GSU's Kincade signs with Maine Mammoths

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The wait is finally over for the two-time Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Offensive Player of the Year as Devante Kincade is heading north as he signed a contract on Tuesday night with the Maine Mammoths of the National Arena League.

"I'm just glad someone believed in me," Kincade said. "Last Friday, they wanted me to come in. They gave me a couple of days to talk things over with my family and make a final decision. In my eyes, this is an opportunity and I'm going to do whatever it takes."

Kincade contract with the Mammoths runs through the 2019 season, the NAL season runs from April to August, but he has the ability to leave if an NFL or CFL team approaches him with a chance. He joins the Mammoths, the NAL's newest franchise playing their first season this year. Maine sits at 1-5 through the first six games.

In 2017, Kincade guided the Tigers to an 11-2 overall record and their second-consecutive SWAC Championship. He went 217-of-368 passing for 2,905 yards and tossed 23 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He threw for a season-high 347 yards on 21-of-34 passing, with three touchdowns, in a victory over Texas Southern. On the ground, Kincade amassed 408 yards on 120 carries and reached pay dirt six times. Through the air, he finished with a 143.73 pass efficiency and registered 254.8 total yards per game.

For his collegiate career, Kincade threw for 6,011 yards in just two seasons for the Black and Gold. He was 446-of-728 passing with 56 touchdown passes and just 11 interceptions. He accounted for 811 rush yards on 228 carries and 12 scores. The Dallas, Texas native tallied 6,822 total yards of offense and averaged 262.4 per game.

Last season, Kincade had numerous honors, including being named the SWAC postseason and preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He was a Black College Football Finalist, STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Finalist and a BOXTOROW All-American honorable mention. Kincade also became the first two-time recipient of the Ben L. Cavil, Sr. "Big Ben" Award.

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GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

N.C.A&T Baseball to Face UNC In NCAA Chapel Hill Regional

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The rematch is set. Two months after losing to the University of North Carolina in a pitcher’s duel at Boshamer Stadium, North Carolina A&T baseball will get another crack at the Tar Heels in the 2018 NCAA Baseball Championship Tournament Chapel Hill regional at Boshamer Stadium, 2 p.m., Friday.

The Aggies (32-23), who earned the No. 4 seed in the region, were informed of their destination Monday afternoon on ESPNU as the team, fans and parents gathered at the Bryan Fitness and Wellness Center on N.C. A&T’s campus to watch the selection show. Joining the Aggies in the Chapel Hill regional along with the top-seeded Tar Heels are No. 2 seed Purdue and No. 3 seed Houston. The Boilermakers and the Cougars are scheduled to play at 7 p.m., on Friday.

The Aggies lost at UNC 1-0 in a midweek contest on March 13. There were only 10 hits in the game, six by UNC and four by N.C. A&T. N.C. A&T head coach Ben Hall announced after the selection show that junior right-hander Tim Luth (6-2, 3.55 ERA) will be his Friday starter.

“It’s a great feeling to play in the tournament for the team, for the fans and for the university, so I’m going to go out and do all I can do,” said Luth. “We’re all just a bunch of guys having fun. We all want to play the best that we can and see what happens.”

N.C. A&T opened the season 5-10 but they closed out the season in dominating fashion, going 27-13 over their last 40 games including a 3-0 run through the MEAC Baseball Championship Tournament to win the title for the first time in 13 years. Also in 2018, the Aggies claimed the MEAC Southern Division title, broke the school record for wins and the school record for conference wins (16).

“It’s good when guys get to see the fruits of their labor,” said Hall. “It is another stepping stone. Last year we made the conference tournament for the time in four years. We came close but we came up a little short. We talked about how the next step we take has got to be forward. We took that step, but there is no finish line until you get where you want to be. In my mind, this is just another stepping stone in a growing program.”

Only the top 16 teams are seeded in the NCAA baseball tournament. The Tar Heels (38-18) are the No. 6 seed overall after winning the ACC Coastal Division title. The winner of the Chapel Hill region will advance to play the winner of the DeLand Regional consisting of Stetson, South Florida, Oklahoma State and Hartford).

“We get to focus on Chapel Hill. The rest of it doesn’t factor in,” said Hall when asked what he thought of the region the Aggies were placed in. “It’s about one game and we’re ready to lock in on what we have to do Friday to go out and play our best baseball. It’s a four-team tournament and a one-weekend deal for them to go out and compete at the highest level against some of the best teams in the country.”

The four-team region is a double-elimination tournament. The Aggies are 0-2 in the NCAA tournament all-time after losing to Clemson and Oral Roberts in 2005. The Aggies are somewhat tournament tested after having two other tournament teams on their schedule in 2018 other than UNC. N.C. A&T lost to N.C. State 9-7 in Raleigh on Feb. 20 and they were defeated 12-2 by South Carolina on March 7 after the Gamecocks scored seven runs over their final two at-bats.

“We've been working toward this for a while now,” said four-year senior Adan Ordonez. “We are a real confident group. We know that we can pitch it, we know that we can swing it and we know that we can field it. There were several different possibilities out there. Once we saw it, it's like game on. It's real now. We played them close earlier in the year so hopefully, when we go back we can give them another good fight and win this time.”

Tickets packages for the weekend will go on sale Wednesday at noon. Single-game tickets will be available starting Thursday at noon. They will be $15 for a single game, $60 for full session tickets. Parking will be available in the Rams Head Deck for $10 and in the Craige Deck for free (levels 5-9). Beginning at 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, there will also be free parking available in the Bowles Lot, the Raleigh Road Visitors Lot and on Stadium Drive. Disability parking is available for $10 in the Rams Head Deck. Ridge Road will be closed to through traffic for the weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Rattler Report: May Newsletter Ready for Download

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The May edition of the Rattler Report Newsletter is available for download. See what's happening with YOUR FAMU Department of Athletics and its 300 student-athletes.  Download the PDF and enjoy the reading.  This month, we added a brand new feature.  The Photo Gallery pages give you a glimpse of events that have happened since the last newsletter.

Rattler Report - May 2018

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former Virginia Union head coach Luqman Jaaber to oversee ABA’s Woodbridge Wolves

WOODBRIDGE, Virginia  -- Familiar with the inner-workings of the American Basketball Association after playing three seasons for league teams in Richmond, Luqman Jaaber considered running his own team at some point.

Although that prospect failed to materialize, Jaaber remained intrigued by staying involved in the ABA. The chance to coach the Woodbridge Wolves offered him that opportunity.

“Things come around in a different form,” Jaaber said.



Team owner Raymond Dabney was thrilled Jaaber agreed to coach the Wolves, a first-year franchise that will begin building its 12-player roster Saturday when it holds a three-hour tryout from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Potomac High School.

Open registration is from noon to 12:30 p.m. and costs $65 at the door. Early registration is $55.

Jaaber, who will have the final say on all roster decisions, was one of three people Dabney interviewed for the opening. Jaaber’s experience was the deciding factor.

“I wanted a coach who will treat his players fairly,” Dabney said.

CONTINUE READING

Best FCS nonconference games in 2018

ATLANTA, Georgia – The best part of this year’s nonconference schedule between FCS programs is the best games go on and on.

Strong nonconference matchups are attractive, risky and ultimately good for the FCS. Following is a countdown of the best ones:

20. Bethune-Cookman (MEAC) at Tennessee State (Ohio Valley), Sept. 1 – The John Merritt Classic features two teams that have played three straight close games this decade.

18. Tennessee State (Ohio Valley) at Hampton (Big South), Sept. 15 – As FCS independent Hampton searched far and wide for opponents from five different classifications, this home game is basically the highlight of its schedule.

14. Jackson State (SWAC) vs. Tennessee State (Ohio Valley) at Memphis, Tennessee, Sept. 8 – The Southern Heritage Classic is a big draw at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. TSU escaped with a 17-15 win before 47,407 last year.

11. Prairie View A&M (SWAC) vs. North Carolina Central (MEAC) at Atlanta, Sept. 2 – The MEAC-SWAC Challenge shifts to Georgia State Stadium. Prairie View is seeking its first win in the 14-year-old series and North Carolina Central is making its first appearance.

4. North Carolina A&T (MEAC) vs. Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley) at Montgomery, Alabama, Aug. 25 – The Aggies are basically playing a road game as they put the longest winning streak in the FCS (12 games) on the line in the annual FCS Kickoff.

CONTINUE READING

MEAC Golf: Augusta's Everett picks good time for first collegiate win

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- Augusta University still owns Karsten Creek.

Seven years after Patrick Reed helped lead tiny Augusta State to back-to-back NCAA Championships here in the heart of Cowboy Country, another player from Augusta won the NCAA individual title on Wednesday.

And this may have been an even bigger shocker: Augusta senior Broc Everett, the 152nd-ranked player in the country, prevailed in a sudden-death playoff over Auburn freshman Brandon Mancheno to win the biggest prize in college golf.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” he said. “I can’t even describe it honestly right now.”



Everett redshirted his first year at Augusta and heard rumblings from the coaches that he might not be good enough to stick around there. His biggest highlights during his freshman season, he wrote in his website bio, were a third-place finish at the Ottumwa Amateur and a runner-up showing at the Des Moines City Championship.

“I put up some decent scores where coach (Jack O’Keefe) was like, OK, you can stay around and keep working hard, because he saw that I worked hard every day and didn’t settle for just staying the same,” Everett said. “I was always trying to progress and keep getting better.

“Coach gave me the opportunity to just keep growing every single year.”

Everett took his greatest leaps this season.

NCAA MEN'S D1 CHAMPIONSHIP: Team Scoring
NCAA MEN'S D1 CHAMPIONSHIP: Individual Scoring

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AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY JAGUARS MEN'S GOLF IS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MEAC).

XULA launches online store for official merchandise

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, in partnership with Advanced-Online, is pleased to announce the launch of its official athletics online store — xulagear.com — featuring XULA products.
     
XULA fans, alumni, employees, parents and students will now be able to purchase merchandise such as apparel, hats, gift items and bags representing the XULA brand using the online store created and managed by Advanced-Online.
     
"It's exciting that we're now able to offer a wide variety of Xavier items to all of our fans and friends wherever they may live," said XULA Director of Athletics & Recreation Jason Horn. "We have roughly 20,000 alumni, and this online store will help them to proudly showcase their Xavier pride while knowing a portion of the proceeds will go to scholarships."
     
The online store will feature more than 1,600 product options and the largest selection of officially licensed XULA merchandise available online.
     
Wednesday (May 23, 2018) was the launch date of xulagear.com. The online store will offer 25 percent off T-shirts through July 31, 2018.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

WSSU Rams Women's Basketball Announces 2018 Signing Class

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina – The Winston-Salem State Rams women's basketball program will have a new look with the announcement of seven players in the 2018 recruiting class. The incoming Rams will provide the team with some much needed height and scoring punch for the upcoming seasons.

Among the several newcomers will be a pair of post players from junior colleges. Anndrea Lloyd is a 6'3" post player from McLennan Community College. Lloyd played in 27 of the Highlassies games with 14 starts last season. She averaged 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. "Anndrea is a strong post player that will command paint space," Winston-Salem State women's basketball head coach L'Tona Lamonte said.  "She will help us with her versatility and rebounding skills."

Laichelle Sparrow is 6'0" forward who attended Louisburg College. She played in 21 games with seven starts to average 8.7 points per game with 4.7 rebounds per game last season. "Laichelle will come in with three years of eligibility remaining," Lamonte added. "She is a strong post that works hard."

The Rams will also bring in a significant group of newcomers from the high school ranks, including several from the local area. One of the team's key newcomers will be freshman guard Amaya Tucker, a 5'6" guard from nearby Reagan High School. She averaged 17 points per game with five assists per game and finished her career with over 1,660 points to become the team's all-time scoring leader. She was also a four-time all-conference selection, a three-time All-Northwest Team selection, a two-time all-district selection, and the MVP of the Mary Garber Tournament. "Amaya is a great local product that is exciting to watch. She is a basketball junkie who does all of the little things and plays with so much passion and heart," Lamonte added. "She is a complete team player that has the ability to score, which will be an asset for our team."

The Rams will also welcome freshman forward Eugenia Marceilli, a 5'9" player from West Stokes High School who averaged 13 points per game with six rebounds per game. She also earned all-conference honors. She is originally from Rome, Italy earned all-conference honors. "Eugenia will add a European flair to our team," Lamonte added. "Her ability to see the floor and make good passes will be beneficial. She is another one that loves basketball."

Dajha Williams is another 5'10" guard/post from East Wake High School where she averaged 16 points per game with nine rebounds per game. She earned both all-conference and all-district honors. "Dajha is a strong, versatile utility player. She can play four positions on the court," Lamonte added. "Her ability to push that ball on a break, attack the basket, and score from outside will be good for us. She also went to the same high school as former Rams forward Briana Arnold and she has a knack for rebounding."

Joining the Rams' front court will be forward Kharma Patterson. She is a 6'1" forward from Fort Mill High School where she averaged nine points per game with eight rebounds per game. "Kharma is an agile post that can also play the wing. She will help us with her versatility and rebounding skills."

 Hailey Gipson is a 5'5" guard that rounds out the class. "Hailey is a quick, smart guard that can get to the basket with ease."

For more information on Rams women's basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.

Walker Resigns as Director of Athletics at Winston-Salem State University

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson announced today the resignation of Tonia Walker as Director of Athletics. Her resignation is effective May 31, 2018.

Walker has served as the Director of Athletics since April 30, 2014, and has been part of the WSSU athletics program since 2000.

As athletic director, Walker has guided the Rams to six NCAA Division II tournament appearances, 15 CIAA Championship titles, nine CIAA Divisional titles, and eight CIAA Coach of the Year honors. In 2015-16, she was named the CIAA Athletic Director of the Year and the National Association for Collegiate Athletics Administrators 2016 Administrator of the Year. She was also responsible for launching the She's Got It Covered; Bond. Score. Win.; and the Winston-Salem Classic. Her commitment to academic excellence has resulted in the highest departmental cumulative grade point average over the past two decades.

Additionally, student-athletes amass more than 3,000 hours of community service each year.

"When I came to WSSU in 2015, I was both excited and proud to serve at an institution with a female athletic director. Currently, WSSU is one of just two schools within the CIAA with a woman at the helm of its athletics program. I wish Tonia well in her future endeavors and appreciate all her hard work. While we will certainly miss her, I know she is leaving us well-positioned to continue our tradition as a powerhouse in the CIAA. With a new head basketball coach on board, this is a time of change and opportunity – a new era for WSSU."

"While this is a bittersweet moment for me, I have to do what is best for my personal and professional lives," Walker said. "I am confident that the transition of onboarding coaches and the direction of the strategic plan will move Ram Athletics to its next era. Now is the perfect time for me to move forward. Though I am departing, I will hold a special place in my heart for the students and friends I have met here. It is my sincere hope that WSSU continues to build upon the legacy I have started."

The university will launch a national search to find a successor as soon as possible. Until then, George Knox, assistant athletic director for compliance, has been appointed as interim athletics director.

WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

SC State's Tashombe Riley Headed To South Alabama

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State forward Tashombe Riley has decided to transfer to South Alabama for his last year of eligibility. He missed his senior season due to an ankle injury. The OW product averaged almost 12 points per game and 5 rebounds per game as a junior.

Richie Riley is the head coach of South Alabama and he's a former Clemson assistant coach.

Bulldogs head coach Murray Garvin released this statement on Tashombe's departure and where SC State basketball stands.



"Just got word today that Tashombe Riley has decided to go to South Alabama to finish his eligibility. We wish him nothing but success. Tashombe is great young man and comes from a first class family. He has fulfilled his obligation to our program by graduating this past May.

As we all have witnessed this 5th year grad transfer rule has affected us all and especially the smaller Division I programs. The past 3 seasons has been hard for us pertaining to this rule. First, Doudou Gueye (Ball State) then Ed Stephens (Austin Peay) and now Tashombe Riley (South Alabama). Our guys understand and we are confident that we will continue to rise to the challenge and compete for a MEAC Championship in 2018-2019."

CONTINUE READING

MEAC Golf: Augusta University Everett Claims NCAA National Championship

Augusta University golfer Broc Everett, a West Des Moines Valley graduate,
poses with his  individual NCAA Championship  trophy Monday at Karsten
 Creek Golf Club  in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – Augusta University senior Broc Everett carded a final round 1-under 71 on Monday to win the individual 2018 NCAA National Championship at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla. Tied at 7-under-par, Everett edged out Auburn's Brandon Mancheno with a birdie in the first playoff hole on No. 18 to win his first collegiate tournament in his last collegiate start.

• PHOTOS
• RESULTS

He was told he wouldn't make it in Division-I golf by several college coaches. Joining the Jaguars as a freshman in 2014-15, Everett finishes his career at the top of his game.

"It's crazy how far in five years that I've been able to come," Everett said. "To have it all kind of accumulate into a national championship is obviously a dream come true. You can't have a better finish to your collegiate career that this."

Everett and Mancheno finished the final round of stroke play knotted at the top of the leaderboard after the latter birdied No. 18 and the former parred the hole later in the evening. Their 7-under 281 sets the course record for a 72-hole score at Karsten Creek.

With no national ranking next to his name, Everett entered Monday's final round of stroke play at 6-under-par, after firing three consecutive 70s (-2) on the weekend. Battling some of the top ranked players in the country, he opened his round with a birdie on the first hole and carded another on No. 3. Everett went into the back nine 7-under with a one stroke lead over the field.



After bogeying No. 10, Everett recovered and fired birdies on No. 12 and 14. He reached the 18th hole in regulation play, but missed a go-ahead birdie putt to force a playoff with Mancheno. In the playoff, the left-handed Mancheno got up and down to par the hole and put the pressure on the Augusta senior. Everett was up to the task though, as he sunk a 15-foot birdie putt from the back of the 18th green to clinch the individual national championship.

"I really stayed consistent out there – I didn't get too high or too low," Everett said. "I got off to a good start, then got an unfortunate break and made bogey on four, but I knew I just needed to keep plugging away. I couldn't get too aggressive on this course. You have to keep it between the trees and in the fairways. Par is a great score on this course. We just kept hitting good spots and then we were able to finish it off."

With Augusta head coach Jack O'Keefe by his side, Everett entered Monday's final round three shots back of then-leader Bryson Nimmer. He was one of the field's most consistent players throughout the week, posting 70 in each of the first three rounds and a 71 to close on Sunday.

For his four-year career as a Jaguar, Everett posted 12 top-five finishes, 19 top-10 finishes, 27 top-25 finishes, and now a NCAA National Championship. He led the team in 15 tournaments and finished runner up five times. Everett's stroke average of 70.97 as a junior in 2016-17 is the fourth best for Augusta since 1993-94. His No. 24 national ranking in 2017 is the eighth-highest for AU in the modern era.

Everett is the first Jaguar to win an individual NCAA Championship. Augusta has now had five top-five finishes individually at the NCAA finals. Jamie Elson tied for second in 2001, Major Manning took fourth in 2005, Henrik Norlander fifth in 2010, and Patrick Reed tied for third in 2011 also at Karsten Creek.

Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email list serve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.augustajags.com and receive short updates on Facebook at Augusta University Athletics / on Twitter at @AugustaJags and on Instagram @augustajags

AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY JAGUARS MEN'S GOLF IS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MEAC).

College Baseball Central Podcast: Previewing the Austin Regional in Ten Minutes or Less -- Texas Southern University Tigers

AUSTIN, Texas -- On this regional preview edition of the College Baseball Central Podcast, Joe Healy and Scott Stone take a look at the Austin Regional, hosted by the Texas Longhorns. The teams competing for a regional title here are:

Texas Southern Tigers (27-26, SWAC automatic)

TSU swept their way through the SWAC tournament and coming into Austin not only with momentum, but also loaded with both the SWAC Player of the Year in Kamren Dukes (.396/.463/.548, 22 2B) and the SWAC Pitcher of the Year in Aaron Solis (10-3, 3.44 ERA). TSU has plenty of regional experience, and they’ll be looking to do more than just compete hard this time around.



CONTINUE READING

Slightly new offense: Braves replace a lot of production on offense, have breakout stars

LORMAN, Mississippi — Can you feel it? Alcorn State University football is almost back — 95 days to be exact. Some of the players will report back in June, but a majority of them will arrive in Lorman for summer workouts in July. The Braves look to build upon a decent 2017 campaign, as they went 7-5 overall and 5-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference — all but one of their losses (Grambling State) were decided by a single score.

While there is optimism surrounding the program about Alcorn State’s chances to claim a SWAC title this season, the team will be experiencing turnover on offense. Starting quarterback Leonaris Footman has graduated. All-American running back De’Lance Turner also graduated and is with the Baltimore Ravens now. Plus, the Braves said goodbye to nearly 70 percent of their receiving yards as well.

Not only does Alcorn lose a lot of talent, it has a new offensive coordinator in Ryan Stanchek (who was formerly the Braves’ offensive line and run game coordinator) and is working on opening up its passing game. Despite the offensive exodus, Alcorn does have players who are ready to breakout and make an impact, according to the coaching staff.

CONTINUE READING

North Carolina A&T 2018 Football Season Tickets On Sale

2018 NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY AGGIES SCHEDULE
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME
Sat, Aug 25	vs Jacksonville State*	TBD
Sat, Sept 1	@ East Carolina	TBD
Sat, Sept 8	vs Gardner-Webb	6:00 PM ET
Sat, Sept 22	vs Morgan State	6:00 PM ET
Sat, Sept 29	vs South Carolina State	1:00 PM ET
Sat, Oct 6	@ Delaware State	TBD
Sat, Oct 13	vs Florida A&M	1:00 PM ET
Sat, Oct 20	@ Bethune-Cookman	4:00 PM ET
Sat, Nov 3	vs Norfolk State	1:00 PM ET
Sat, Nov 10	@ Savannah State	1:00 PM ET
Sat, Nov 17	@ N.C. Central	2:00 PM ET

* Game played at neutral location.
Blue: Home Game

A&T T&F Sends Another Solid Contingent to NCAA's

TAMPA, Florida -- North Carolina A&T spent the final day of the 2018 NCAA East Preliminary Round at USF Track & Field Stadium adding to their NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship qualifying totals. Junior men’s sprinter Rodney and junior women’s jumper Anisa Toppin led the way on Saturday.

The NCAA championships are June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore. Rowe will head to Eugene with the excitement that he has a legitimate chance at winning a national championship. Rowe ran the fastest 200-meter time at the 2018 East prelims by running a personal-best 20.26. Rowe’s time is the 10th-best in the nation this year and the sixth-best in the East.

NCAA East Prelim Final Results

Rowe earned first-team All-American honors as a part of the Aggies historic 2017 4x100 meter relay team that has the eighth-best time in NCAA history. Rowe was also a second-team All-American sprinter in the 200m at the NCAA indoor championships earlier this year.

He will compete in the 200 for the first time at the NCAA outdoor nationals after just narrowly missing qualifying in the 100 on Friday.

“Rodney is my leader,” said Duane Ross, N.C. A&T’s director of track and field programs. “He does a great job of leading by example.”

Toppin will join Rowe on the flight to Eugene after placing ninth in the women’s triple with her best leap giving her a personal-best 42-feet, 7 ½-inch mark. Toppin’s previous best was 42-feet 1 ¼-inches at the Florida Relays in late March.

“I’m very happy for Rodney and Anisa. They’ve worked and performed hard all year and they showed up even more when the bright lights came on,” said Ross. “Anisa is a straight gamer. I’m excited to see how she performs in Eugene.”

Once again, N.C. A&T will have strong representation in the relays in Eugene. Rowe is back at nationals in the 4x100. This year he will be joined by senior Joel Thomas, junior Michael Dickson and freshman Michael Bell as the quartet placed seventh on Saturday in 39.21.

The 4x400 relay team is coming to the NCAA championships too. Senior Dajuan Harding, freshman Trevor Stewart and juniors Michael Dickson and Justin Hamilton were sixth at the East prelims on Saturday with a time of 3:06.87. The Aggies are the reigning three-time MEAC champions. Stewart is also going to nationals as a 400m runner.

Things did not go as well for the women’s relay teams. The 4x100 team of senior India Brown, sophomore Tori Ray and juniors Kayla White and Jadzia Beasley was disqualified and the 4x400 team of freshmen Payton Russell and Nia Lundy and sophomores Sun-Sara Williams and Ray finished 20th in 3:39.04.

“Our relays ran well enough to get to Eugene but nowhere near our potential,” said Ross. “Making it to the NCAA’s is what we’re supposed to do, so I’m not jumping for joy over the times and places we received.”

The other Aggie competitors included junior men’s jumper Lasheon Strozier and sophomore hurdler Robert Miller. Strozier finished 24th in the triple jump at 49-feet, 11-inches while Miller ran the 110-meter hurdles in 14.20 to finish 18th.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2018 NSU Football Season Tickets Available!

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Season tickets for 2018 Norfolk State University football are on sale now at the NSU Ticket Center and online at www.nsuspartanstickets.com.

The Spartans host six games at Dick Price Stadium this year for the second consecutive season. The home schedule begins on Saturday, Sept. 1 with the Labor Day Classic against Virginia State University. More information on this year's Labor Day Classic, including a full slate of events leading up to game day, will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Spartans also welcome intrastate foe and defending FCS national runner-up James Madison on Sept. 8 before hosting four MEAC opponents over the final two months of the season. Delaware State concludes the September schedule at Dick Price Stadium on Sept. 29. NSU hosts North Carolina Central for Homecoming on Oct. 20, then concludes the season with Howard on Nov. 10 and Morgan State for Senior Day on Nov. 17.

Season tickets remain the same price as last year, just $135 for reserved seating, $110 for general admission and $100 for NSU faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nsuspartanstickets.com or at the NSU Ticket Center between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.



By: Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communication
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

NFL draft shows teams again paying attention to HBCU talent

Early-round selection of Darius Leonard and Brandon Parker proves it

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Since the debut of former North Carolina A&T running back and current Chicago Bears standout Tarik Cohen, interest in historically black college prospects is on the rise. With that kind of interest it might not be long until we see another golden age of HBCU NFL talent.

In this year’s NFL draft, former South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard was selected in the second round by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 36th pick overall. That makes the two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) defensive player of the year and the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in tackles, one of the highest HBCU prospects taken in recent history.

Tarik Cohen Chicago Bears VIDEO: https://youtu.be/-BR-i75Yfzc

“If you are a ballplayer, they can find you,” said Leonard. “Just because you didn’t go to a big-time school like Clemson, Carolina or Alabama, you still can get picked high in the draft if you are doing all the right things and if you got that right tape, you can still be a great ball player.”

Leonard believes his speed, athleticism and intelligence about the game can help get him on the field in Indianapolis early. However, it’s his work ethic and ubiquitous “chip on his shoulder” that could turn Leonard into a standout performer for the Colts.

“You have to make the best of your opportunity to stand out. I wanted to go to Clemson, and with them not offering, I had a big chip on my shoulder,” said Leonard. “I think personally I work harder than anybody in the NFL draft because in my head I want to be the best.”

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Washington Redskins' Doug Williams keeps an eye out for HBCU talent

ASHBURN, Virginia — Reggie Barlow called Doug Williams to talk about a couple of his Virginia State players as potential rookie camp invites for the Washington Redskins.

Williams was convinced, so he gave receiver Zac Parker a shot.

Parker is one of a handful of players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities the Williams-led Redskins front office invited to rookie-camp tryouts. The group joined two undrafted free agent signings, Grambling running back Martez Carter and Southern cornerback Danny Johnson, on the field Friday trying to earn a job from a team with a reputation for giving HBCU products a look this time of year.



Williams, a Grambling star who also coached there twice, isn't the only NFL executive looking to HBCUs for talent. But Washington's senior vice president of player personnel and his scouts continue to invite several players from places like his alma mater, Southern, Texas Southern, Norfolk State and Alabama A&M in the hopes of adding depth to the roster.

"HBCUs, they might get looked down on a little bit more as maybe not a big school, but we have talent for sure," Parker said. "As you can see: Doug Williams went to an HBCU. He's the prime example of it."

His legacy as a Super Bowl MVP quarterback is common knowledge for Carter given his time at Grambling and for Johnson, who grew up in Louisiana not far from Williams' hometown. The name Doug Williams has value at places like Grambling and Southern — "He's in history," Carter said — and his reputation as an executive precedes him even for players 40 years younger.

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Augusta Finishes NCAA Championships, Everett Advances Individually

STILLWATER, Oklahoma -- The Augusta University men's golf team had a final round score of 18-over 306 on Sunday and finished 29th at the 2018 NCAA National Championships tournament at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Augusta senior Broc Everett is tied for third overall at 6-under-par and qualified as an individual for Monday's final round of stroke play.
"The fairways are wide and have big landing areas, but it's just outside of the landing areas – thee is thick brush. It's really kind of a mental trick," Everett said. "You've got so much room out there and you just gotta' tell yourself there's a huge area to play at and make a smooth swing at it and keep it play. That's been the key all week, trying to keep it in between the tree lines."

At the conclusion of play on Sunday, the field of 30 was cut to the top 15 teams and the top nine individuals not on an advancing team. The remaining teams and players continue to Monday. For the third-straight day, the course record was destroyed, as No. 28 Duke posted a 12-under 276 to jump atop the leaderboard. The Blue Devils are first at 10-under-par, while host No. 1 Oklahoma State is second (-7), No. 13 Texas Tech third (-3), No. 4 Vanderbilt fourth (+2), and No. 3 Oklahoma fifth (+4).

• LIVE SCORING
• PHOTOS: Part III
• PHOTOS: Part II
• PHOTOS: Part I
• DAY TWO
• DAY ONE
• PREVIEW

Despite their elimination in the team competition, the Jaguars will be represented on Monday with a shot at an individual national championship title. Everett paced the team in all three rounds at Karsten Creek this weekend – firing three straight 70s (-2) to remain near the top of the leaderboard.

Sophomore Gustav Andersson finished 11-over-par and tied for 96th with a round-three 78 in his first NCAA National Championship. In their first taste at the big show, The freshman trio of Olof Gunnarsson, Laken Hinton and Alex Shead rounded out the Jags. Gunnarsson finished 16-over-par to take 134th, Hinton 19-over-par for 141st, and Shead 29-over-par for 150th. Augusta edged out No. 11 nationally-ranked Baylor in the team standings.

Everett tees off at 1:40 p.m. (CDT) for the final round of stroke play and a shot at an individual title.

AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY JAGUARS MEN'S GOLF IS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MEAC).

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African American golf history celebrated with 2018 Hall of Fame awards and inductions

Mulbe Dillard IV is a freshman FAMU 
golfer from Chicago, Illinois.

GF2018 Collegiate Golfers of the Year: Mulbe Marcellous Dillard, IV, Florida A&M University,  Tallahassee, FL; Ethan Vincent Mangum, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA; and Camille Antonia Simon, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida -- West Palm Beach has become the home base for African American golf history, thanks to the efforts of the African American Golf Hall of Fame, and it's founder Malachi Knowles. The Hall got even more rich with history this weekend, as the past was celebrated, and the future was recognized at the 8th annual awards dinner and induction celebration.

While the weather cancelled the annual golf tournament, 12-time PGA Champions tour winner Jim Dent was happy to inspire the future of the sport that changed his life.

"You can't keep something (just) for yourself, pass it down to somebody else," says Dent, who's a Hall of Fame member himself.

"Mr. Dent is a legend of golf," says Ethan Mangum, who was awarded Collegiate Golfer of the Year honors. "It's awesome to even be in the same conversation as him. It really gives me that drive to be a professional golfer down the line.

Knowles, meanwhile, is also heading up the efforts for the Inner City Youth Golfers Learning Center and Museum, which is slated to open in Riviera Beach next year.



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