Vaughan runs away with 2nd GCAC weekly award

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana cross country standout Maliya Vaughan has won her second Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runner of the Week award this season.
     
Vaughan — a senior from Elk Grove, Calif., and a graduate of West Campus High School — is the recipient for Oct. 8-14 after running 5,000 meters in 21 minutes, 27.22 seconds at the Mississippi College Invitational at Clinton, Miss. She placed 52nd out of 143 women and finished ahead of 32 NCAA Division I runners. Vaughan led the Gold Nuggets to 14th place out of 20 schools.
     
Vaughan is a three-time GCAC weekly winner in her career.
     
XULA will return to Clinton for the GCAC Championships Friday. The women's 5K will start at 8:30 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 9:10. Choctaw Trails Course is the venue. Vaughan is the defending GCAC women's individual champion and led the Gold Nuggets in 2017 to their 11th consecutive GCAC team title.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Week 8 SWAC Volleyball Players of the Week

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has recognized the Southern trio of Vaterra Calais, Paige Hall, Arabella Hall and UAPB’s Charis Adefolarin as volleyball players of the week for contests played from Oct. 9-15.

SWAC Offensive Player of the Week – P. Hall continued her strong play, putting away 14 kills on a solid .345 attack percentage as the Lady Jaguars outlasted New Orleans during a five-set thriller on Oct. 9. Additionally, the Arlington, Texas native figured in on five total blocks. The senior has been one of the top two-way players in the SWAC this year, standing third in hitting percentage (.266) and fourth in blocks per set (.83).

SWAC Defensive Player of the Week – A. Hall was a handful for the New Orleans Privateers during Southern’s five-set win, as the San Antonio, Texas native turned away UNO’s attackers to the tune of seven total blocks. Two of them were solos, and five were block assists. Additionally, the junior put down 11 kills while hitting .315. The 5’11 middle blocker has posted multiple block matches in more than half of her games played this year.

SWAC Setter of the Week – Calais posted a double-double with 23 assists, 15 digs and a service ace against New Orleans. It marked her sixth double-double of the season. Additionally, the St. Martinville, La. native crossed the 2,000 career assist benchmark. The senior stands second in the league in assist percentage, as 48.6 percent of her helpers have resulted in kills this season.

SWAC Newcomer of the Week – Adefolarin put down a career-high 15 kills in leading Arkansas-Pine Bluff to victory over Grambling State on Oct. 11. The freshman middle blocker from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada converted .481 of her attacks in the match. Currently, she sits fourth in the SWAC in hitting percentage (.259).

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Trojans 5K Is A Big Hit with Virginia State University Softball

ETTRICK, Virginia  --  The Virginia State University Trojan Softball team put their base running skills to the test as they participated in the annual Trojan 5k sponsored by the VSU Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Department.

Partnering with Ettrick Elementary School and the Beta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, the Trojan 5k is held annual by the HPER Department to raise awareness of health and physical activity.


The event was a big hit with the VSU Trojan Softball team as several of their student-athletes came out to support the cause knowing regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

With a few preseason contests under their belt and their regular season set to lead off at home on February 2, the VSU Softball team will continue to physically condition, stay focused in the classroom and give back to the community.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU softball please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY TROJANS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Week 7: SIAC Volleyball Players of the Week

ATLANTA, Georgia – Jasmine Davis (LeMoyne-Owen) was named Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Cassidi Sterrett (Spring Hill) earned Defensive Player of the Week, released by the league office on Tuesday.

Emmarose Neibert (Spring Hill) was also tabbed Setter of the Week alongside Zaria Brazier (LeMoyne-Owen) who earned Co-Setter of the Week.

Deja Clark (Central State) was selected as this week’s Newcomer of the Week.



OFFENSIVE – Jasmine Davis, Senior, Defensive Speialist/Outside Hitter, LeMoyne-Owen

Davis helped the Magicians this past week as they defeated conference opponents Miles, Tuskegee, and Central State. The senior outside hitter and defensive specialist finished with 46 kills and 43 digs for LeMoyne-Owen.

DEFENSIVE – Cassidi Sterrett, Junior, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Spring Hill

Sterrett helped the Badgers to a clean sweep of the Western Division cluster this past week as they cruised past Central State, Lane, Kentucky State, Miles, and LeMoyne-Owen along with non-conference opponent, William Carey. The Lee's Summit, Mo. native finished the week posting a perfect 100 digs for the Badgers while adding onto her 13 service aces and a kill.

SETTER – Emmarose Neibert, Junior, Setter, Spring Hill

Neibert helped the Badgers to a clean sweep of the Western Division cluster this past week as they cruised past Central State, Lane, Kentucky State, Miles, and LeMoyne-Owen along with non-conference opponent, William Carey. The junior setter posted 166 assists for the Badgers as she finished with 25 digs, eight blocks, seven kills and two aces.

CO-SETTER – Zaria Brazier, Freshman, Setter/Defensive Specialist, LeMoyne-Owen

Brazier filtered 138 assists for the Magicians this past week as they entered the Western Division cluster. The sophomore helped LeMoyne-Owen to defeat conference foes Miles, Tuskegee, and Central State. The East St. Louis, Illinois native added 31 digs, 11 kills, five aces, and a block.

NEWCOMER – Deja Clark, Junior, Outside Hitter, Central State

Deja Clark totaled 62 kills in a span of six SIAC matches this week. She also tallied 41 digs and 8 blocks.

OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Deja Clark (Central State); Robin Poole (Kentucky State); Arlandria Greathouse (Kentucky State); Ashley Elmore (Clark Atlanta)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Alliyah Williams (Kentucky State); Naporsha Gilliam (LeMoyne-Owen)
SETTER OF THE WEEK Sierra Nelson (Clark Atlanta)
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK Alliyah Williams (Kentucky State)

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Announces Weekly Bowling Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Delaware State junior Alexis Neuer was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Bowler of the Week, the conference office announced today.

Neuer (Jr., Lewisburg, Pa.) was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Bud Whitman Invitational, totaling 1,000 pins in five traditional games and topping the 200-pin mark twice. She was third in average at 200.00, and her performance led the Hornets, No. 7 in the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) preseason top 25, to a 7-3 mark in the season’s opening weekend.

Other Top Performers
Kaylah Castillo (CSU) averaged a team-best 164 in traditional play at the Bud Whitman Memorial.

Carolyn Williams (HOW) bowled a weekend-best 202 against Youngstown State and averaged 180.6 pins in traditional play at the Bud Whitman Memorial.

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

The Undefeated Spotlight with ESPN's John X. Miller: FAMU Rattlers and HBCU Band Rankings

DURHAM, North Carolina -- John X. Miller, Senior Editor for ESPN's The Undefeated, joins the Sports Shop for "The Undefeated Spotlight" and discusses the newest features currently up at theundefeated.com, including the rise of Florida A&M football atop the MEAC, the latest HBCU band rankings and a feature on Kanye West's controversial visit with President Donald Trump at the Oval Office.

CONTINUE READING

SWAC Basketball Tip-Off Media Teleconference set for Oct. 18

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The 2018 SWAC Basketball Tip-Off Media Day Teleconference has been scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 18 from 9 a.m until noon CT.

All 20 SWAC women’s and men’s basketball head coaches will be available to preview their upcoming seasons and field questions from the media.

SWAC Director of Communications Peter Holehan will moderate the call. All recordings of the transcripts will become available later that day for the media’s usage through e-mail upon request.

At the top of the call, the All-SWAC Preseason First and Second Team selections as well as the Preseason Players of the Year, Defensive Players of the Year and the predicted orders of finish for all member institutions will also be revealed. The vote will be conducted from each school’s sports information director for their assigned sport and each head coach.

SWAC Basketball Tip-Off Media Preseason Teleconference Schedule
Thursday, October 18
(9:00 am – 12:00 noon)

• 9:00 – 9:10 News & Notes
• 9:10 – 9:25 Alabama A&M (Women’s coach: Margaret Richards & Men’s coach: Dylan Howard)
• 9:25 – 9:40 Alabama State (Women’s coach Freda Freeman-Jackson & Men’s coach: Lewis Jackson)
• 9:40 – 9:55 Alcorn State (Women’s coach: Courtney Pruitt & Men’s Coach: Montez Robinson)
• 9:55 – 10:10 Grambling State (Women’s coach: Freddie Murray & Men’s Coach: Donte Jackson)
• 10:10 – 10:25 Jackson State (Women’s coach: Tomekia Reed & Men’s Coach: Wayne Brent)

• 10:25 – 10:30 Recap of SWAC News and Notes
• 10:30 – 10:45 Mississippi Valley State (Women’s coach: Ashley Walker-Johnson & Men’s Coach: Andre Payne)
• 10:45 – 11:00 Prairie View A&M (Women’s coach Sandy Pugh & Men’s Coach: Byron Smith)
• 11:00 – 11:15 Southern (Women’s coach: Carlos Funchess & Men’s Coach: Sean Woods)
• 11:15 – 11:30 Texas Southern (Women’s coach: Johnetta Hayes & Men’s Coach: Johnny Jones)
• 11:30 – 11:45 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Women’s coach: Nate Kilbert & Men’s Coach: George Ivory)

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Alcorn Tabs Tate as New Leader of Cross Country, Track & Field Programs

LORMAN, Mississippi -- A former SWAC head coach and student-athlete, Fermon Tate was named the head coach of the Alcorn State University men's and women's cross country and track & field programs, announced Monday by director of athletics Derek Horne.

Tate comes to Alcorn after spending the last three seasons as the head coach at Mississippi Valley State. During the 2017 season, MVSU claimed the Southwestern Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship, finishing with 58 points and a place in MVSU history. It marked the first-ever championship for the MVSU women's cross country program.

Additionally, Tate was named the SWAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. He coached Scholasticah Kemei to the title and SWAC Women's Runner of the Year honors, winning the women's individual championship with a time of 18:30.83.

MVSU's championship came one year after the Delta Devilettes took second at the 2016 SWAC Cross Country Championships.

"I would like to thank Derek Horne, Jamea Adams-Ginyard and the entire search committee for the opportunity to coach at Alcorn State University. In the past years, I've been fortunate to have worked with incredible people, and now I look forward to building something special here at Alcorn with such a fine group of talented student-athletes and staff," Tate said.

Prior to MVSU, Tate served as the assistant sprints and hurdles coach at Tiffin University in Ohio. Leaving a positive mark on the program, Tate guided the team to a fifth place finish at the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships, and the school's first ever national champion, Lamar Hargrove. Hargrove won two events and received the Athlete of the Meet and Freshman of the Year Award. In that season, there was a school record of eight All-Americans and the 4x4 meter relay team was the national runner up.

During the 2013 season, Tate helped his athletes to some impressive performances. There were a total of 12 school records set, three GLIAC titles and 19 GLIAC runner-up performances for a total of 38 All-GLIAC selections. The Dragons had 11 NCAA qualifiers with Candace Longino-Thomas earning All-America honors in the indoor 400-meter dash. His educational background of the sprint events over the years, led to successful accomplishments as a collegiate track and cross country coach at Arkansas -Pine Bluff, where he served prior to Tiffin.

While coaching throughout Michigan, Tate's track and field team's won seven state championships. As the national director and head coach of the Swift Track Club, he mentored a number of student athletes who have achieved All-American status at the USATF and AAU national levels. His athletes have broken numerous Indoor/Outdoor school records and he has helped foster 50 state champions in various events. Tate is proud to have passed forward his charisma and passion for track running to the athletes he worked with over the years, for which many have gone on to become NAIA, All-MAC, All-Big Ten, and NCAA All Americans. Recently, one of Tate's former runners, Kendall Baisden, won the junior world youths title in the 400-meter dash, and she graciously thanked Tate for his services through the years.

Tate competed in track at MVSU, helping his team win the 1981 and 1982 NAIA National Championships. He transferred to Eastern Michigan, helping them win two Mid-American Conference championships. Success also runs in the family. His son Fermon Tate III received a scholarship to Central Michigan under his father's coaching and graduated. His daughter, Sierra, received a scholarship to University of Michigan and graduated with honors. His youngest daughter, Derra, is considered one of the top distance recruits in the state excelling in cross country and track.

"Coach Tate has been a winner everywhere he's been. He's coached both national and conference champions at several different clubs and institutions including MVSU. On top of that, Coach Tate was a part of national championship teams as a former SWAC student-athlete. He elevated MVSU as a head coach, and we're excited to have him move both our cross country and track & field programs forward here at Alcorn," Horne said.

Tate is a native of Detroit, Michigan and graduated with Bachelor's degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. He is married to Dana Tate.

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

HBCU Play: AAMU's Robert Mathis a finalist for Black College Football Hall of Fame

ATLANTA, Georgia (Oct. 15, 2018) -- The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced the 25 Finalists for induction into the Class of 2019. Robert Mathis – an alum of Alabama A&M – was among the list of finalist. He is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and attended McNair High School. Mathis, who played for the Bulldogs 1999 -2002, set single season FCS records for forced fumbles (10) and sacks (20) in 2002. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2003 and played 14 seasons as a defensive end. Mathis finished his NFL career with 123 sacks, 54 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, 397 tackles, 3 touchdowns and a Super Bowl win in 2006. He is a five-time Pro Bowl player.

CSU Women's Basketball Adds Greg Ray To Coach Staff As Assistant Coach

CHICAGO, Illinois -- The Chicago State University women's basketball team has added Greg Ray as an assistant coach beginning with the upcoming 2018-19 school year as first-year head coach Misty Opat announced the appointment today.

Ray, who also serves as the team's recruiting coordinator, comes to CSU after serving four seasons as the associate head coach and seven seasons overall at Central Methodist University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school located in Fayette, Mo.

Ray helped the Eagles to four NAIA Division I National Tournament appearances which included a quarterfinal appearance in 2017-18 to go along with a Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season title and an HAAC tournament championship. He also recruited and coached DaJonee Hale, who was a two-time HAAC Player of the Year honoree (2016, '18) and received NAIA D-I Player of the Year honors last season. In all, Ray has coached and developed 25 All-HAAC honorees, including two Newcomer of the Year recipients, seven All-Americans and 28 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
"Coach Ray brings a wealth of experience to our coaching staff and will help us bring in quality recruits that will help build our program to rank among the best in the Western Athletic Conference," Opat said.

A 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Ray began his coaching career in 1991 which coaching in the youth, high school and military levels. He served as the founder and head coach of the Mat-Us Mavericks club team, worked as an assistant coach at Wasillia (Alaska) High School, and coached the Alaska Stars program.

Ray earned his bachelor's degree in sports management at Central Methodist in 2013 and currently resides in the Chicago area. He is married to his wife, Laura, and has a 24-year-old son, Chris.

CSU opens its season on Nov. 7 at Xavier (Ohio) with a start time of 6 p.m.

CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY COUGARS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Langston Lions Moves Up To 13th in NAIA Football Coaches Top 25 Poll

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The Langston University football team moved to the No. 13th spot in the sixth edition of the 2018 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced.

The Lions entered the 13th slot after tallying 193 total votes and trail 12th ranked Saint Francis (Ind.) 210 votes to 193 votes. Langston is the only Sooner Athletic Conference institution ranked.

Poll Methodology
• The poll was 
voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences.
• Each conference is given one rater for every four schools in the league.
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 25 points for each first-place vote, 24 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team's ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes."

For the complete NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll, click here.

2018 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll Six (Oct. 15)

RANK	LAST WEEK	SCHOOL	RECORD	FINAL POINTS
1	1	Morningside (Iowa) [15]	7-0	366
2	2	Marian (Ind.) [1]	6-0	351
3	3	Northwestern (Iowa)	6-0	339
4	4	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	5-1	314
5	4	Reinhardt (Ga.)	6-1	311
6	6	Evangel (Mo.)	8-0	302
7	8	Grand View (Iowa)	5-1	275
8	9	Bethel (Tenn.)	7-0	255
9	10	Kansas Wesleyan	7-0	243
10	11	Concordia (Mich.)	6-1	233
11	12	Benedictine (Kan.)	6-1	220
12	13	Saint Francis (Ind.)	5-2	210
13	14	Langston (Okla.)	5-1	193
14	7	Southern Oregon	4-2	176
15	16	Rocky Mountain (Mont.)	5-2	171
16	17	Baker (Kan.)	5-2	165
17	18	Cumberlands (Ky.)	7-1	156
18	19	Montana Western	5-1	135
19	24	Eastern Oregon	4-2	117
20	21	Dickinson State (N.D.)	5-2	93
21	15	Georgetown (Ky.)	4-3	85
22	22	Ottawa (Kan.)	6-1	78
23	20	Siena Heights (Mich.)	5-1	52
24	NR	Saint Xavier (Ill.)	5-3	41
25	NR	Avila (Mo.)	5-1	31

Dropped from the Top 25: Montana Tech, Webber International (Fla.)Others Receiving Votes: Keiser (Fla.) 11, Midland (Neb.) 7, Montana Tech 3   

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Wiley Lady Wildcats Clinch RRAC Tournament Berth

MARSHALL, Texas -- The Wiley College volleyball team won three hard-fought sets over the University of St. Thomas-Houston (25-23, 25-22, 26-24) Saturday at Alumni Gymnasium to clinch a spot in the 2018 Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

The victory extends the Lady Wildcats' winning streak to five matches and keeps them within a game of first-place Huston-Tillotson and Our Lady of the Lake University.



Wiley College (13-2, 6-2 in RRAC) out-hit the Celts .182 to .094. The Lady Wildcats racked up 42 kills in 110 attempts – which was significantly better than St. Thomas-Houston's 29 kills in 106 attempts. Larissa Francisco (JR/Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Saadia Sahadeo (SO/Washington D.C.) shared the team lead with 10. Francisco tallied 13 digs to record her third double-double of the season. Sahadeo contributed to five of the Lady Wildcats 10 blocks. Tsvetelina Bozhanova (SR/Razlog, Bulgaria) returned to the lineup – adding eight kills, seven digs and three block assists. Alexia Souza (JR/Taubate, Sao Paulo, Brazil) assisted on 36 of Wiley College's 41 kills and tallied her seventh double-double with 12 digs.

"Our defense came up big," head coach Mike MacNeill said. "Our offense was a little under what we expected. Larissa and Saadia each had 10 kills. Tsvety stepped up on the right side. Olena was key in several big moments. Our middles strong play opened up our hitters."

Defensively, the Lady Wildcats out-blocked St. Thomas-Houston 10-7 and recorded 58 digs to the Celts 46. Alia Scott (FR/Houston, Texas) joined Francisco and Souza in double-figures with 13 digs. Wiley College recorded three service aces with Souza tallying two and Fedorenko one.

The Lady Wildcats took control late in the first set. Kills by Olena Fedorenko (JR/Sevastopol, Ukraine), Saadia Sahadeo and Larissa Francisco put Wiley College up 24-20. Bozhanova clinched the set with a kill. Wiley College pulled out to a three-point lead in the second set. The Celts kept it close and pulled within one late in the set. Bozhanova recorded a kill and Sahadeo and Francisco blocked an attack to give the Lady Wildcats a four-point lead. Francisco ended the set with a kill.

In the third set, the Lady Wildcats trailed early but was able to rally and a take a two-point lead. St. Thomas-Houston answered back and took a 14-12 lead. Souza and Sahadeo combined on a block to spark a five-point run. Sahadeo recorded two kills, Frank and Bozhanova added one to give Wiley College a 17-14 advantage. The Lady Wildcats reached match point with a three-point lead but a set error, ball handling error and an attack error allowed the Celts to tie the set at 24.

BOX SCORE

After a timeout, Frank spiked a ball that went over the net for her fourth kill to put Wiley College back in front. Bozhanova sealed the match with a hard hit ball which St. Thomas-Houston was unable to advance.

Next week, Wiley College travels to Our Lady of the Lake University and Huston-Tillotson University with first place in the Red River Athletic Conference on the line.

"The tournament spot is good," MacNeill said. "Our ultimate goal is to go in as the first seed. This next weekend is huge for us. Our message to the women before the game was to get to first we have be third first. We were tied for third with St. Thomas, so we now have a game over them. We travel to Our Lady of the Lake and Huston-Tillotson. If we pull those out, we are tied for first."

WILEY COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

College Baseball Central Podcast: Talking North Carolina A&T and UNC-Greensboro Baseball with Jeff Mills

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- On this edition of the College Baseball Central Podcast, Joe Healy is joined by Jeff Mills of the Greensboro News & Record to talk North Carolina A&T and UNC-Greensboro baseball.

WSSU Rams Take a Three-Set Win Over Saint Augustine's for Fourth Straight Victory

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- he Winston-Salem State Rams (11-12, 10-2 CIAA) continue to roll as the team took a three-set win over the Saint Augustine's Falcons (3-13, 3-10 CIAA), Monday evening. The Rams claimed their fourth straight victory with the team dominating the Falcons for the second time in three days, 25-13, 25-11, and 25-14.

The Rams took the win in impressive fashion with one of their best performances of the season. As a team, the Rams totaled 36 kills with just 10 attack errors in the match while holding the Falcons to just 22 kills in the match. WSSU junior outside hitter Ytae Cobb led the way for the Rams with 11 kills and four blocks (none solo). Junior middle blocker Danyale Berry added eight kills as well.

The match didn't take long as the Rams dominated from the very beginning. The team opened the match with a 14-10 lead before breaking out for an 11-3 run that included three Cobb kills along with kills from sophomore setter Brittany Carpenter and sophomore outside hitter Tailar Jackson. The effort sealed the 25-13 opening set win for the
Rams.

BOX SCORE

The second set was equally impressive as the Rams continued to dominate. The team opened the set by building a 14-8 lead before breaking out for a 10-1 run to really take control of the set, 24-9. After allowing a pair of SAU points, the Rams sealed the set with another Cobb kill, 25-11.

While the third set was a dramatic affair in Saturday's match, it was not on Monday as the Rams took control early and never looked back. The team jumped out to an 18-9 lead before surging ahead, 22-9 after four straight points, including a service ace from Carpenter. Once in control, the Rams cruised allowing three straight points to the Falcons before closing the set with two of the next three points on a Cobb kill and a kill from freshman Samantha Conde to end the match, 25-14

With the win, the Rams improve to 11-12 overall and 10-2 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) play. More importantly, the team improved to 4-2 in CIAA Southern Division play. The Rams will return home for their next action as they will host the Claflin Panthers, Wednesday evening.

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

WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MEAC Announces Weekly Football Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Howard wide receiver Jequez Ezzard was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced today. Morgan State’s Ian McBorrough was named Defensive Player of the Week while Bethune-Cooknan’s L’Dre Barnes received Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. Florida A&M defensive back Herman Jackson was tabbed Rookie of the Week while North Carolina A&T State’s Malik Wilson and Howard’s Faraji Joseph were named Co-Specialists of the Week.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jequez Ezzard
Howard
WR
5-9 | 190 | Jr.
College Park, Ga.

Ezzard made history with his second consecutive three-touchdown contest in the win over Delaware State. He became the first Howard student-athlete to achieve that feat as he also caught four receptions for 191 yards which also included a 78-yard touchdown reception.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ian McBorrough
Morgan State
LB
6-2 | 225 | Jr.
Essex, Md.

McBorrough led Morgan State with seven tackles while also amassing two forced fumbles and two sacks as the Bears defeated Savannah State on Saturday night.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Herman Jackson
Florida A&M
DB
6-1 | 205 | Fr.
Miami, Fla.

Jackson jumpstarted FAMU’s comeback against North Carolina A&T State as he picked up his forced fumble late in the second quarter and raced 55 yards for a touchdown as his score marked FAMU’s first touchdown of the afternoon. He also finished the game with four solo tackles and one pass breakup.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
L’Dre Barnes
Bethune-Cookman
OL
6-3 | 305 | R-So.
St. Petersburg, Fla.

Barnes helped the BCU offensive line block for 367 yards of total offense with 210 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He graded out at 93 percent on the afternoon.

CO-SPECIALISTS OF THE WEEK
Faraji Joseph
Howard
PK
6-1 | 175 | Fr.
Greensboro, N.C.

Joseph led the MEAC in scoring this past weekend as he accounted for 11 points in the win over Delaware State. Joseph finished 5-for-6 on PATs and was 2-for-2 on field goals.

Malik Wilson
North Carolina A&T State
KR
5-11 | 166 | R-Sr.
Burlington, N.C.

Wilson returned the opening kickoff 100 yards in the contest versus Florida A&M. He finished the afternoon with a 55-yard average on two attempts.

NOTABLE PERFORMERS

Jalon Bethea (DB/North Carolina A&T State)
Blocked two punts with one leading to an Aggies’ touchdown.

Chris Faddoul (P/Florida A&M)
Averaged 46.5 yards per kick on two attempts, with a long boot of 55 yards and one downed inside the North Carolina A&T 20-yard line.

Xavier Gravette (TE/Morgan State)
Caught three passes for 69 yards with one touchdown.

James Holmon (OL/Howard)
Graded out at 90 percent as Howard finished with 529 yards of offense in the win over Delaware State.

Devin James (LB/Bethune-Cookman)
Tallied eight tackles (7 solo) including a tackle for loss and a blocked PAT at South Carolina State.

Josh Miles (OL/Morgan State)
Paved the way for Morgan State to finish with 298 yards of total offense in the win at Savannah State.

Antonio Miller (DL/Florida A&M)
Finished with seven tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception in the win at North Carolina A&T State.

Keavon Mitchell (RS/Bethune-Cookman)
Averaged 37.5 yards on two kickoff returns while returning five punts for 68 yards.

Zamon Robinson (LB/Howard)
Had six tackles, a pair of tackles for loss and a sack in the win over Delaware State.

Ryan Stanley (QB/Florida A&M)
Led Florida A&M to a comeback win over North Carolina A&T State as he passed for 313 yards on 28-of-53 passing with a touchdown.

Akevious Williams (QB/Bethune-Cookman)
Finished 13-of-23 passing for 157 yards, connecting with eight different receivers overall on the afternoon. Williams accounted for both BCU touchdowns via the ground, adding a career-high 110 yards rushing on 10 carries.

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Week 9 SWAC Soccer Players of the Week

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Howard forward Jordan Taylor, Grambling State defender Brittany Terry, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff netminder Sariah Orocu have been recognized by the Southwestern Athletic Conference as soccer players of the week for their efforts during matches played October 12-14.

SWAC Offensive Player of the Week – Taylor found the twine twice during Howard’s shutout wins over Alabama A&M and Alabama State as the Bison surged to the top of the standings. The freshman converted a chance during the 65th minute versus Alabama A&M, an insurance goal during the Bison’s 2-0 win. Taylor also cashed in on a penalty kick chance against Alabama State, netting the game-winner against the Lady Hornets. The Wadsworth, Ohio native has scored in each of her past three matches.

SWAC Defensive Player of the Week – Terry continued to be an anchor on the backline that has not yielded a goal in 390 minutes of play, including four straight shutouts. This weekend, she helped contribute to a pair of shutout wins versus Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern, as Terry and the Lady Tiger defense held the Texas schools to an average of 5.5 shots per game and were 0-for-11 in shot attempts. In addition, the Grambling defense only surrendered two corner kicks on the weekend.

SWAC Goalkeeper of the Week – Orocu picked up two shutout wins in net for the Lady Lions, who defeated Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M. Against TSU – who entered the weekend as the leader in conference standings – Orocu stopped all five shots placed on net. The UAPB keeper followed that with a seven-save effort against Prairie View A&M. These marked the second and third shutout of the season for the junior from Longmont, Colo.

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Bethune-Cookman Athletics Hosts NASCAR D4D Combine

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Twelve drivers from across the United States and abroad have been invited to try out for NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, the top driver developmental program in motorsports, at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway and Bethune-Cookman University on Oct. 22-23.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Combine invites promising ethnically diverse and female drivers to test their skills over a two-day period as NASCAR evaluates talent for the 2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development class.

In partnership with Rev Racing, NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program offers racing opportunities in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and U.S. Legend Cars International for one full season, providing selected drivers with equipment, mentoring, and competition experience. The goal is to provide top diverse talent with a path for development in order to improve participants' chances of being identified as a prospect by NASCAR's national series teams, sponsors and manufacturers.

Candidates for the 2019 class have competition experience throughout North America, Asia and Europe. All will vie for an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ drivers Daniel Suárez, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson, the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver to qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs.

"The drivers invited to this year's NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine represent a wide range of diverse backgrounds, both in terms of heritage and driving disciplines," said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR senior manager of racing operations and event management. "The combine has been tremendous in helping the NASCAR industry identify and develop top diverse talent and this year is no different."

The combine, which will serve as a key element in the selection process for setting the driver lineup for Rev Racing in 2019, will evaluate participants on their driving skill and work ethic on and off the track, as well as their marketing and media skills. Each driver will also take part in a physical fitness assessment at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. Additionally, Rev Racing and NASCAR will work with B-CU communications students for additional training and evaluation of the combine participants that will include a mock press conference and one-on-one interviews.

Since the inception of NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program, Rev Racing has earned 19 wins, 88 top-5 finishes, and 186 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program driver Rubén García Jr. won the K&N Pro Series East season finale at Dover International Speedway in early October, the Mexico native's second win of the season. García Jr. is also the current Championship points leader in the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series.

"As we embark upon our 11th year managing the Drive for Diversity program in partnership with NASCAR, we couldn't be more excited about the evolution of our driver development program," said Max Siegel, CEO of Rev Racing. "Through selection process and training program we look forward to selecting and developing some of NASCAR's brightest stars."

In addition to Garcia Jr., drivers under consideration to return to the team in 2019 are Chase Cabre, Ernie Francis Jr., Nick Sanchez and Ryan Vargas. Vargas is a two-time NASCAR Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award winner and has won three NASCAR Late Model races. In 2018, Francis Jr. achieved four wins in the Trans-Am Championship presented by Pirelli and currently leads the series standings. He has won the series championship for four consecutive years.

This year's participants also include Juan Manuel González, Loris Hezemans, Perry Patino, Brooke Storer, Ryu Taggart, Gracie Trotter and Britney Zamora. Storer is the 2016 Desoto Speedway Sportman Champion, while Zamora became the first female driver to win the Northwest Super Late Model Series Championship in 2017. In 2015, Taggart earned a third-place finish out of more than 7,000 drivers in the Red Bull Kart Fight in Japan.

Rev Racing also operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program, which targets drivers 12 to 17 to compete in the U.S. Legend Cars International (USLCI) and serves as an entry point to the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. The deadline to apply for the youth program is Oct. 31, 2018.

2018 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Combine drivers:

DRIVER	HOMETOWN	2018 RACING EXPERIENCE
Chase Cabre	Tampa, Fla.	NASCAR K&N Pro Series East & NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Ernie Francis Jr.	Southwest Ranches, Fla.	Trans Am TA Series & NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Rubén García Jr.	Mexico City, Mexico	NASCAR K&N Pro Series East & NASCAR Peak Mexico Series
Juan Manuel González	Mexico City, Mexico	NASCAR Mexico FedEx Challenge Series NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Loris Hezemans	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Blancpain GT Sprint Series & NASCAR Whelen Euro Series
Perry Patino	Montgomery, Ala.	Pro Late Model & Late Model Sportsman Series
Nick Sanchez	Miami, Fla.	NASCAR Whelen All-American Series & Bojangles Summer Shootout Pro Legend Car Class
Brooke Storer	Land O' Lakes, Fla.	Wheelman Series Late Model/Sportsman Division
Ryu Taggart	Jefferson City, Mo.	Pro Late Model Division at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and USRRA A-mod on dirt
Gracie Trotter	Denver, N.C.	CARS Tour & PASS Series, USLCI Legend Cars & Bojangles Summer Shootout Semi Pro Division
Ryan Vargas	La Mirada, Calif.	NASCAR K&N Pro Series East & NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
Brittney Zamora	Kennewick, Wash.	NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, Budweiser Crown Series & Northwest Super Late Model Series

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat ('NASCAR').

About Rev Racing
Headquartered in Concord, NC, Rev Racing, owned by Max Siegel operates the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, which is the industry's leading developmental program for ethnic minorities and women drivers and pit crew members. For more information about Rev Racing visit http://revracing.net or follow us on Twitter @RevRacin.

About Bethune Cookman University:
Founded in 1904 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) today sustains her legacy of faith, scholarship and service through its relationship with the United Methodist Church and its commitment to academic excellence and civic engagement. B-CU offers 38 degrees on its main campus and online college. Located in Daytona Beach, B-CU is one of three private, historically black colleges in the state of Florida. The institution boasts a diverse and international faculty and student body of nearly 4,000. For more information, visit www.cookman.edu.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

FAMU Rattlers Football Partakes in Post-Hurricane Relief Efforts

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University (FAMU) Head Football Coach Willie Simmons, fresh off of one of the biggest victories in recent history, immediately turned his attention to the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle. Partnering with FAMU, the FAMU National Alumni Association (NAA) and FAMU Athletics, Simmons dispersed players to two locations to provide relief, just 24 hours after the signature win in Greensboro, N.C. Simmons took players to Havana, Fla., to provide meals and water on Highway 27.



The second crew went with FAMU Associate Athletics Director Vaughn Wilson to Marianna, Fla. to provide relief in conjunction with the Jackson County Chapter of the FAMU NAA. Col. Gregory Clark, president of the FAMU NAA, facilitated the donation after making contact with the chapter’s leadership and funded the supplies to assist not only chapter members, but people in Marianna.

These efforts support the University’s FAMU Cares initiative. The FAMU College of Law in Orlando and FAMU’s main campus in Tallahassee are collecting donations, such as bottled water, first aid kits, personal hygiene products and other items for FAMUans and Florida Panhandle communities impacted by the hurricane.

Full video coming soon. @MEACSports @FAMU_1887 #FAMUCares pic.twitter.com/ihnrLcC7Wf

— FAMU Athletics (@FAMUAthletics) October 15, 2018

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Nuggets, Tougaloo postponed again; makeup date Nov. 1

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time this season, Xavier University of Louisiana's home volleyball match against Tougaloo has been postponed.
     
Transportation issues Monday afternoon prevented Tougaloo from traveling to XULA. The match has been rescheduled for 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Convocation Center, and it will become a lead-in to the XULA men's basketball home opener against Carver at 7 that evening. Admission will be free to the volleyball makeup.
     
\Tougaloo was first scheduled to visit XULA Sept. 4, but the match was scrapped due to the approach of Tropial Storm Gordon in the Gulf of Mexico. XULA and Tougaloo have yet to play each other this season; the teams are tied for first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference with 8-0 records.
     
XULA's final two regular-season matches will be against Tougaloo. The Gold Nuggets will visit Tougaloo at 1 p.m. Nov. 4.
     
The postponement is XULA's third this season. An Oct. 6 GCAC match at SUNO was scrubbed — SUNO didn't have enough healthy players — but was played four days later.
     
Next match for the Gold Nuggets (18-6) will start at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center against GCAC member Rust. It will be XULA's first home match since Sept. 17.

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

SIAC Week 7: Football Players of the Week

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Kelias Williams (Albany State) was named Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Football Offensive Player of the Week, while Chris Roberts (Kentucky State) earned Defensive Player of the Week, released by the league office on Monday.

Christian Taylor (Benedict) was also tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week alongside Kevin Greenhow (Central State) who earned Newcomer of the Week.

OFFENSIVE – Kelias Williams, Albany State
Quarterback | 5’11 | 215 | Thomasville, Ga.

Kelias Williams posted a career best 254 yards on 16-18 passing and three touchdowns as Albany State University defeated Morehouse College 41-19 Sunday afternoon at B.T. Harvey Stadium. Williams also carried the ball 10 times for 49 yards (32 net) and 20-yard rushing score, the Rams' first touchdown of the game. At the 12:25 mark, Williams connected with Chris Hunt on a 29-yard touchdown pass, capping a 5-play, 75-yard drive for a 24-7 advantage. For ASU's final score of the third, Habersham hauled in an 8-yard pass from Williams with 10 seconds left in the quarter.

DEFENSIVE – Chris Roberts, Kentucky State
Defensive Line | 6’2 | 330 | Frankfort, KY

Roberts finished with a season-high 12 tackles, seven solo and five assists, with three tackles for loss from his nose guard position. His final tackle, late in the fourth quarter, gave the ball back to KSU trailing 17-14 with two minutes remaining. The Thorobreds took the lead 93 seconds later, but ultimately fell with a late touchdown.

SPECIAL TEAMS – Christian Taylor, Benedict
Offensive Lineman | 6’5 | 360 | Lexington, S.C.

Taylor blocked two Clark Atlanta field goals in the final five minutes of the game to help Benedict hang on to a 27-24 victory over Clark Atlanta.

NEWCOMER – Kevin Greenhow, Central State
Wide Receiver | 6’3 | 205 | Columbus, Ohio

CSU receiver Kevin Greenhow caught four passes for 152 yards and two scores in CSU's 44-38 win over UNC Pembroke. Greenhow scored on the first play from scrimmage, taking a screen pass 70 yards for his first touchdown. Quarterback Trent Mays found a streaking Greenhow down the middle later in the first half for a 55-yard touchdown play.

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Earvin “Magic” Johnson donates $1 Million in support of Central State University

XENIA, Ohio – NBA legend and business mogul Earvin "Magic" Johnson continues to show his dedication to improving the educational opportunities for today's youth with a $1 million donation to Central State University.

Speaking at CSU’s Hall of Fame Luncheon on Friday, Johnson spoke about the importance of giving back.

"It is so important for our young people to move on and get a degree from a quality institution. I love making sure that they receive a quality education and go on to become successful and do great things in our society."

Midway through his public address to the audience of 250 people, Johnson directly addressed CSU President Cynthia Jackson-Hammond with his donation to help provide initiatives designed to promote student success.

Jahan Culbreath, vice president of Institutional Advancement for the university talked about Johnson's gift.

"Magic believes in the mission of our university. His gift shows his commitment to education. We encourage others to join Magic in becoming CSU believers and invest in the future success of our students and institution."

Johnson has a history of supporting and promoting Central State University. In 2008, he served as a guest speaker at CSU's Leadership Speakers Series. In 2015, he was present for the University's official opening of CSU’s University Student Center.

CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Shaw Women's Volleyball Picks Up 13th Straight Win

BLUEFIELD, West Virginia -- The Shaw University women's volleyball team picked up its 13th consecutive win with a 3-0 sweep of Bluefield State College Saturday afternoon. With the victory, Shaw improves to 15-6 overall while the Lady Blues remain winless at 0-17 on the year.

Please note that there were no statistics available upon this release, please check back on www.shawbears.com for final statistics once they are received.

Shaw will play host to Johnson C. Smith University on Wednesday, Oct. 17 for Senior Night in the historic C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on Shaw women's volleyball and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit shawbears.com.

SHAW UNIVERSITY BEARS'ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS