Gold Nugget ever to achieve top-3 national rankings in singles (No. 2) and doubles (No. 3).
     
"Mariia is the Nuggets' hardest worker," Green said, "and as a result her teammates have tried to match her work ethic."
     
The Gold Nuggets (17-7), ranked and seeded third, have a first-round tournament bye and will play SCAD Savannah or Cumberlands in the round of 16 at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Coppin State Baseball Rallies for Win at UMBC; Coach Sherman Reed Breaks Program Record for Wins

CATONSVILLE, Maryland –Coppin State's baseball team rallied for five runs in the eighth inning to defeat UMBC, 13-11, on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Field.  The victory gives the Eagles 20 for the season, just one shy of a program-record and gives head coach Sherman Reed 84 career victories which breaks Jason Booker's old mark of 83 wins.
 
Trailing, 11-8 going into their final at bat, Coppin tagged Retrievers reliever Max Goron for five runs on five hits to go with an error to take a two-run lead.  Brett Helmbrecht and Carlos Alviarez led off the frame with singles before Andres Santana drew a walk to load the bases.  Corey Treyes then doubled down the right field line to drive in two runs, cutting the deficit to 11-10.  Caleb Duhaythen hit a sacrifice fly to score Santana and moving Treyes to third, tying the score at 11.  After an intentional walk to Nazier McIlwain, Derek Lohr laid down a bunt single to give the Eagles the lead and McIlwain later scored on a throwing error.
 
Delvin McFadden, who came into the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth, got out unscathed with two strikeouts.  McFadden then allowed just a single in the ninth before forcing a game-sealing groundball double play.

BOX SCORE
 
Coppin had led multiple times earlier in the game, going ahead 3-0 after the first on a RBI single by McIlwain, followed by a two-run double by Marcos Castillo.  The Retrievers cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third before the Navy & Gold tagged them for five runs in the bottom half.  McIlwain and Alviarez delivered with a two-run singles in the inning, sandwiching an RBI groundout by Helmbrecht.
 
UMBC put up back-to-back crooked numbers in the fourth and fifth innings off Devin Rivera Ozuna and Bradley Tuttle to take a 10-8 lead before adding an extra run in the eighth to go up by three.
 
McIlwain drove in a team-high three runs and scored three times while going 2-for-4 with a walk.  Helmbrecht had a team-high three hits while Duhay and Alviarez also had multi-hit games.  Erik Crossman and Treyes both drew a pair of walks as Treyes also drove in two runs and scored three times.
 
The Thursday afternoon game at Delaware State has been cancelled so the MEAC North Champion Eagles will return to action at the MEAC Tournament in Daytona Beach, Florida on May 15-19 where they have a first round bye.

COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard University Volleyball Set To Become First HBCU To Take An International Tour

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard University women's volleyball team is making history as it heads to Africa for the team's international debut. With its exceptional academic and athletic achievements, the 11-time MEAC champions are traveling overseas to expand on their success. They will become the first volleyball team from a historically Black college or university (HBCU) to take an international tour. The team will compete against opponents from Botswana and Zimbabwe.

"This trip to Africa is a chance for our team to grow both on and off the court. While the matches will give us the opportunity to play against some of the best teams on the continent, the real opportunity will come from our outreach events," stated head coach Shaun Kupferberg. "The cultural immersion and education will prepare our student-athletes for a more global workplace in the coming years. Their worldview will be changed forever by this experience and will give them a better sense of their place in the world."

Elite college programs across the United States take international tours once every four years to train against foreign teams and experience other cultures. In addition to the matches, Howard's team will participate in community service, hosting youth volleyball skills clinics in rural African communities. Student-athletes have an opportunity to volunteer in areas within their current field of study while broadening their worldview and developing their global leadership skills.

"Howard has a legacy of making history and paving the way for others. We are proud to be the first HBCU volleyball team to go on a foreign tour and we look forward to planning future tours for each cohort of players that we have," said assistant coach Ciara Jones.

The team ran an online fundraising campaign to offset the cost of the trip. The money donated goes toward traveling expenses that include transportation, meals and lodging for the entire team.

"Going to Africa with this team is nothing short of a once in a lifetime opportunity," expressed Khaila Donaldson, a graduating senior from Illinois. "I cannot wait to fully immerse in African culture while being afforded the ability to play against some of the best national teams on the continent. Having the privilege of this experience alongside some of my best friends is the greatest graduation gift I can receive."

Travel will take place May 13-25. Tax-deductible donations can still be made online by clicking here.

For media inquiries contact Brittany Bell Surratt, brittany.bell@howard.edu.

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.

Grambling State fires softball coach Wilbert Early

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State fired softball coach Wilbert Early Thursday morning, less than a week after he completed his 12th season with the program.

"I want to thank coach Early for his service to Grambling State University and we wish him well on his next endeavor," said GSU Athletic Director Paul Bryant via text message.

Lady Tiger teams under Early's watch have mightily struggled to be competitive on the field against similar lower-tier Division I teams, and in the SWAC, especially the last three seasons.

This past season, Grambling went 11-29 but only beat one D-I opponent, a 5-4 win versus rival Southern on April 28 and finished an abysmal 1-17 in SWAC play. The Lady Tigers have managed just five total D-I wins the past three seasons, all conference victories, and have failed to advance to the conference tournament since 2015.

The program hit rock bottom in 2016, Early's 10th year at the helm, going 3-27 on the season. Grambling State has not had a winning record in SWAC play since 2009, losing double-digit league games during each of those years.

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Chicago State Hires Former NFL Player Chris Zorich as New Athletics Director

Zorich earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at Notre Dame

Zorich Promises to ‘Change the Game’ through an Energizing Mix of Academics, Athletics And a Plan to Reinvigorate Student-Athletes

CHICAGO, Illinois --Chicago State University officials announced today the hiring of former Chicago Bear Chris Zorich as its new Director of Athletics. Zorich, who has held multiple leadership positions since his NFL days, most recently headed the Athletics department at Prairie State College where he managed the college’s NJCAA Division I and II sponsored sports teams and fostered initiatives for raising academic requirements while improving win-loss percentages.

“The main motivation for taking this job is that I see Chicago State as a hidden gem,” said Zorich. “I’m honored to become a part of the CSU family. I plan to bring together resources that I have found in places like the University of Notre Dame and help create a culture that will produce student-athletes who are encouraged to always do their best and to define success, not as much by whether they become professional athletes, but rather by a well-rounded ability to do well and be truly successful in life.”

A graduate of Chicago Vocational Academy (formerly CVS), Zorich began his football career at the University of Notre Dame where he finished as an all-American and won a national championship in 1988. He was later drafted by the Chicago Bears where he played from 1991-1997. After retirement, he returned to Notre Dame where he received a law degree. Despite his achievements on the field, he unabashedly shares that he grew up poor and says while he will begin with a listening tour of all CSU departments and colleges, he plans to create a community service program for developing business and community-based partnerships.

“I believe in outreach and inclusiveness and look forward to joining CSU leadership in building bridges to mutually beneficial relationships as well as to new development and growth opportunities for our student-athletes.”

“We are excited about having Chris as the new Director of Athletics,” said Rachel Lindsey, Interim President. “I believe he brings the kind of authentic knowledge, support and guidance that could change the game for the University’s athletic program, and we are counting on him to take that lead.”
Zorich, who begins his new job on May 8, says student-athletes can expect a reliable support system and structured programs that will include a focus on time management and academic success as well as athletic achievements.

-----------------------
Founded in 1867, Chicago State University is a nationally accredited university with five colleges- Health Sciences, Arts and Science, Business, Education, and Pharmacy – offering 36 undergraduate and 25 graduate degree-granting programs. Consistently evolving to reflect state-of-the-art trends in higher education, Chicago State University prepares students for success in the twenty-first century. For more information, please visit www.csu.edu.

Fifea, Abdullah collect ITA regional honors

NEW ORLEANS — For the third straight season, the men of Xavier University of Louisiana have received multiple Intercollegiate Tennis Association/NAIA end-of-season regional awards.

Catalin Fifea of the Gold Rush was named Most Improved Senior in Region IV (South), and Shaikh Abdullah was chosen Rookie of the Year. The ITA announced the awards Wednesday.

Fifea, from Bucharest, Romania, is 16-11 in singles for a Gold Rush team that is ranked fourth nationally. He is No. 17 in the ITA/NAIA singles rankings and has eight victories in his last 10 doubles decisions. Fifea is playing No. 1 singles for the Gold Rush this season after being in the middle of the lineup a year ago for XULA's national runner-up team.

Abdullah, a freshman from Hyderabad, India, has eight singles and doubles victories apiece, and he is 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles against NCAA Division I opponents. Abdullah is ranked third nationally in doubles with Antoine Richard and 46th in singles.

It's the first time since 2008-09 that two Gold Rush teammates were honored regionally. It's also the first time that the Rush won the same regional player award in consecutive years. Richard last season was the Region IV and National Rookie of the Year.

Fifea and Abdullah will receive their awards Monday evening in Mobile, Ala., at a banquet for the men's and women's teams participating in the NAIA National Championships. The ITA's national winners will be announced at that time.

The Gold Rush (11-11), seeded fourth, have a first-round tournament bye and will play Middle Georgia or Asbury in the round of 16 at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Nuggets earn No. 3 seed and first-round bye

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women's tennis received the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye Tuesday for next week's NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala.

The Gold Nuggets (17-7) will play SCAD Savannah (11-4) or Cumberlands (10-10) in the round of 16 at 9 a.m. May 16 — one week from Wednesday — at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608, phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round.

SCAD Savannah, the No. 14 seed, and 19th-seeded Cumberlands will play at 8:30 a.m. next Tuesday.
The tournament's top four seeds — Keiser, two-time defending champion Georgia Gwinnett, XULA and Lindsey Wilson — are in the same positions as they were in the most recent coaches poll. But of the next 14 teams in that May 1 poll, only two have the same ranking and seeding. SCAD Savannah, for example, is seeded five spots lower than its poll position. Seventh-ranked William Woods is seeded 10th, and 10th-ranked Northwestern Ohio is seeded seventh. Eleventh-ranked Indiana Wesleyan received a nine seed.

XULA lost 6-1 to SCAD Savannah in the 2016 Green and Gray Invitational and defeated Cumberlands 5-3 in the 2017 Grizzly Invitational. Both those dual matches were at Lawrenceville, Ga. XULA and SCAD Savannah also met in the quarterfinals of nationals in 2015.

A SCAD Savannah-XULA matchup would result in a meeting between the the Bees' Camille Gbaguidi and the Gold Nuggets' Mariia Borodii, the top two in the ITA's most recent NAIA singles rankings. Both are unbeaten in singles in 2018, and Gbaguidi has won 55 singles matches in a row in dual competition — that streak began in March 2015.

This will be the Gold Nuggets' 12th appearance at nationals and their seventh in a row. They reached the national semifinals in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Rush get NAIA-leading 7th first-round bye in 8 years

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis returned to a familiar spot Tuesday. For the fourth straight year and the seventh time in eight years, the Gold Rush received a first-round bye to next week's NAIA National Championships at Mobile, Ala.

The Gold Rush (11-11) will play Middle Georgia (10-4) or Asbury (15-1) in the round of 16 at 1 p.m. May 16 — one week from Wednesday — at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608, phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round.

Middle Georgia, the No. 13 seed, and 20th-seeded Asbury will play at 1:30 p.m. next Tuesday. Asbury has a 14-dual win streak.

XULA's seven first-round byes are the most by an NAIA men's team in the last eight tournaments.
The tournament's top five seeds are the same as the most recent coaches poll May 1. Five-time defending champion Georgia Gwinnett is seeded first, followed by Keiser, Lindsey Wilson, XULA and William Carey.

XULA played nearly two-thirds of its regular-season matches against NCAA opponents. The Gold Rush are 5-3 against NAIA opponents, including road victories against top-8 seeds William Carey and Mobile.

This will be the Gold Rush's 10th appearance at nationals and 10th in a row. The XULA men were the NAIA national runner-up in 2016 and 2017.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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2018 FCS vs. FBS: MEAC

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The 2017 season ended quite well for the MEAC with conference champ North Carolina A&T being the only unbeaten team in the FCS.

But a September to remember helped get the season started for the MEAC as A&T and Howard both knocked off FBS opponents to allow the conference to tie for the FCS high.

FCS programs earned nine overall wins last season, and as they seek to make their mark again in this year's 111 matchups, here's a look at the ones involving MEAC teams:

The Matchups (14) - Bethune-Cookman: Florida Atlantic (Sept. 15); Delaware State: Buffalo (Sept. 1) and Western Michigan (Sept. 15); Florida A&M: Troy (Sept. 8); Howard: Ohio (Sept. 1) and Kent State (Sept. 8); Morgan State: Akron (Sept. 8); Norfolk State: Liberty (Sept. 15); North Carolina A&T: East Carolina (Sept. 1); North Carolina Central: Duke (Sept. 22); Savannah State: UAB (Aug. 30) and Miami-Florida (Sept. 8); South Carolina State: Georgia Southern (Sept. 1) and UCF (Sept. 8).

Upset Alert - Howard at Kent State (Sept. 8). Having posted the biggest point-spread upset (45 1/2 points) in history last year, the Bison won't be daunted by a Kent State team that was 2-10 last season. They'll need another big performance out of sophomore quarterback Caylin Newton.

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Grambling State Announces Partnership with adidas

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling State University Athletics and adidas today announced a multi-year partnership in which the Portland, Ore., based company will be the official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand of the Tigers through the 2022-2023 season.

"We are extremely thrilled to be embarking on an exciting new partnership with adidas," Grambling State Director of Athletics Paul A. Bryant said. "Our comprehensive agreement will provide the highest quality look and feel for the highest levels of athletic competition. We are excited to make adidas products available to our student-athletes and have their iconic brand across our department."

"Our mission is to help athletes perform better and we seek to inspire through our products, our style and in communities. We're looking forward to partnering with Grambling State Athletics to help them execute their mission to build on their national reputation of winning championships, graduating students and devolving leaders," said Jim Murphy, director of NCAA Sports Marketing at adidas North America. "We're excited to be a part of Grambling State's commitment to providing student-athletes the opportunity to successfully compete at the highest level of NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics and we'll bring our newest and most innovative high-performance products to the Tigers over the next five years."

adidas is a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to make all athletes better. adidas is the official uniform, footwear and apparel provider for more than 100 collegiate programs including Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Rutgers and Texas A&M. adidas has marketing agreements with the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Soccer (MLS).

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Ex-Bear Chris Zorich eager to tackle challenges as Chicago State AD: 'I didn't take this blindly'

CHICAGO, Illinois -- As of Tuesday morning, Chris Zorich had not yet seen his Chicago State athletic director’s office. He hadn’t been given keys or the figures in the athletic budget.

Once he found the office, he would also find a stack of applications for the men’s and women’s basketball coach openings — hires he needs to make soon.

The challenges are not small, but Zorich said he’s ready to tackle the job.

“I consider this on par with when I was drafted by the Bears,” said Zorich, 49, a Chicago native and defensive tackle on Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship team who played for the Bears from 1991 to ’96.

Chicago State chooses three finalists for president

“Folks had enough confidence in me that I could run an athletic program in Chicago, not too far from where I grew up — that’s awesome. I’m so excited and so honored.”

After serving as athletic director at Prairie State — a community college in Chicago Heights — since 2015, Zorich was hired last week to replace interim AD Tracy Dildy at the South Side university.

Chicago State is in a state of flux as it attempts to hire a new president and find solid financial footing. The school was among the hardest-hit public institutions during the state’s budget crisis, and trustees declared a state of financial emergency in 2016.

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Sandy Pugh Named PVAMU Women's Basketball Coach

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Sandy Pugh has been named the new head women's basketball coach at Prairie View A&M University.

Pugh spent the previous 18 seasons as head coach at Southern University (2000-18), leading the Jaguars to seven outright or shared Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season titles. She also led Southern to four SWAC Tournament titles, four NCAA Tournament berths, and four NIT appearances. Pugh is a four-time SWAC Coach of the Year, including this past season when she led the Jaguars to the SWAC Regular Season title.

COACH SANDY PUGH VIDEO REMARKS

"I am excited to announce Sandy Pugh as the new head coach of Prairie View A&M women's basketball," said PVAMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson. "She is a championship-winning coach with a proven pedigree of success. Coach Pugh won championships as a player in high school and college, and has been a part of and developed championship programs as an assistant coach and head coach. We look for her to lead and elevate Prairie View A&M women's basketball back to championship status and beyond."

Pugh led Southern to 15 seasons of .500 or better, including 13 winning seasons, five seasons of 20+ wins, and more than 300 victories during her tenure. In her second season as head coach, Pugh led Southern to a school record 26 wins and its first SWAC regular season and tournament titles and first NCAA Tournament appearance. The team was led by Jaclyn Winfield, who was drafted in the fourth round by the WNBA's Utah Starzz and is the only SWAC player to be drafted in league history.

The 2002 championship was the first of three occasions Pugh and the Jaguars won both the SWAC regular season and tournament titles and an NCAA Tournament berth in the same season (shared regular season title in 2006, outright title in 2010). SU also won the SWAC Tournament championship following the 2004 season.

"I want to thank Ashley Robinson for this incredible opportunity to be able to come to Prairie View A&M," Pugh said. "PV is at the forefront of everything in our conference. The growth has just been magnificent here at the University and in Athletics under Ashley's tutelage. What I see in the Athletic Department is just astounding, and for to have an opportunity to be a part of this growth and development and to come over to coach the women's basketball team is a blessing. I'm so looking forward to being here and being a part of the PV family. The family atmosphere here I've experienced has been overwhelming."

The 2010 title was the first of back-to-back regular season crowns for Pugh and the Jaguars, who also won the outright crown in 2014 and shared the title with Alabama State and Texas Southern in 2016 in addition to this season's outright title.

Pugh, who also served as interim Athletic Director at Southern from 2011-12, led Southern to NIT appearances in 2009, 2011, 2016, and 2018.

In addition to her NCAA and WNIT appearances while leading Southern, Pugh has previously been in the postseason three additional times as an assistant coach.

Pugh began her coaching career at her alma mater, Northwestern State (1987-89) as a graduate assistant, where the Lady Demons earned an NCAA Tournament berth following the 1989 season. After serving one season as head coach at Belle Place Middle School (New Iberia, La.; 1989-90), she spent five seasons as assistant coach at Louisiana-Monroe (1990-95), where the Warhawks were selected for the WNIT following the 1994 season. In her one season as an assistant coach at Central Florida (1995-96), the Lady Knights qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to her tenure at Southern, Pugh spent four seasons as head coach at Meridian Community College (1996-2000). She started the women's program at MCC, leading the Eagles to two Region 23 titles and back-to-back national tournament berths (1998, 1999), finishing as high as sixth in the NJCAA National Tournament.

A native of Saline, Louisiana, Pugh won two state championships as a player at Campti High (now Lakeview High School). As a collegian, Pugh was a three-time all-conference selection and led Northwestern State to three straight Gulf Star Conference Championships (1985, 1986, 1987). Pugh earned conference Player of the Year honors as a senior in 1987, averaging more than 21 points per game, and was inducted into the NSU Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Rush become XULA's 1st to reach 10 straight nationals

NEW ORLEANS — By receiving an at-large bid Monday to the NAIA National Championships, men's tennis became the first sport at Xavier University of Louisiana to qualify for nationals in 10 consecutive years.
     
The Gold Rush — 11-11 and ranked fourth — were one of 24 teams selected for nationals. It's the 10th time overall that the XULA men qualified.
     
The final pretournament step — the NAIA's announcement of the bracket and seedings — will occur no later than 1 p.m. Tuesday. The five-day tournament will begin May 15 at Coprland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
     
The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes and play their first matches May 16. XULA received a bye six of the previous seven seasons, missing only in 2014.
     
The Gold Rush were NAIA national runner-up in 2016 and 2017, falling both years to Georgia Gwinnett in the final. The Grizzlies seek their fifth consecutive national championshhip.
     
XULA reached the quarterfinals each of the last six years.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Streaking Gold Nuggets qualify for nationals again

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, owner of the longest current active win streak in NAIA women's tennis, was announced Monday as one of 24 teams selected for the NAIA National Championships.
     
The Gold Nuggets — 17-7 and winner of a school-record 14 straight dual matches — qualified for the seventh consecutive season, the 10th time in 11 years and the 12th time overall. XULA received an at-large bid.
     
The final pretournament step — the NAIA's announcement of the bracket and seedings — will occur no later than 1 p.m. Tuesday. The five-day tournament will begin May 15 at Coprland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
     
The top eight seeds will receive first-round byes and play their first matches May 16. The XULA women — No. 3 in the coaches poll announced his past Tuesday — are expected to receive a bye, same as they did in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
     
The Gold Nuggets, eliminated in the round of 16 last season, reached the national semifinals in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
     
This is the seventh consecutive year and the ninth time in 10 years that both XULA tennis teams qualified for nationals. The XULA men received their 10th consecutive bid to nationals Monday.

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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Alabama State Lady Hornets win SWAC title, men finish second in Texas

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Alabama State walked away with their ninth consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) women's championship, and finished second on the men's side at the outdoor championships held on the Prairie View A&M campus this weekend.
 
Alabama State won their first championship at Prairie View A&M, winning the cross country championship back in 2000 and the win this weekend marked the 30th title for Alabama State head coach Ritchie Beene as the head coach of the program, and the 41st overall on the coaching staff.
 
"It was a hard fought three days," Benne said. "I am extremely proud of both teams as they fought through the weekend, and the women were able to dominate the event and come out with a win. The men came up just a little bit short, but I am proud of them for the way they battled. I would like to thank my coaching staff, they did an amazing job preparing our student-athletes for the championships."
 
Alabama State claimed six individual titles on their way to 218 points, winning the championship by 62 points over second place Prairie View A&M. UAPB and Grambling State each tied for third place.
 
Xiquaria Reliford won an individual title in the discus with a throw of 44.60 meters (146-04.00), while the 4x100-meter relay team finished with a time of 45.02 seconds to claim gold in the event. Arion Span claimed gold in the 800-meters in a time of 2:09.56, while Shamaria Lovett added to her collection of gold by winning the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 58.02 seconds.
 
Charminiqu Hackney was crowned the fastest woman in the SWAC, winning the 100-meter dash in a time 11.24 seconds. She broke the championship record that was set back in 1986 in a time of 11.25 seconds. She also won gold in the 200-meters in a time of 23.30 seconds.
 
The Lady Hornets had three student-athletes finish second in their events, and several others finish in the top five to help the team win the overall team championship.
 
Meanwhile, on the men's side, Andrew Jackson and Josh Davis each claimed individual championships. Jackson won the 800-meter championship in a time of 1:55.92, while Davis won gold in the 200-meters with a time of 20.70 seconds. He narrowly missed gold in the 100-meters as he finished 0.02 seconds behind a pair of runners who crossed simultaneously.
 
Several other student-athletes finished in the top five to help Alabama State finish second in the meet with 161 points, one point ahead of Jackson State and six behind Prairie View A&M. The meet went down to the final event, the 4x400-meter relay, with the Hornets finishing behind Prairie View A&M.
 
Several student-athletes will now begin preparations for the NCAA East Regional in Tampa, with hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Champoinships.
 
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PVAMU Men's Track and Field Wins 2018 SWAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship, Ham Breaks SWAC Record

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – For the first time in 10 years the Prairie View A&M University men's track and field team earned the 2018 Outdoor SWAC Track and Field Championship after scoring 167 points, at the PVAMU Track and Field.
 
The Panthers finished in front of Alabama State (161), Jackson State (160), Texas Southern (113), Alabama A&M (84), UAPB (77), Alcorn St (37), and Miss. Valley St (16).
 
Tristian Ham shattered the previous SWAC championship mark of 5.05 meters in the men's pole vault. Ham won the gold with a clearance of 5.12 meters, and teammate Sunne-Rodriguez Weems was second (4.55m).
 
DeAnte Crittenden won the men's high jump, with a mark of 2.06 meters.  In the 4x100 meter relay quad of William Polley, Ty'Ron Baker, Ansar Richardson and Carl Jordan to take home the silver with the time of 40.37.  

Jovondi Williams took the bronze in the men's discus throw with a mark of 45.56m.  The duo of Polley and Jordan finished 1-2 in the 400-meter dash, Polley earned the gold with the time of 46.59. Jordan took the silver with the time of 46.63.  Logan Williams earned bronze with a time of 51.72  in the 400-meter hurdles.
 
Heading into the final event the Panther quad of Terrell Moses, Jordan, Lo. Williams, and Polley, scored the final points for the champions.posting a time of 3:09.81 to win the silver and the championship in the 4x400.  
 
Selected Panthers will return to action in the NCAA West Regionals to be held in Sacramento, Calif., May 24-26.

TEAM STANDINGS:
1. Prairie View A&M (167)

2. Alabama State (161)
3. Jackson State (160)
4. Texas Southern (113)
5. Alabama A&M (84)
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (77)
7. Alcorn State (37)
8. Mississippi Valley State (16)

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