New Look Edward Waters Men's Basketball Picked Third In GCAC

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- "Winning Is Non-Negotiable". That is the mantra that new Head Men's Basketball Coach Frederick Summers has instilled in his charges as they attempt to return the program back to its glory days. The GCAC has begun to take notice as to what is going on in Jacksonville as they have chosen the Tigers to finish third in the GCAC Preseason Poll. EWC was selected behind second place Xavier and defending conference champion, Dillard in the preseason poll. Also, junior guard Will Ibeh was chosen as a member of the All-GCAC Preseason Team as well.

The reigning GCAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year at Talladega, Summers comes to Jacksonville with a mission to win the GCAC Championship on his home floor as the Conference Championships will be held at EWC in March.

Summers has recruited a team that has size, speed, and shooters that are expected to not only win several games and win the conference title, but also make a run in the NAIA National Tournament.

This year's team features only four letter winners from last year's squad and 12 newcomers to the team.

Ibeh is one of the team returners on the reconstructed Tigers' roster. The Germantown, Maryland native led the team in scoring last season, averaging 18.9 points per contest and was selected as Second Team All-GCAC.



Edward Waters will open up the 2018-19 campaign on Thursday, October 25th against the Yellow Jackets of Allen University. Tip-off is set for 1:00 pm at the Adams-Jenkins Community Sports & Music Complex.

Follow the Tigers
For complete coverage of Edward Waters College Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @EWCAthletics (Twitter), /EWCSports (Facebook) and @EWCAthletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Edward Waters athletics at EWCTigerPride.com.

EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Dillard Bleu Devils Again Reign Supreme ATop GCAC in Coaches Preseason Poll

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- The Dillard University Bleu Devils own Gulf Coast Athletic Conference basketball, at least according to the 2018 GCAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released today by the conference office.

The Bleu Devils claimed the top spot in both the men's and women's coaches voting following their wins at the 2018 GCAC Basketball Tournaments. Still, it was a tight race, as Xavier Head Coach Alfred "AJ" Williams' Gold Rush received 3 first-place votes to Dillard's 4, nearly resulting in a first-place tie.

Dillard University Head Coach Mike Newell has caused a renaissance on Gentilly Boulevard. Once one of the weakest programs in the conference, the Bleu Devils have won the GCAC Men's Basketball Championship for the past three years. The Bleu Devils also had a solid showing at the 81st annual NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship earlier this year, advancing to the second round of the tournament.

For his part, Williams has made the Gold Rush contenders again, as well, leading the Uptown, New Orleans team to the final of the GCAC Men's Basketball Tournament. The Gold Rush also received a bid to the NAIA National Championship.

Tougaloo's Tonzell Handy, who was selected for the 2018 GCAC All-Defensive Team and was a 2018 First Team All-Conference awardee, was named 2018 Preseason Player of the Year.

2018 GCAC Men's Preseason All-Conference

Tonzell Handy, Tougaloo
Will Ibeh, Edward Waters
Christopher Journet, Philander Smith
Malik Amos, Dillard
Rayshawn Mart, Xavier

2018 GCAC Men's Preseason Player of the Year

Tonzell Handy, Tougaloo

GCAC Men's Preseason Coaches Poll Results

1. Dillard University (4)*
2. Xavier University (3)*
3. Edward Waters
4. Philander Smith
5. Talladega
6. Tougaloo
7. Rust
8. Southern – NO

*Indicates first place votes

GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

GCAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll Proves It's Once Again, #BLEUDEVILSZN

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- The Dillard University Bleu Devils own Gulf Coast Athletic Conference basketball, at least according to the 2018 GCAC Preseason Coaches Poll, released today by the conference office.

The Bleu Devils claimed the top spot in both the men's and women's coaches voting following their wins at the 2018 GCAC Basketball Tournaments.

Riding high off their first GCAC basketball tournament win since the pre-Katrina era, the Lady Bleu Devils received 6 first-place votes by a panel of the GCAC's 8 head coaches. Two of the Lady Bleu Devils were also selected to the women's basketball preseason All-Conference team—2018 GCAC Women's Player of the Year Alyssa Washington, and teammate Adriiana Jackson. For her efforts, Washington was given "Honorable Mention" distinction by the All-America committee last year.

2018 GCAC women's basketball tournament runner-up Edward Waters (Fla.) College was forecast to finish second in the conference this year. Senior guard Jermisha Collins was also selected for the preseason All-Conference team.

Philander Smith (Ark.) College's Terralyn Dominick, who was named 2017-2018 GCAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year, as well as 2017-2018 Women's Defensive Player of the Year, was named 2018 GCAC Preseason Player of the Year. Dominick led the GCAC in scoring, averaging 19.75 points-per-game. She also led the league in steals-per-game with 3.38. Dominick ranked third in the GCAC in field goal percentage. Dominick was twice named GCAC Women's Basketball "Player of the Week" for the 2017-2018 season. She also received an "Honorable Mention" nod by the NAIA All-America Selection Committee in 2018.



2018 GCAC Women's Preseason All-Conference

Alyssa Washington, Dillard
Essence Wells, Xavier
Adriiana Jackson, Dillard
Jermisha Collins, Edward Waters
Terralyn Dominick, Philander Smith

2018 GCAC Women's Preseason Player of the Year

Terralyn Dominick, Philander Smith

GCAC Women's Preseason Coaches Poll Results

1. Dillard University (6)*
2. Edward Waters
3. Xavier University of New Orleans
4. Talladega (1)*
5. Philander Smith
6.Tougaloo
T7. Rust
T7. Southern - NO

GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Road To the Championship HBCU Football Schedule, Week 9

Andrew Gillum and Ron DeSantis squared off during a heated debate on Sunday. Many thought Gillum was the clear winner, especially after the Tallahassee mayor and Florida A&M University alumnus called out DeSantis for dodging a question about whether or not Donald Trump is a good role model for children. Roland Martin is showcasing Virginia State University Trojans athletic gear and explains why in the clip.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2018

OTHER CONFERENCES
Fairmont State at West Virginia State, 1 PM, WATCH   LISTEN  LIVE STATS 
Langston at Texas College,  3 PM, Homecoming
Edward Waters at Southeastern, 7 PM   Homecoming   Video   Stats
Lincoln (MO) at Missouri S&T  8 PM  Video    Stats   Audio

CIAA
Winston-Salem State at Shaw, 1 PM, TV: Aspire,  Homecoming
Saint Augustine's at Johnson C. Smith, 1 PM,  Homecoming
Bowie State at Lincoln ( Pa.),  1 PM
Virginia Union at Elizabeth City State, 1 PM
Chowan at Virginia State, 2 PM
Livingstone at Fayetteville State, 2 PM, Homecoming

SIAC
Tuskegee at Central State (OH), 12 PM, Video   Stats  FLO Football
Miles at Clark Atlanta, 1 PM
Albany State at Benedict, 2 PM   Video    Stats  FLO Football
Fort Valley State at Morehouse, 2 PM   Video   Stats   FLO Football
Lane vs. Kentucky State at Hopkinsville, KY,  2 PM  F.E. Whitney Classic  Stats

BIG SOUTH
Virginia University Lynchburg at Hampton, 2 PM, ESPN+  Homecoming

MEAC
Bethune-Cookman at Nebraska, 12 PM, TV: BTN
South Carolina State at Howard, 1 PM, TV: ESPN3,  Homecoming
North Carolina Central at Delaware State, 2 PM, TV: ESPN3, Homecoming
Norfolk State at Savannah State, 3 PM, TV: ESPN3, Homecoming
Morgan State at Florida A&M, 4 PM, TV: ESPN3

SWAC
Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M, 3 PM  Homecoming   Audio   Stats
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Grambling State, 3 PM  Homecoming
Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M at Birmingham, 3:30 PM, TV: ESPN3   $
Jackson State at Southern, 7 PM

Note: $  77th Magic City Classic



ALL GAME TIMES TIMES SHOWN IN EASTERN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

MEAC Announces Weekly Bowling Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia — North Carolina A&T State freshman Pamela Warr was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Bowler of the Week, the conference office announced today.

Warr (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.) led the Aggies to an 11-2 record and a third-place finish in the Tulane Sugar Bowl this past weekend, posting a traditional average of 194.8 pins to rank sixth in the individual standings. She eclipsed the 200-pin mark twice, rolling a 226 against No. 6 Stephen F. Austin and a 205 against Valparaiso.

Other Top Performers

Nia Turner (CSU) averaged 179.2 pins in traditional play at the Mount St. Mary’s Shootout, and she bowled a 185 in the Eagles’ upset win over No. 24 Kutztown.

Carolyn Williams (HOW) broke the 200-pin mark twice at the Mount St. Mary’s Shootout.

Diamond Hunter (MSU) averaged 187.4 pins at the Mount St. Mary’s Shootout, bowling a weekend-best 212 in a win over Medaille.

Cayla Davidson (UAB) ranked 12th in traditional game average at 189.4, bowling a weekend-best 215.

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Arkansas State adds Howard Bison to 2020 football schedule

JONESBORO, Arkansas -- The Arkansas State Red Wolves have added the Howard Bison to their 2020 football schedule, according to a report by AStateNation.

Arkansas State will host Howard at Centennial Bank Stadium (capacity 30,406) in Jonesboro on Sept. 12, 2020. The game will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.

Arkansas State is the first known non-conference opponent for Howard for the 2020 season. The Bison are scheduled to play at Maryland and host Georgetown in 2019.

CONTINUE READING 

Dillard Ranked No.11 in NAIA Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll

Bleu Devils Ranked For Third-Consecutive Year in Preseason Poll

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – For the third-consecutive season, Dillard is ranked in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday.

The Bleu Devils tied as the No. 11 ranked team in the country and is one of two teams represented from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. Xavier (La.) is ranked No. 23.

Dillard returns four letter winners from a team that finished last season 21-10 overall and ranked No. 18 in the final NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll (March 7, 2018). Dillard has won 20-plus games the past three seasons.

Under Head Coach Mike Newell, Dillard is 68-29 (.701) with a 39-8 (.823) mark at Dent Hall and have reached the NAIA Tournament in each of his three years at the helm. The Bleu Devils have won two straight GCAC regular season titles and three-consecutive tournament titles.

The Bleu Devils were ranked No. 15 in last year's preseason poll and No. 12 for the 2016-17 season.

Dillard opens the season against Loyola (La.) in Dent Hall on Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. CT.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Bleu Devils by following Dillard Athletics on Twitter at @GeauxDU, Facebook at Facebook.com/dillardbleudevils/ and Instagram at Instagram.com/dillardbleudevils/.

2018-19 NAIA Division I Men's Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll – Oct. 23

Rank	Last Ranking	School	Record	Total Points
1	1	The Master's (Calif.) [4]	29-3	212
2	4	William Penn (Iowa) [3]	30-5	210
2	14	LSU Alexandria (La.) [2]	29-8	210
4	9	Georgetown (Ky.)	27-7	203
5	8	Oklahoma City	24-9	191
6	6	Columbia (Mo.)	27-4	182
7	3	LSU Shreveport (La.)	30-5	174
8	2	Pikeville (Ky.)	28-5	172
9	11	Hope International (Calif.)	25-6	150
10	10	William Carey (Miss.)	25-6	147
11	7	Central Methodist (Mo.)	27-6	144
11	18	Dillard (La.)	21-10	144
11	15	Texas Wesleyan	22-11	144
14	NR	Rocky Mountain (Mont.)	18-14	140
15	16	Dalton State (Ga.)	25-9	118
16	17	Cumberlands (Ky.)	21-10	106
17	20	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	23-10	104
18	22	SAGU (Texas)	24-10	96
19	NR	MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)	16-15	79
20	RV	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	25-10	73
21	NR	Menlo (Calif.)	20-11	68
22	5	Carroll (Mont.)	28-6	63
23	25	Xavier (La.)	24-9	57
23	13	Westmont (Calif.)	24-8	57
25	RV	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	24-9	49

DILLARD UNIVERSITY BLEU DEVILS SPORTS INFORMATION

FAMU Rattlers using "playoff mentality" to close out 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- When the college football season began, no one expected Florida A&M to compete for a MEAC title, yet alone turn in a winning record.

The expectation was the Rattlers found the right man for the job in Willie Simmons and it would take him a year or two to find success.

Surprise! That success is already on the Rattlers' doorstep.


FAMU sits in first place with a 4-0 conference record, needing just two more wins to clinch a MEAC title.

But, Simmons isn't taking the home-stretch lightly, saying the final four games are a playoff to the real postseason.

CONTINUE READING

VUU Panthers Opened Season at Duke

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- | Virginia Union University's men's basketball team got a full dose of the "Cameron Crazies" as they opened the 2018-19 season with an exhibition match-up at fourth-ranked Duke University in Durham, N.C., on Tuesday, October 23.

VUU's Darian Peterson led the Panthers with 14 points while teammate Jordan White added 13 points, but Division I Duke came away with a 106-64 win over VUU.

Virginia Union's Will Jenkins scored 10 points and Jordan Thornton grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

BOX SCORE

Duke was paced by Zion Williamson's 29 points and six rebounds.

Virginia Union opens the 2018-19 regular season when they travel to compete in the Wolf Bus Lines Classic in Shippensburg, Pa., on November 10 and 11. The Panthers will meet host Shippensburg University on November 10 and then face Lock Haven University on November 11.

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Rush in NAIA preseason top 25 for 8th time in 9 years

NEW ORLEANS — For the eighth time in nine seasons, Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball is among the top 25 in the NAIA Division I preseason coaches poll.
     
The Gold Rush — 24-9 a year ago, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion and an NAIA National Championship tournament qualifier — are tied for 23rd place with Westmont. XULA's highest ranking last season was 22nd. The NAIA announced the rankings Tuesday.
     
"It's great to see Xavier among the preseason top 25 again," third-year head coach Alfred Williams said. "We look forward to start competing this week and building on what we accomplished last season. We have a great group of guys who are focused on success and winning the right way."
     
The XULA men will open their 81st season with games at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, against Keiser Friday (7 p.m. AST/6 p.m. New Orleans time) and Virgin Islands Sunday (2 p.m. AST/1 p.m. New Orleans time). The home opener will tip off at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 against Carver in the Convocation Center.
     
The first regular-season rankings will be announced Dec. 4. By that time the Gold Rush will have played four times against top-10 opponents: Nov. 12 away, Nov. 26 home against No. 2 LSU-Alexandria and Nov. 5 home, Nov. 19 away against No. 10 William Carey. XULA's opening opponent, Keiser, was among the "others receiving votes" in NAIA Division II.
     
The NAIA DI preseason No. 1 is The Master's, which received 4-of-9 first-place votes and 212 points. Two points back and tied for second were LSUA with two first-place votes and William Penn with three.
     
XULA is one of two GCAC teams in the top 25. Dillard is No. 11. XULA will play host to the Bleu Devils Jan. 26 and visit Dillard's Dent Hall Feb. 16.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25
Preseason Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from 2017-18)  

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	The Master's (Calif.) (4)	29-3	212
2-tie	4	William Penn (Iowa) (3)	30-5	210
2-tie	14	LSU-Alexandria (La.) (2)	29-8	210
4	9	Georgetown (Ky.)	27-7	203
5	8	Oklahoma City	24-9	191
6	6	Columbia (Mo.)	27-4	182
7	3	LSU-Shreveport (La.)	30-5	174
8	2	Pikeville (Ky.)	28-5	172
9	11-tie	Hope International (Calif.)	25-6	150
10	10	William Carey (Miss.)	25-6	147
11-tie	7	Central Methodist (Mo.)	27-6	144
11-tie	18	Dillard (La.)	21-10	144
11-tie	15	Texas Wesleyan	22-11	144
14	NR	Rocky Mountain (Mont.)	18-14	140
15	16	Dalton State (Ga.)	25-9	118
16	17	Cumberlands (Ky.)	21-10	106
17	20	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	23-10	104
18	22	SAGU (Texas)	24-10	96
19	NR	MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)	16-15	79
20	RV	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	25-10	73
21	NR	Menlo (Calif.)	20-11	68
22	5	Carroll (Mont.)	28-6	63
23-tie	25	Xavier (La.)	24-9	57
23-tie	13	Westmont (Calif.)	24-8	57
25	RV	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	24-9	49

Dropped from the Top 25: Montana Western, Graceland (Iowa), Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), Life (Ga.), Central Baptist (Ark.)

Others Receiving Votes: Peru State (Neb.) 48, Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 42, Science & Arts (Okla.) 22, Campbellsville (Ky.) 20, Graceland (Iowa) 19, Stillman (Ala.) 17, Missouri Baptist 11, Faulkner (Ala.) 9, William Jessup (Calif.) 6, Providence (Mont.) 5, Wiley (Texas) 5, Life (Ga.) 4, Langston (Okla.) 3.

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

Tennessee State Women's Basketball - 2018 OVC Media Day

EVANSVILLE, Indiana -- Tennessee State women's basketball Head Coach Jessica Kern and redshirt senior Tia Wooten represented the Lady Tigers at Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Media Day in Evansville, Indiana.

TSU was picked to finish eighth in the OVC Coaches/SID Preseason Poll with Wooten and Taylor Roberts earning Preseason All-OVC honors.

PHOTO GALLERY

TSU HEAD COACH JESSICA KERN

(on OVC Media Day)
“This day is always great. I think it’s even greater this year because we have student-athletes here. Which is great because I think the student-athlete experience is why we do what we do. It’s always fun to get the rankings but at the end of the day when the ball goes up it really doesn’t matter. What I’m excited about more so than last year… I think the OVC is so open this year and we look forward to hitting the ground running. We’ll be battle tested early and I’m excited.”

(on Taylor Roberts)
For Taylor Roberts making the transition from being a freshman to a sophomore is going to be a big deal from a discipline component. Look forward to seeing her on ball a little more this year since we have some people to help her out on the inside.

(on Tia Wooten)
“Tia Wooten, a kid with a story. I think that’s what TSU is about. Tia chose to stay at Tennessee State and its working in her favor.”

(on having two preseason All-OVC selections – Roberts and Wooten)
“Those two will be the anchor of our offense but we’ve got a lot of pieces that people don’t know about. My job is to get the chemistry going early.”



REDSHIRT SENIOR TIA WOOTEN

(on OVC Media Day)
“I’m excited. It’s good to see all the coaches. It feels good to be a part of being the first group of student-athletes to be here. It’s very exciting. It’s something different. I’ve never done a media day before, so I’m excited for it.”

(on looking forward to the season)
“I am so ready for the season. A lot of people don’t expect us to do a lot, but I believe in our team and our coaching staff and all that we’ve worked on since the summer. I’ve very excited for this year and what it has to bring for us.”

(on her TSU journey)
“It has been a long, uphill battle. It’s been a battle for me. Starting off winning the OVC Championship my freshman year and then not making it back to the tournament my next two years, so my last go-around, my goal is to get my team back into the conference championship and to win the OVC Championship.”



TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Week 9 SWAC Volleyball Players of the Week

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has recognized UAPB’s Kendalle Howard and Haley Gomez, Alabama State’s Kori Kutsch, Jackson State’s Markayisha Masani and Texas Southern’s Nia Stone as volleyball players of the week for contests played from Oct. 16-21.

SWAC Offensive Player of the Week – Howard put down 74 total kills and 55 digs in five matches at the SWAC East Volleyball Roundup, highlighted by a season-high 21 kills and 22 digs versus Mississippi Valley State. She added eight aces and five blocks The 5-8 junior from Round Rock, Texas cleared double-digit kills on four occasions during the five-match stretch, coming up one kill shy versus Jackson State. Howard is averaging 14+ kills a night over her past seven matches.

SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week – Masani was a stalwart on the Jackson State back end, collecting 80 total digs in five matches for the Lady Tigers. She posted at least 10 digs in each match, highlighted by a 23-dig effort versus Grambling State. Additionally, Masani added seven service aces, three assists and a pair of kills.

SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week – Stone flashed as a dominating presence at the net, turning in 23 total blocks during a five-match stretch at the SWAC East Volleyball Roundup. The 5-9 junior had three matches with at least six blocks, peaking with an eight-block effort versus Jackson State. Additionally, the San Antonio, Texas native was a factor offensively, putting away 35 kills at a .228 attack percentage.

SWAC Setter of the Week – Kutsch was lights-out against the competition, putting up 231 assists for an average of 10.50 assists per set. The senior had 40-plus helpers in three matches (41 vs. Southern, 45 vs. UAPB, 48 vs. Texas Southern) and narrowly missed adding to her 40-assists total with 38 against Southern Miss and Grambling State, respectively. She finished with three double-doubles last week, pairing 13 digs with her 41 assists in a 3-0 sweep of Southern. In Saturday’s thriller against UAPB, Kutsch chipped in 14 digs with her 45 assists and she capped off the week with a 48/11 outing in a 3-1 win over Texas Southern. She also added 11 kills and led all Lady Hornets on the week with 10 service aces, notching at least two aces in four-of-six matches. Additionally, Kutsch was stellar defensively, grabbing 49 total digs (2.23 digs per set) and five block assists.

SWAC Newcomer of the Week – Gomez picked up her second Newcomer of the Week award of the season after tallying 59 kills, 51 digs, 12 blocks, five assists and four service aces during UAPB’s five matches at the East Volleyball Roundup. Gomez hit at a .210 clip over the course of the weekend, adding three double-digit kill matches. Gomez put down 15 kills against Jackson State and replicated the effort versus Alabama State as well. Additionally, she recorded a 13-kill, 22-dig double-double versus Mississippi Valley State.

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Men's Basketball - 2018 OVC Media Day

EVANSVILLE, Indiana -- Tennessee State men's basketball Head Coach Brian "Penny" Collins experienced his first Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Media Day on Tuesday.

The Tigers were selected eighth in the OVC Coaches/SID Preseason Poll.



PHOTO GALLERY

MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH BRIAN “PENNY” COLLINS
(on the season fast approaching)
“I’m just excited to be here. What a good time to be here right now. The season is here. You can really feel it and smell it in the air. Everyone’s starting to get focused and get their mind locked in for the games.”

(on what he likes about his team)
“The spirit and energy of my guys have been above average. Our guys are working hard, and they pick each other up and it’s authentic.”

(on the team’s non-conference schedule)
“We want to be an NCAA Tournament team. We feel like our non-conference schedule is pitting us against some of the teams are going to be in the NCAA Tournament – Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Kentucky, Memphis and a few others. That’s going to prepare us for the OVC Tournament and to be an NCAA Tournament team this year.”

(on playing the OVC Tournament in Evansville, Indiana)
“It’s awesome. I’m glad we’re in a city like Evansville that gives us that big game, big tournament feel. Evansville is a great city, and we’re just hoping that our fans come out and support us here.”

(on the biggest challenge for his team)
“Just understanding how hard it is to win each night. It’s not going to be easy. You can’t just show up and hope that your talent and athleticism win us games. We have to be smart players and outthink people, and we have to be able to fight through adversity.”

(on who has stepped up)
“We’ve got a lot of returners that will step up in bigger roles this year. Armani Chaney, who started last year at point, we expect him to come in and be a big time guy for us this year. We need him to lead the troops and be somebody that we can lean on especially late in games to get us to finish line. Kamar McKnight is a returner from last year who averaged 8.5 points so we expect him to come back and be a double figure guy for us. We also have a guy, Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey, who sat out last year who we expect to come in and be a big time player for us as well. Stokley Chaffee Jr., if you look at his minutes and his production last year, towards the end of the season, when he was actually playing it went up. So we are expecting with more minutes played, we expect more production out of him as well.”

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

ASU Golf wins men’s title at Gulf Shores Intercollegiate

Freshman Ben Swaffield (-3) wins medalist honors for men, Lady Hornets final round canceled

GULF SHORES, Alabama | Freshman Ben Swaffield won Alabama State's first individual title of 2018 after running away from the rest of the field at the Gulf Shores Intercollegiate with a final tally of three-under par (71-67-75 = 213).

The men claimed their second-consecutive team title, dispatching the other nine teams in the field with a cumulative team score of 913 (+49) on the links of The Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club, a par 72, 6,976-yard layout.

Swaffield won by 10 strokes and led the Hornets with four birdies in his final round. Freshman Thacher Neal produced another strong showing and joined Swaffield in the top ten in a three-way tie for seventh (+14). Thomas Caddell (T21) turned in at 22-over par for the tournament and Afnan Chowdhury (T23) was a shade behind at +23. Junior Patricio Minondo (T36) used a 74 in yesterday's second round to propel the San Luis Potosi, Mexico native to a top-40 result.

The Lady Hornets' final round was canceled due to extenuating circumstances; however, they held a 14-stroke lead atop of the leaderboard when play was halted. Kei Harris and Abigail Pederson were primed for a top-five finish, as each player tied for second place at +19. Jade Sanders (T6) was also in line for a strong result at +22. Shania Jones (T12) turned in at +28, Tia Kimbrough (T22) at +35 and Mack Bailey (T25) at +36.

Alabama State's fall season has concluded and the Hornets will kick the spring season into gear with the HBCU Winter Invitational January 22 – 24 in Orlando.

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University golf, follow us on social media at @BamaStateGolf (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook), and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State University athletics at BamaStateSports.com.

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Alabama State Sports Alumni Watkins and Robinson to be honored

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Alumni Association will honor several alumni from all over the conference at its annual Legends Roast and Awards Dinner.

The event will take place November 29 at the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton in Birmingham (Ala.), with Birmingham Iron executive Jay Roberson, a former member of the Birmingham City Council, serving as the guest of honor.

Larry Watkins, who was elected to the SWAC Hall of Fame earlier this month, will also be honored at the SWAC Alumni event as he will receive the Charles "Chuck" Prophet Memorial Award. The award honors the memory of Chuck Prophet, the iconic Sports Information Director and Director of Athletics at Mississippi Valley State University. The award goes to an employee of a SWAC member institution who best exemplifies Prophet's spirit, dedication and loyalty to his school and the conference.

Watkins currently serves as a Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics, and teacher at Alabama State University in the physical education department. He has been a fixture at Alabama State for 47 years, serving as the head baseball coach for 20 seasons before retiring in 2011 with 513 victories, making him the all-time leader in wins. Prior to that, he was an assistant baseball coach for eight seasons after playing centerfield for the Hornets for years during his collegiate career.

Former Alabama State linebacker Eddie Robinson, along with former Jackson State golf coach and running back Eddie Payton, former Alcorn State baseball coach Willie "Rat" McGowan and SWAC Public Relations Director and Compliance Officer Russell Stockard will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contributions to the conference's tradition of excellence.

Robinson was an All-American and All-SWAC linebacker at Alabama State, and he was the 1991 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. He also received the Toyota Leadership Award his senior season. The Houston Oilers' second-round pick and the 50th player chosen in the 1992 NFL Draft, Robinson had an 11-year professional career with Oilers, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. He was the Titans' Unsung Hero in 2001 and appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans in 2000.

Tickets are $75 each, with proceeds going to the SWAC Al
umni Degree Completion Scholarship Fund.

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ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS