Langston Women's Basketball Adds Six for 2018-19 Season

LANGSTON. Oklahoma -- Langston University head women's basketball coach Elaine Powell is pleased to announce the six signees for the upcoming 2018 -19 season as they embark in their new conference affiliation in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

The class is comprised of three transfers in Alicia Castleberry, Alexia Levenston, Orionna Shirley with three freshmen Khayjah Jack, Kaylie Mitchell and Aujunnae Smith. The Lady Lions are looking forward to capitalizing on last season's late win streak as well as meld team chemistry for a successful inaugural season in a new conference.

"All of these young ladies are solid student athletes who have high aspirations on and off the court," Powell noted. "They come from successful programs, exhibit quiet confidence, and understand that gaudy stats or numbers by any one or two players will make us a winner but a hearty dose of camaraderie and togetherness will be a definite necessity in our goals."

Alaisha Castleberry | 5-6 | Combo Guard | Midwest City, Okla. | Seminole State CC

"Alicia is a very resourceful and competitive guard who can play on or off the ball. She has good quickness on the defensive end, consistent range on the perimeter, as well as the ability to create offense for herself. "




Alexia Levenston | 5-11 | Forward | Madisonville, Texas | Hill College

"Alexia is a very talented and athletic forward that is comfortable on the perimeter as well as in the paint. She is very multidimensional with range from 3 pt line or facing up attacking the basket or posting up. Her athleticism will help bolster our rebounding and defensive switches."




Orionna Shirley - 5'7 - Combo Guard - Los Angeles, Calif. - LA Trade Tech

"Ori is a dynamic and athletic guard who can fill a stat sheet in various ways both offensively and defensively. Very crafty at creating offense for self and unselfish to finish with a pass to an open teammate. For her size Ori is a very good rebounder and aggressive on the defensive side of the ball."

Khayjah Jack - 5'10 - Forward - Lake Charles, La. - Jack Barbe HS

"Khay is a very disciplined player on both sides of ball who picks up concepts very quickly. A natural rebounder who gets to the ball early and often she will be a welcome addition to our young frontcourt. On Offense she is capable of making the midrange shot,  and solid with post ups as well as putbacks. Defensively she is aggressive and vocal which will help her adjustment period."


Kaylie Mitchell - 5'11 - Forward - Shreveport, La. - Southwood HS

"Kaylie is a very aggressive and physical post player that doesn't mind mixing it up in the paint areas. Strong, with a soft touch Kaylie has the ability to be a contributor on both ends of the floor. She has nice shooting range but is very effective at the basket. Her ability to rebound her area on the floor will be paramount for our success."




Aujunnae Smith - 5'10 - Forward - Killeen, Texas - Ellison HS

"Aujunnae is very versatile offensive player that can shoot from 3pt line, make short aggressive, drives to the basket, as well as post up defenders for baskets. Defensively she has the potential to be able guard various positions but will need to maintain her aggressiveness on both sides of the ball to maximize her abilities."

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

UAPB football holds mock scrimmage game Friday, off Saturday

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Before getting the day off on Saturday, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team held a closed mock-game scrimmage on Friday at Simmons Bank Field.

UAPB Head Coach Cedric Thomas understands that time is winding down until kickoff for the first game, so he decided to have a scrimmage that was as game-like as possible.

According to Thomas, he was OK with how things went overall. Having the day off Saturday gave the team an ample amount of opportunity to be fresh and ready to lock in on their upcoming first game against Morehouse on Sept. 1 at home.

“We hit on every situation,” Thomas said. “It was really more of a dress rehearsal. We wanted to go over every practical situation in football so the kids can have a general idea. We had the scout team give us looks from Morehouse and what they’ve done in the past. We had coaches on headsets and in the press box.

“Now, when the situation arises again, the kids can remember that particular scenario. I think we got everything done we needed to do. We got about 140 plays in. Now it’s about using the next couple hours to get our legs under us and get refreshed. We’ll come back with Morehouse on our minds.”

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UDC Men’s Soccer Tops East Coast Conference Preseason Poll

Head Coach Matt Thompson enters his 7th season as head coach at UDC.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After earning the program's first-ever East Coast Conference and NCAA Division II Championship berths a season ago, the University of the District of Columbia men's soccer team starts 2018 atop the ECC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

UDC received six of 10 first-place votes to top the coaches' survey with 93 points. The Firebirds posted the most successful season in program history in 2017 with a 15-7 record, a runner-up finish in the ECC Championship, and a first-ever NCAA Championship berth and victory.

Expectations are high for UDC due in part to the return of six All-Conference honorees, including the ECC Offensive Player of the Year, Gabriel Torres.

With four first-place votes and 88 points, LIU Post comes in at No. 2 in the poll, marking the first time since 2011 the Pioneers have not started the season as the favorite to capture the league's championship. The Pioneers, who won their 5th ECC title in six years and 3rd NCAA East Region Championship in four years last season, will take to the pitch under new head coach, Michael Mordocco. LIU Post lost five All-Conference honorees from last year's roster, but ECC Goalkeeper of the Year, Oliver Hessner Hansen, and Rookie of the Year, Lukas Ostermann, return for the Pioneers.

Mercy College and New York Institute of Technology come in at No. 3 and No. 4 with 75 and 74 points, respectively, to round out the teams expected to make the ECC's postseason tournament.

2018 ECC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

School	Pts.	2017 Record
1. Dist. Columbia (6)	93	15-7-0 (6-3-0 ECC)
2. LIU Post (4)	88	18-1-2 (8-0-1 ECC)
3. Mercy	75	13-5-0 (7-2-0 ECC)
4. NYIT	74	9-9-1 (5-4-0 ECC)
5. Queens	50	8-6-2 (4-3-2 ECC)
6. Bridgeport	43	4-10-1 (3-5-1 ECC)
7. Molloy	42	5-12-0 (3-6-0 ECC)
8. St. Thomas Aquinas	38	5-9-1 (3-6-0 ECC)
9. Daemen	34	7-11-0 (3-6-0 ECC)
10. Roberts Wesleyan	13	4-13-0 (1-8-0 ECC)

( ) - first place votes

UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Chicago State Volleyball Closes Opening Weekend with 3-0 Win Over Rutgers

BERKELEY, California – Senior Lauryn Dela Cruz(Provo, Utah/Timpview) recorded a double-double for the Chicago State volleyball team as it made history here today at Haas Pavilion with a 3-0 (25-16, 33-31, 25-18) win over Big Ten Conference member Rutgers in the finale for both teams at the Cal Molten Classic.
 
Dela Cruz tallied a match-high 20 kills and added 12 digs for CSU (1-2) as it captured its first-ever win against a Big Ten opponent in program history. She also finished with a .357 hitting percentage (20-5-42) and contributed three block assists.
 
CSU kicked off the match with a 10-3 advantage thanks to a Scarlet Knight hitting error, but RU pulled within two points (14-12) after producing a quick 9-4 scoring drive that concluded on block from Beka Kojadinovic and Jasmine Stackhouse. A kill by junior Alexandria Cliff (Manitowoc, Wis./Roncalli) jumpstarted an 11-4 run which helped the Cougars close out the set and take a 1-0 lead.

 
The second set started with Rutgers earning a 2-0 leading margin via a kill from Nastya Kudryashova. The Green and White responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points to capture the lead at 8-6 on a Dela Cruz kill. Both teams then battled through 15 lead changes and 14 ties before Dela Cruz finished off the set with a kill and teamed up on a block with sophomore Summer Farris (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) in the final two points sending CSU into intermission with a two-set advantage.

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Both teams picked up where they left off in a challenging third set with 12 ties and 12 lead changes which led to a 16-16 deadlock following another Dela Cruz kill. The Cougars closed the match with a 9-2 scoring run which included Dela Cruz posting kills on their last three points.
 
Sophomore Lacee Adams (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central) contributed her second double-double of the weekend as she tallied 24 assists and 14 digs for Chicago State, while junior Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden) recorded a match-high 16 digs and two service aces to earn all-tournament team honors. 
Rutgers (0-3) were paced double-doubles from Inna Balyko (38 assists, 13 digs) and Kojadinovic (12 digs, 11 kills) with Kojadinovic claiming all-tournament accolades.
 
CSU returns to action on Tuesday, Aug. 28 in Kalamazoo, Mich. with its first non-conference road match of the season at Western Michigan that begins at 6 p.m.

CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU "Ocean of Soul" at Freshmen Orientation 2018

Alabama State Volleyball sweeps doubleheader

EMERSON, Georgia -- Two matches. Two wins. The Alabama State women's volleyball team performed in dominant fashion on the second day at the SWAC/MEAC Challenge, easily dispatching Gardner-Webb (3-1) and South Carolina State (3-0).

The win over Gardner-Webb was the first in series history for the Lady Hornets (3-1), with the meeting marking the first since 2003.

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Alabama State 3 Gardner-Webb 1
The Lady Hornets used an efficient offensive attack (.216 attack percentage) -- nine Alabama State players recorded a kill -- en route to a 3-1 victory over Gardner-Webb (25-18, 19-25, 25-18, 25-19). Outside hitters Bayle' Bennett (16 kills, nine digs) and Krysta Medearis (11 kills, .429 attack percentage) paced the offense for the second day in a row, while Kori Kutsch continues to facilitate the attack. The Torrance, Calif. Native dished out 31 assists.

The defensive output also jumped over the opening day, as the Lady Hornets posted 14 blocks, including five by Candace Martin, compared to a combined 10 in the two Friday contests. Gardner-Webb (1-1) was paced by Hannah Lancaster's 12 kills.

Alabama State 3 South Carolina State 0
The Bulldogs (0-3) battled in the opening set before Alabama State cruised in the final two frames (26-24, 25-12, 25-15). Down 24-22, the Lady Hornets clawed back to take the opening frame, capped by a set-point kill by Medearis. Freshman Taryn King highlighted the second set, as the middle blocker led Alabama State to four consecutive points while serving. King finished with three blocks, five kills and one ace. Alexus Holt led South Carolina State with eight kills.

The Lady Hornets ­­­­next match involves a return to the Peach State next Thursday, August 30, for a tilt versus Georgia Tech at 12 pm.

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State volleyball, please follow the Lady Hornets on social media at @BamaStateVB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State Athletics at BamaStateSports.com.

K.C. Culler Steps Down as JCSU Sports Information Director

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Johnson C. Smith University's K.C. Culler has resigned his position as Sports Information Director.

Culler has served as the athletic communications liaison for JCSU's 15 sports since October of 2014.

"I cannot thank University Communications Director Sherri Belfield and Athletics Director Stephen Joyner, Sr. enough for their support over the past four years," said Culler.

"JCSU will always be a special place for me. I have developed long lasting friendships and have enjoyed my experiences in working with the athletics staff, university staff and more importantly, the student-athletes.  I wish JCSU and the Golden Bull student-athletes nothing but the best in the future."

While at JCSU, he has served as secretary of the CIAA Sports Information Directors Association and over the past two years, has acted as the organization's vice president.  He also has served on the CIAA golf championship committee and the CIAA softball championship committee. He also was a voting representative for the CIAA in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Women's Basketball Poll.

This past spring, Culler acted as the host media relations coordinator for the 2018 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships which were held on the JCSU campus and was also named the
John Holley-CIAA Sports Information Director of the Year.

Prior coming to JCSU, Culler was the Sports and Aquatics Manager with PH Pool Management in Charlotte. His other experiences include serving as a gameday worker and freelancer in the Wake Forest University Athletics Communications Office. He also has worked numerous ACC, Southern Conference, Big XII and NCAA Tournaments and has gained experience working at Appalachian State University, East Tennessee State University and his alma mater, Western Carolina University.

A search for his replacement will begin immediately.

JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION

Answers vary if GSU has anything to prove against Ragin' Cajuns

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- It's officially game week for several college programs across the country and that includes Grambling State. The Tigers are coming off two straight SWAC championships and want to make it a third.

Head coach Broderick Fobbs has a tough choice ahead of him as he has to select a starting quarterback for the opening matchup against Louisiana.

The Ragin' Cajuns are the lone FBS program on the slate in 2018 and some G-Men were asked if there's anything to prove against an in-state opponent and prevent something like last season against Tulane.

"Nah, nah ain't nothing to prove at all. They got the best of us that day. On my birthday, it happens," senior defensive back Dedrick Shy said. "They got the best of us, but nothing to prove. We coming back. Short memories like I said. Don't even think about Tulane no more. We're worrying about UL September 1."

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Wiley Lady Wildcats Open Season With a Sweep

MARSHALL, Texas -- The Wiley College volleyball team put on an impressive performance in its 2018 season opener, as it swept Philander Smith College (Ark.) (25-10, 25-14, 25-10) in front of its home fans Friday in Alumni Gymnasium.

This is the first time the Lady Wildcats have won their season opener since 2015 – which was also at home against Philander Smith College. The Lady Panthers had no answer for Wiley College's relentless attack – which tallied 37 kills in 62 attempts. The Lady Wildcats held Philander Smith to 12 kills in 54 attempts for a hitting percentage of (-).111.

"We came out to play," head coach Mike MacNeill said. "I saw a lot of good things from us. We accomplished most of our goals for tonight. We gave up a three-point run from one of their servers, who got a couple of aces on us. Other than that, I liked what I saw."

Wiley College never trailed in the match and was only briefly tied at the beginning of the second set. In the first and third set, the Lady Wildcats held their largest lead at 15. The Lady Wildcats recorded nine serving aces to Philander Smith's three. Wiley College had more digs with 24 to the Lady Panthers 13.

WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln Men's Basketball Releases 2018-19 Schedule

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- A home-and-home with the defending MIAA champions and 14 home games highlight the 2018-19 Lincoln men's basketball schedule.

The Blue Tigers will play in three classics this fall, beginning on Nov. 9, when LU opens its season at the SBU Classic against East Central. The Blue Tigers will remain in Bolivar, Mo. to take on Minot State on Nov. 10 before hosting the Lincoln Classic on Nov. 16-17, which will feature home games vs. Lane and LeMoyne-Owen. LU will then participate in the MIAA Challenge on Nov. 19, as the Blue Tigers play Missouri S&T in Kansas City, Mo. at Municipal Auditorium, the site of the MIAA Men's Basketball Championship tournament.

After closing the month with a home game against Ecclesia (Nov. 30), Lincoln will open league play with road games against Northwest Missouri (Dec. 6), the defending MIAA champions, and Missouri Western (Dec. 8). The Blue Tigers next travel to Quincy, Ill. to play Quincy and McKendree in the QU Subway Holiday Classic on Dec. 15-16, and then close conference play on Dec. 30 by hosting Culver-Stockton.


2018-19 Men's Basketball Schedule

Lincoln opens January at home by resuming conference play with games against Pittsburg State (Jan. 3) and Missouri Southern (Jan. 5) before starting a season-long three-game road trip with contests at Lindenwood (Jan. 12), Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist (Jan. 19). The Blue Tigers will return to Jason Gym to take on Northeastern State (Jan. 24) and Central Oklahoma (Jan. 26) before closing January with a road game at Washburn (Jan. 31).

The Blue Tigers will travel to Emporia State on Feb. 2 before playing six of their final eight games of the regular season within the friendly confines of Jason Gym. LU hosts Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri on Feb. 7 and Feb. 9, respectively, before closing its road slate with games at Nebraska Kearney (Feb. 14) and Fort Hays State (Feb. 16). Lincoln will end the year with four-straight home games, as the Blue Tigers play rematches with Lindenwood (Feb. 19), Washburn (Feb. 23), Southwest Baptist (Feb. 27) and Central Missouri (March 2).

Lincoln, in its fifth season under head coach John Moseley, have posted winning records and made trips to the postseason in each of the past three years, and is coming off a 15-14 season in 2017-18. All home games are scheduled to be played in Jason Gym.

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Howard Volleyball Dominates in Away Win Over George Mason

FAIRFAX, Virginia -- Howard University rallied from behind a first set loss to knock off host George Mason in a four-set showdown this afternoon.

In the first set the Bison started the match with a 6-1 deficit before fighting their way back to a 7-7 tie. Although the Bison were able to close the gap, they were unable to keep a lead, losing the set 22-25.

The Bison opened set two with the first point, capitalizing off of an attack error by George Mason's Peyton Ehmke. The Bison lost momentum quickly after the Patriots went up 4-1 due to multiple errors by the Bison.

"Today's game was a tough battle. With a young group out on the court we made a lot of errors but were able to make up for it by being aggressive," said head coach Shaun Kupferberg.

Continuing in the second set, Jurnee Tipton broke the ice with a kill that improved the score 4-2. The Bison trailed George Mason for most of the set before picking up velocity in the middle of the set with repeat kills that gave the Bison a 17-16 lead. The match saw additional lead changes before the Bison pulled away with a 25-22 win.

The Bison dominated the Patriots in the third set with plenty of team kill action. Contributions from Kira Porter, Marcelle Butler, Olubunmi Okunade, Tamia Dockery, Kailyn Williams and Jurnee Tipton helped Howard lead most of the set. Howard took a commanding 25-16 win.

Looking to win the game in the fourth set, the Bison delivered handily. An attack error by Ehmke opened the set and the Bison never looked back, eventually going on an 8-0 run. The Patriots began to fight back and came within 3 near the end of set. The Bison did not relinquish control, holding on to their lead and finishing the match, 25-21.

Marcelle Butler had a team high 17 kills. Jurnee Tipton and Kailyn Williams posted 12 kills. Tipton added 16 digs and 3 assists. Tamia Dockery put up an impressive 44 assists, 10 digs, 5 blocks and 4 kills. Freshmen Antonia Kearney and Busisiwe Banda both recorded two aces.

"There are a lot of areas we need to work on but I'm happy with where we are right now," concluded Kupferberg.

The Bison face the Wichita State Shockers in Burr Gym on Sunday. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. General admission tickets are $8. There is no cost to Howard students with valid HU identification. Live stats of the game can be viewed by visiting https://hubison.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary.

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Follow the Bison
For complete coverage of Howard University women's volleyball, follow the Bison on social media at @HUBisonVB (Twitter), @HowardVolleyball (Facebook) and @HowardVolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Howard University Athletics at HUBison.com. #NeverSatisfied #BleedBlue

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.

Championship or Bust for Bowie State This Year

COURTESY: BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

BOWIE, Maryland -- All that Bowie State has done over the last three years is win everything except a CIAA championship. The Bulldogs won the north division and played in consecutive title games in 2015 and 2016 but couldn’t get past Winston Salem State. They won nine games and hosted a national playoff game last season for the first time but didn’t play in the conference championship and will take the field this year with the reigning national HBCU Player of the Year. Yet this golden era of the Black and Gold remains incomplete minus finally winning the conference crown.

This is a championship or bust season for Bowie State and everyone knows it. The Bulldogs were selected by the CIAA coaches and sports information directors as the team to beat in the conference. However, this year will not be a cakewalk for them. Virginia State, the reigning CIAA champion, is in their division and they meet on homecoming at Bowie in the first televised nationally televised game on this year’s Aspire TV network schedule. That will be followed by a showdown at Virginia Union, which figures to be their toughest regular season matchups this year.

It is a program that is revered and respected and has gained more national attention since 2015 after being the butt of jokes for years. Over the past three seasons the Bulldogs are 25-9 and they have become the offensive standard bearer in the CIAA. They led the nation in total offense and obliterated the Division II statistics in 2018 despite not winning the CIAA North Division. Bowie State has become an attraction as their passing game has become as prolific – under multiple quarterbacks – in Black College Football history.

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Howard University Volleyball Sweeps George Washington in Home Opener

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard University women's volleyball team downed George Washington University, 3-0, in its home opener today (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) in a packed Burr Gym.

Howard opened the frame with the scores staying close between the two teams. Eventually the Bison went on a 7-2 run and maintained the lead throughout the set to secure a 25-19 victory.

In game two, the Bison began the set trailing the Colonials 5-1; however, HU found their rhythm, closing strong 25-21.

Outside hitter Courtney Dalton and middle blocker Olubunmi Okunade opened the third set with kills giving Howard momentum and an early lead. The Bison would take the set, 25-20.

Okunade registered a team-high 10 kills. Outside hitters Dalton and Jurnee Tipton chipped in 9 and 8 kills, respectively. Sophomore Fola Wilson had 10 digs. Senior Tamia Dockery recorded 25 assists and 7 digs. Jurnee Farrell had 5 digs as well as  Antonia Kearney in her freshman debut.

GW Colonial Skylar Iott led their team with 10 kills. Freshman Bella Bowman had a team-high 11 digs. Junior Jaimeson Lee posted 22 assists.

The Bison continue action Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against George Mason before returning home to face Wichita State on Sunday and Stanford on Monday.

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Follow the Bison
For complete coverage of Howard University women's volleyball, follow the Bison on social media at @HUBisonVB (Twitter), @HowardVolleyball (Facebook) and @HowardVolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Howard University Athletics at HUBison.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.

At a glance: Hampton University 2018 football

HAMPTON, Virginia -- THE COACH, ROBERT PRUNTY
Most recently the defensive coordinator at East Carolina, Prunty takes over a team that will go through something of a transition year. Not necessarily with personnel but in conference affiliation. The Pirates are no longer in the MEAC and won’t be able to play Big South football until 2019. So for this one season, Hampton will officially be an FCS independent with an interesting schedule. Prunty, as energetic as it gets, will make the most of it.

THE STORYLINES
Team under new management. Hampton University wanted a disciplinarian who could recruit talent. Robert Prunty is a former correctional officer who was named Recruiter of the Year in two FBS conferences — the Big 12 and the American Athletic. If nothing else, he doesn’t lack for confidence. “You’ve got a winner here,” he said at his introductory presser.

Life (albeit temporary) as an FCS independent. HU will face 11 opponents who come from five levels — Division I, Division II, Division III, the NAIA and the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Pirates were able to land perennial FCS power Northern Iowa and three future Big South opponents — Monmouth, Charleston Southern, and Presbyterian.

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TIGER TIME: 2018 Savannah State Football Season Preview

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- On Thursday night in Birmingham, Alabama, the 2018 Savannah State Tiger football team will begin finding out what it’s really made of. Under the direction of third-year head coach Erik Raeburn, Savannah State (3-8 overall in 2017, 3-5 in MEAC) is set to start its farewell tour through the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The school decided in April 2017 that it would move back down to the NCAA’s Division II following the 2018 school year. Savannah State first joined Division I as a full member in 2002, and joined the MEAC in 2010.

“This is our last shot to really show that we belong in the MEAC,” Raeburn said at the conference’s Media Day earlier this summer.

With this being their last shot playing DI football within their own conference, the Tigers are eager to prove their work to try and turn around a program that had gone 1-21 in the two seasons immediately preceding Raeburn’s arrival, was worth it.

“Our program now revolves around commitment and discipline,” Raeburn said after a practice last week when asked to describe what went into his culture change philosophies when he took the job three years ago. “I don’t feel like we had much of that when I first got here so we tried really hard to instill that in our guys.

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TSU Volleyball Wraps Opening Tournament Falling to FIU

MIAMI, Florida -- In its final day at the FIU Kickoff in Miami, the Tennessee State volleyball team dropped its match 3-1 (21-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-21) to the Florida International Panthers Saturday morning at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Setter Laken Te’o posted her third-straight double-double with 34 assists and 11 digs.
• Three hitters scored double-digit kills, Rachel Henderson (11), JoJo Kruize (10) and Julia Pierson (10).
• Big Blue recorded ten blocks with JoJo Kruize contributing to four.

SET BY SET

First Set: The Tigers won the serve and Julia Pierson put down the first kill of the match. The first few rallies were long and aggressive. FIU began to serve short which pushed the Tigers out of its comfort zone. TSU took a few points to adjust allowing the Panthers to tie the score at 19. Once in a rhythm, the blue and white pushed through the final moments of the set and won, 25-21.

Second Set: FIU hit the ground running with a four-point run before Te’o set one out to Kruize for a kill. Errors by the Panthers helped the Tigers catch up, tying the score at eight. From that point on, the teams were playing point-for-point. The blue and white last tied the score at 18 before FIU scored four more kills and a few points due to Tiger hitting errors that pushed them to win set two, 25-22.

Third Set: Kylie Hayes kicked off the set serving for a Tiger four-point run with two kills from Henderson and one from Pierson.  FIU quickly answered quickly with five, three-or-more point runs, broken up by one or two Tiger points, hurting Big Blue’s chances for a comeback. The Panthers finished off the set with a kill by power hitter Margherita Bianchin, 25-17.

Fourth Set: Henderson scored the first point for the Tigers, but FIU took the lead from the beginning of the set, allowing TSU to tie the score only three times. The Panthers produced a .278 (16-6-36) hitting percentage in set four, while TSU held on with a .111 (10-7-27) with Henderson, Kruize, Pierson and Fihaki producing for Big Blue. Two of TSU’s hitters had a negative hitting percentage combined with only two team blocks and zero aces, FIU finished the set, 25-21.

MATCH NOTES

• The FIU series stands at 1-1 after this year’s loss at FIU and last season’s win at home. Both matches went to four sets, with the losing team taking the first set. 
• After the opening tournament, TSU is 1-2 (.333) on the season.

UP NEXT

TSU travels to southeast Tennessee for the Chattanooga Classic where the Tigers take on Chattanooga, North Alabama and UNC Asheville Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

TSU v STETSON BOX SCORE | TSU v FAMU BOX SCORE

The Tennessee State volleyball team opened the season 1-1 with a 3-1 loss (25-22, 23-25, 25-12, 25-23) to Stetson in the first match at the FIU Kickoff, followed by a 3-1 win (27-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23) over FAMU just hours later.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Pierson, Kruize and Henderson recorded double-digit kills, with Pierson and Kruize hitting above a .300.
• Laken Te’o posted her second double-double with 39 assists and 14 digs.
• Three Tigers registered double-digit digs, Laken Te’o (14), Gina Rivera Ortiz (24) and Kylie Hayes (10).
• TSU served eight aces led by freshman Gina Rivera Ortiz with 3.

SET BY SET

First Set: FAMU had the first serve and scored the first point in set one. Kruize came up from behind to score the first point for TSU with a powerful cross-court kill. The match was filled with long rallies and tied scores, but the Tigers took the lead and ran. JUCO transfers Kruize and Khalia Jordan registered above .300 hitting percentages in the set, helping the Tigers take it in extra points, 27-25.

Second Set:  Holmes started set two with a kill assisted by fellow freshman Rivera Ortiz, giving way to Henderson and Kruize to continue the pressure at the net. The Tigers had three-and-four-point runs throughout the set, putting the pressure on A&M. The Lady Rattlers answered with its own pushes at the net – registering 13 kills opposed to the Tigers’ 12. At the end of the set, the Tigers gave away a few points with errors and a rejected kill, but a kill by Te’o finished off set two, 25-23.

Third Set: The energy on the Tigers side of the net had a sharp decline in the third set, helping the Lady Rattlers late in the set. FAMU scored four blocks, three aces and 11 kills in the set, taking advantage of the energy drain. Juniors Kruize and Pierson helped the blue and white registering four kills a piece, while Rivera Ortiz and Hayes held down the backcourt combining for 14 digs. Late in the set, FAMU took a lead over TSU thanks to a service error and continued to pick up steam at the net, putting down three kills in-a-row and ending the match 25-22 with one to the right side.

Fourth set: After set break, the Tigers stepped back on the court with a renewed energy, going on a four-point run to start the set. Henderson put down six kills and a block, the team held the Lady Rattlers to a .049 hitting percentage. Pierson hit a .500 on four kills, and the Tigers pushed for an amazing comeback to clinch their first win of the season 25-23.

MATCH NOTES

• Laken Te’o registered her second double-double of the season.
• The Tigers defeat FAMU, 3-1 in its first meeting since 1995. The series sits at 1-2.
• This marks TSU’s first victory since the team beat Belmont Oct. 31, 2017 at home, snapping a four-game slump.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

North Carolina A&T Earns 3-0 Start With Win Over Jackson State

CARTERSVILLE, Georgia – North Carolina A&T will leave Georgia this weekend with a 3-0 record after dispatching of Jackson State University 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 15-25, 25-14) in their final match of the ISTAP College Cup Tournament.

The win puts the Aggies in position for their best start ever, which was in 1996 when they started 4-0.  “We are off to a good start this season playing some good volleyball and we were able to sustain positive play for a long period of time,” said N.C. A&T coach Hal Clifton.  “There are some things that we saw that we have to be better at but there were also some good signs. Overall, we competed well and that is the one thing that we have been talking about constantly. Competing.”

Sophomore Courteney Pitt recorded her first career double-double with a career-best 11 digs while tying a career-high with 17 kills. Throughout the weekend, Pitt garnered 48 kills finishing with double-figure kills in each match against N.C. A&T’s Southwestern Athletic Conference foes.

“Courteney is really progressing and it was nice to see her take the things she learned in the spring and actually start implementing them into the matches this weekend”, said Clifton. “She is getting better at knowing when to take the big shots, when to survive and when to make the other team play harder to get them out of system. The light bulb just keeps coming on with her and you see her make those right decisions.”

Junior Christa Wilson also had her first career double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Lily Walton was the third Aggie to reach double-figure kills with 10. She added eight blocks to her totals.

Defensively, the Aggies had 13 total blocks (three solo blocks, 20 block assists), held JSU to a .085 hitting percentage and posted a whopping 60 digs. Freshman Shaylynn Hall had five blocks and sophomore Edie Brewer had a career-best four to go along with her second double-double of the season (41 assists and 10 digs).

The Aggies came out in the first set hitting .484 on 16 kills with Pitt leading the way with seven kills and Wilson chipped in four. The set remained close through the first 20 points, but with a 22-19 advantage, N.C. A&T used a quick 3-0 run to close the set with consecutive kills by Pitt, Hall and Wilson.

In the second, a 10-1 run gave the Aggies a 17-9 lead. Freshman Macenzie Richards came up with a pair of kills and freshman Andrea Laboy-Rivera connected on a service ace during the run. N.C. A&T forced JSU into seven errors as the Tigers struggled with a .051 hitting percentage. The Aggie duo of Pitt and Wilson combined for nine of 15 kills as the Aggies hit .256 in the set.

With a chance to sweep the Tigers, the Aggies came up short in the third set thanks in part to 10 errors. JSU played a different style which suited them best in a set where they posted a .222 hitting percentage. Walton paced the Aggies with four kills as JSU’s defense held Pitt to only three kills. The Aggies trailed by double figures most of the set.

The Aggie play at the net in the fourth set proved to be the difference. N.C. A&T dominated with six team blocks led by Walton and Brewer each recording three block assists. The set opened with a quick 4-0 run by the Aggies thanks to three Tiger attack errors.

Wilson powered the Aggies through a stretch scoring three straight kills giving N.C. A&T a 12-5 advantage. An ace by Walton followed by an attack error by JSU extended the lead to 20-10. Walton used her height and came up with blocks down the stretch as the Aggies pulled out the set and match to further their hot start.

Walton was the difference in the fourth set tallying two blocks and two kills. N.C. A&T remains on the road for a 7 p.m. match at Elon on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

BOX SCORE

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION