Eight Tennessee State Tigers Named All-Ohio Valley Conference

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State placed eight players on the All-Ohio Valley Conference team, as announced on Tuesday. Chid Okeke and Dajour Nesbeth were named to the first team, while Chris Rowland, DeVon Johnson and Raekwon Allen were selected to the second team. Mekhi Brown, Te’kendrick Roberson and Antonio Zita all earned a spot on the All-Newcomer team.

Nesbeth led the Tigers with 58 tackles and 42 solos. The preseason All-OVC selection picked off four passes on the season, averaging 0.4 interceptions per game which ranked 14th in the nation. Nesbeth topped the OVC and was 19th in the country with 1.2 passes defended per game.

Okeke and Allen were the only Tiger linemen to start and play in all nine contests. The duo anchored an offensive unit which ranked 20th in the country in passing and ranked 31st in total offense. Okeke and Allen led a unit to a 105 yard per game increase in total yardage from a year ago, averaging 431.3 yards in 2018.

Rowland earned a spot on the second team as a wide receiver, as well as a return specialist. The junior caught 57 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns in eight games. Rowland ranked amongst the top receivers in the nation with 7.1 receptions per game (11th) and 90.9 receiving yards per game (21st). The Nolensville, Tenn. product provided the Big Blue a threat on special teams averaging 13.0 yards per punt return, totaling 182 yards on 14 attempts. Rowland was number one in the OVC, eighth in FCS play in punt returns and was 36th in all purpose yards, with 120.4 yards per game.

Johnson capped off a strong season with a three touchdown reception game against UT Martin on senior day, but was honored for his abilities on special teams. Johnson returned 16 kicks for 423 yards (26.4 yards/return) which topped the OVC and was 15th in the country. The redshirt senior finished the year averaging 107.7 yards per game.

Brown, Roberson and Zita made a large impact in their initial year at TSU. Brown finished with 26 stops, 16 solo, 6.5 for loss and shared the team lead with 4.0 sacks. The redshirt junior sparked the comeback at Eastern Illinois with a strip sack in the final minute of the first half, leading to a score to cut into an early 21 point deficit.

Roberson led the Tigers in rushing with 527 yards on 100 carries. The redshirt junior busted runs for over 50 yards in back-to-back games this season. Roberson teamed with Earl Harrison at Southeast Missouri to give TSU a pair of runners over 50-plus yards in a game and with Shawn McColley against Jacksonville State. In marked the first time in the programs recent history of back-to-back games with multiple runners to cross 50 yards on a single run.

Zita finished 28-of-29 on extra points and 12-of-14 on field goals, including a perfect 12-of-12 inside of 40 yards. Zita started the season a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts and 6-for-6 on extra points, before missing one of each at Vanderbilt. The freshman kicker scored double digits in five games, scoring 10 points against Bethune-Cookman and at Austin Peay, while finishing with 11 at Eastern Illinois, against Tennessee Tech and in the season finale against UT Martin. The 11 point games tied Zita for seventh best in a single game for a kicker at Tennessee State. Zita is ranks ninth in the nation with an .857 field goal percentage and 19th at 1.33 field goals per game.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

UDC Women’s Lacrosse Inks Five National Letters of Intent

Head Coach Cassandra Haase (right) and Assistant Coach Zhane Ruffin (left) discuss strategy pre-game last season.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- University of the District of Columbia Women's Lacrosse Head Coach Cassandra Haase has announced the program has received five signed National Letters of Intent for student-athletes who will enroll at the college in Fall 2019 and begin playing for the Firebirds in Spring 2020. Alaina Feather, Kayla Gray-Hillian, Terri Nashe, Da'zah Regusters and Sabrina Roberts comprise a still-growing list of high school student-athletes committed to UDC.

PHOTO GALLERY OF UDC LAX 2019/20 SIGNEES

"We are beyond excited to welcome these five young women into our Firebird family," the 2nd year head coach said. "Coach Ruffin and myself have worked tirelessly throughout our short time here at UDC to put things into place to push our program forward. These five are just the start, and we're not done for the Class of 2023."

Alaina Feather hails from Brecksville, Ohio, and plays for the Ohio Premier club team in addition to the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School team. A 5'3 goalie with five years of lacrosse experience, Feather has thus far played two seasons of varsity lacrosse under head coach Kyle Drypolcher. Her sophomore season she had a 53-percent save percentage, and last year she had a 52-percent save percentage as a junior. Feather is a three-time Academic Honor Roll award recipient and volunteers with youth lacrosse camps. She plans to study Civil Engineering at UDC.

"Alaina fit in with our program as soon as she stepped on campus," Haase said. "I am excited to help her grow as a goalie and give her the opportunity to learn from our current goalie."

Hillian is a 5-4 right-handed defender out of Frederick, MD and Frederick High School. Last season, she helped Frederick HS to its most successful girls lacrosse season in the program's history. The Cadets, coached by Brandon Brewbaker, finished 10-5 overall while claiming their 8th consecutive Intra City Spires Cup Championship and a Sectional Title. She plans to study Biology at UDC.

"Kayla will be a huge workhorse for us in our defense," Haase said. "She brings a high level of dedication to our program that will help us grow."

Terri Nashe is from Shirley, NY and plays for the Liberty Lacrosse club team. Liberty Lacrosse is an elite travel lacrosse program for girls, and Nashe was captain of her team.

"Terri has an incredible love for the game, and we are fortunate to get her out of Long Island and into our nation's capital," Haase said.

Regusters is from Pottstown, PA and played for Pottstown Senior High School under head coach Brandy Scherer. At Pottstown HS, she was a Pioneer Athletic Conference First Team All-Division honoree and a 2017 Mercury All-Area Honorable Mention on PA Prep Live. She intends to study Biology at UDC.

"Da'zah is a three-sport athlete that has an intense focus that is hard to match," Haase said. "Her IQ for athletics is something special."

Roberts is a Woodstock, GA native who plays defense for the club team Fast & Furious. She attends River Ridge, HS where she is involved in many leadership roles with Beta Club and the National Honor Society. She was selected for the 2018 US team and summer ball at Fast & Furious, and last season for her club team, she registered 60 ground balls, 60 caused turnovers and 22 draw controls. She is a lettered dual-athlete (basketball and lacrosse) for three years and has received Defense Most Valuable Player along with a captain status in 2017-18. Roberts will study Architecture at UDC.

"Sabrina has had a great experience with lacrosse and basketball in Georgia," Haase said. "She will be bringing a southern charm to our program."

UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FIREBIRDS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

UDC Women’s Basketball Announces Talented Delaware HS Prospect Signs National Letter of Intent

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- University of the District of Columbia women's basketball head coach John Nakpodia has announced Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins of Howard Vo-Tech High School in Wilmington, Delaware has signed a National Letter of Intent to enroll at UDC in Fall 2019 and begin playing for the Firebirds in the 2019-20 season.

"Ronnasia has a rare blend of skill, size and athleticism," the 2nd year head coach said. "Her potential is limitless. She will be an impact player for us from day one."



Blatch-Huggins is a 6'0 guard who has earned three All-Conference selections (2016, 2017 and 2018), including a First Team All-Conference honor in 2018. She was also a Top-15 North All-State selection by the Delaware Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association (DIBCA) in 2018.

A three-year varsity starter and team captain under head coach Curtis Clack, she has scored 947 career points heading into her senior season. Last year, she had per-game averages of 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals.

She plans to study Biology at UDC.

UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FIREBIRDS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Week 1: SIAC Basketball Players Of The Week

ATLANTA, Georgia – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) has announced its men’s and women’s basketball Players of the Week.

For women, Ay'Anna Bey (Benedict) was named Player of the Week, while Sakina Wynn (Miles) earned Newcomer of the Week.

For men, Shelvick Henry (Clark Atlanta) was named Player of the Week, while Romaine Thomas (Clark Atlanta) earned Newcomer of the Week, released by the league office on Tuesday.

Women’s Basketball

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ay'Anna Bey, Benedict
Forward | 6’2 | Sophomore | Blackwood, N.J.

Bey averaged 19 pts and 11 rebounds in Benedict's first three games, going 2-1. The Blackwood, N.J. native had two double-doubles (20 pts, 12 rebs and 17 pts, 12 rebs) in back-to-back road wins over Barry and Palm Beach Atlantic. The sophomore forward shot .413 from the floor.

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK– Sakina Wynn, Miles
Guard | 5’7 | Junior | Center Point, Ala.

Wynn, a junior guard for Miles, has been a leading scorer for the Golden Bears in their opening weeks to lead them to a 3-1 record. The Center Point, Ala. native opened the season posting 20 points in the Golden Bears 73-68 win over Mississippi College. She followed up a week later scoring 19 total points as Miles hosted its inaugural Lady Bears Tip-Off Classic and forged a split of its two games, dropping a 67-62 decision to Delta State while earning a decisive 78-29 win over Oakwood University. The 5’7 junior has collected 11 assists and ten rebounds to open the Golden Bears 2018-19 campaign.

OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED

WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK Takyra Gilbert (Central State), Jasmine Hollis (Miles), Porchia Hannah (Lane), Reyana Miller (Clark Atlanta)'

WOMEN’S NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK Porchia Hannah (Lane), Reagan Jackson (Clark Atlanta)

Men’s Basketball

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Shelvick Henry, Clark Atlanta
Point Guard | 6’1 | Senior | Wabasso, Fl.

In four games for Clark Atlanta, Shelvick Henry has led the team with an 18.5 points per game for the Panthers. Henry, a senior from Wabasso, Fla., leads the team with 74 total points and has scored in double figures in each of CAU's four games so far this season. Henry scored 21 points against Montevallo and 22 points against Xavier University of Louisiana.

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK– Romaine Thomas, Clark Atlanta
Forward | 6’8 | Junior | Bronx, NY

Romaine Thomas, a junior for Clark Atlanta, has averaged 15.8 points per game in four games for the Panthers. Thomas, a junior from the Bronx, N.Y., has scored in double figures in all four games, including a best of 18 points against Montevallo. Thomas also leads CAU in scoring with 33 rebounds, or 8.3 rebounds per game.

OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED

MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK Dwight Richards, Jr. (Central State)
MEN’S NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK n/a

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Valentine & Terry Headlines 2018-19 SIAC Women's Basketball Preseason Honors

ATLANTA, Georgia —  Spring Hill’s Tiffany Valentine was selected as the 2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year, and Taylor Terry of Miles garnished the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, announced on Wednesday by the league office.

The preseason honors and predicted order of finish are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
After having sat out during her true sophomore season, Valentine returned and collected 2017-18 SIAC Player of the Year and Spring Hill’s Female Athlete of the Year honors. She was also a member of the 2017-18 SIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team. Valentine led Spring Hill to a 15-3 conference record and a first place regular season finish in the west division which is the school’s best record in almost two decades. After starting all 28 games her redshirt sophomore season, the 6’1 forward averaged 37.6 minutes and scored a team-high 17.5 points per game. Valentine shot 53.1 percent (182-343) from the field and was top three in the league in scoring and field goal percentage while finishing at No. 4 in defensive rebounds averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. The Houston, Texas native tallied 199 rebounds with 31 assists, 14 blocked shots and 12 steals during her 2017-18 campaign and is looking to improve and lead the Badgers this season.
 
Entering her third and final season with the Golden Bears, Terry has been named the 2018-19 SIAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. During her junior campaign, Terry averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The Atlanta, Georgia native led the Golden Bears to in blocked shots as she posted 46 last season and was ranked second in the league for blocked shots averaging 1.6 per game.
 
Joining Valentine and Terry on the 2018 SIAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Team are Dana Gettis (LeMoyne-Owen), Brooke Spaulding (Central State), Jaeda Davis (Central State), Alicia Franklin (Fort Valley State), Elise Rielly (Spring Hill), Ay’Anna Bey (Benedict), Keondra Archie (Paine) who were also named to the 2017-18 SIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team. New additions include Jade Wilson  of Tuskegee and Takyra Gilbert of Central State.
 
In the eastern division, Clark Atlanta was voted to finish on top as they garnered eight first place votes. Albany State finished second in the poll with three first place votes above Benedict who was voted third with one first place vote. Also, with one first place vote, Fort Valley State was voted fourth ahead of Paine who rounded out the eastern division.
 
Central State was voted to lead the western division as they collected seven first place votes followed by Spring Hill who was picked to finish second with six first place votes. With one first place vote, Kentucky State finished third above LeMoyne-Owen who is expected to finish fourth. Miles was chosen to finish fifth in the poll as Lane and Tuskegee rounded out the western division and were voted to finish sixth and seventh respectively.
 
Women’s Basketball
 

Tiffany Valentine*	F	Spring Hill	R-Junior
Dana Gettis*	SG	LeMoyne-Owen	Senior
Brooke Spaulding*	PG	Central State	Sophomore
Jaeda Davis*	G	Central State	Senior
Alicia Franklin*	PG/G	Fort Valley State	Junior
Elise Rielly*	G	Spring Hill	Junior
Ay’Anna Bey*	F	Benedict	Sophomore
Keondra Archie*	F	Paine	Sophomore
Jade Wilson	F	Tuskegee	Senior
Takyra Gilbert	PG	Central State	Junior

 
*Indicates returner for 2017-18 SIAC All-Conference Team
 
2018 SIAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Honors

Preseason Player of the Year: Tiffany Valentine, Spring Hill
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Terry, Miles
 
Predicted Order of Finish:
(first place votes in parenthesis)
 
Eastern Division
1.Clark Atlanta (8)
2.Albany State (3)
3.Benedict (1)
4.Fort Valley State (1)
5.Paine
 
Western Division
1.Central State (7)
2.Spring Hill (6)
3.Kentucky State (1)
4.LeMoyne-Owen
5.Miles
6.Lane
7.Tuskegee

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Morehouse Moves Up Six Spots In National Rankings

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The Morehouse College basketball team moved up six spots in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 and now sit at No. 11 in the national rankings following its 2-0 start.

The Maroon Tigers were ranked 17th in the preseason NABC Top 25 to start the season. Last season MHC was ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation and finished 12th in the final rankings. Morehouse garnered 234 points in the NABC Poll this week, and are the only team from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) that is ranked.

This past week Morehouse (2-0) swept the SIAC/CIAA Challenge with victories over Winston-Salem State University (66-61) and previously undefeated Shaw University (93-75).

Maroon Tigers Blowout Fisk, 115-48 https://t.co/WBv6i6jtwY

— Morehouse Athletics (@MaroonTigers) November 21, 2018

Morehouse host Fisk University tonight at 7 p.m. before starting SIAC play this weekend as they welcome Tuskegee University on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. and Miles College on Monday, Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. in Forbes Arena.

For the latest on Morehouse Athletics, follow the Maroon Tigers via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Also check back with www.MorehouseAthletics.com for the latest information on news, statistics, tickets and more on all of Morehouse athletics.

NABC Poll

NABC/Division II Rankings
(Nov. 20, 2018 – Regular Season Poll #1)

Record Points Last
1. Bellarmine, Ky. (16) 3-0 400 1
2. Northwest Missouri State 5-0 383 5
3. Indiana, Pa. 3-0 349 8
4. Saint Anselm, N.H. 3-0 343 6
5. Southern Nazarene, Okla. 3-0 305 10
6. Cal Poly Pomona 2-0 300 9
7. Valdosta State, Ga. 4-0 287 11
8. West Texas A&M 6-1 260 4
9. West Liberty, W.Va. 3-1 251 2
10. Queens, N.C. 5-1 243 7
11. Morehouse, Ga. 2-0 234 17
12. Florida Southern 3-0 226 22
13. Findlay, Ohio 3-0 219 23
14. Ferris State, Mich. 5-1 212 13
15. Western Washington 3-1 107 14
16. St. Cloud State, Minn. 3-1 105 18
17. Barry, Fla. 3-0 84 NR
18. Northern State, S.D. 3-1 81 NR
19. UC San Diego 3-1 76 24
20. Barton, N.C. 5-0 69 NR
21. St. Edward’s. Texas 5-0 57 NR
22. Nova Southeastern, Fla. 2-0 54 NR
23. St. Thomas Aquinas, N.Y. 4-0 52 NR
24. Christian Brothers, Tenn. 3-0 48 NR
25. Regis, Colo. 2-1 47 19

Others receiving votes: Dallas Baptist (Texas) 42,
Shippensburg (Pa.) 36, Point Loma (Calif.) 30, Ashland (Ohio)
28, Indianapolis (Ind.) 27, Missouri Southern 24, Saint
Martin’s (Wash.) 24, Central Missouri 21, Sioux Falls (S.D.)
21, Southwest Minnesota State 19, USC Aiken 18, Texas
A&M-Commerce 15, Virginia State 14, Bentley (Mass.) 13,
Tarleton State (Texas) 13, Minnesota State 12, Chaminade
(Hawaii) 9, Colorado Mesa 8, Lake Superior State (Mich.) 6,
Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 5, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 4, UNC
Pembroke 4, Cal State San Bernardino 3, Shaw (N.C.) 3,
Eckerd (Fla.) 2, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 2, Stanislaus State
(Calif.) 2, Chico State (Calif.) 1, Kutztown (Pa.) 1, West
Florida 1.

Dropped out: Lincoln Memorial (3), West Florida (12), East Stroudsburg (15), Virginia State (16), Southwest Minnesota State (20), Dallas Baptist (21), Missouri Southern (25).

 Records are through games of Sunday, Nov.18. Last ranking was from the 2018-19 pre-season poll.

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Lincoln Blue Tigers Rally for 71-63 Win in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The Lincoln men's basketball team rallied from a first half deficit to beat Missouri S&T, 71-63, in Municipal Auditorium on Monday afternoon (Nov. 19). The contest was part of the MIAA Men's Basketball Challenge and was played at the site of the 2018 conference championship tournament.

Terrance Smith posted his first double-double of the season, leading LU with 24 points, 10 boards and a pair of blocks. Jonell Burton added 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks to the winning effort while Ni'Sean Rigmaiden tallied eight assists while contributing eight points, four boards and three steals.

Lincoln (3-2) led 20-9 early in the first half, but Missouri S&T (2-2) finished the period on a 22-8 run to take a 31-28 advantage into halftime. The second period was a different story, as Lincoln shot .520 from the floor while holding the Miners to .378 en route to the eight-point win.

The Blue Tigers shot .412 from three-point range for the game and forced Missouri S&T into 13 turnovers while shooting .870 at the line. LU also blocked five shots and had eight steals, with Zack Fields providing two points, four boards, a block, steal and assist.

BOX SCORE

Grant Olsson scored six points in the first half and Amariontez Ivory added three as well as two rebounds and an assist. DJ Ward scored three points and had a pair of steals, and John Burton scored eight to go with three rebounds and a steal. L'Kielynn Taylor closed out the scoring with two points and a rebound.

Lincoln will be off until Nov. 30, when the Blue Tigers host Ecclesia in Jason Gym at 6:00 p.m. CST.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Thompson Named MIAA Player Of The Week

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- After nearly posting a triple-double in Lincoln's win over Stephens, junior guard Zoi Thompson has been selected as the MIAA Women's Basketball Player of the Week. The league office announced the honor, which was voted upon by a select panel of conference sports information directors, on Monday afternoon (Nov. 19).

Thompson finished one steal and one rebound short of a triple-double as she filled the stat line with 19 points, nine boards and nine steals in 39 minutes of work. Thompson also had seven steals as she helped lead Lincoln to a 79-34 victory last Tuesday (Nov. 13) for LU's largest margin of victory since the 2011-12 campaign.

Thompson becomes the first Blue Tiger to be honored as player of the week since Vivian Essuon claimed the honor on Jan. 9, 2012.

The Blue Tigers will be back at Jason Gym on Wednesday (Nov. 21) to host McKendree at 6:00 p.m. CST.

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Langston Places League-High 10 On All-SAC Teams

LANGSTON, Oklanhoma – Quarterback Jaylen Lowe, running back Cameron Booty and head coach Quinton Morgan all took home individual honors, and eight Lions, the most in the Sooner Athletic Conference, were named to the inaugural All-SAC First Team as the conference unveiled its football awards Tuesday.

Lowe was named the SAC Offensive Player of the year after leading the NAIA in total offense yards per game (369.6) and finishing third in total offense (3,696), third in passing yards per game (304.0), fourth in total passing (3,040) and sixth in passing efficiency (168.7). He completed 203-of-324 passes this season with 31 touchdowns to only seven interceptions while throwing for 3,040 yards and rushing for 656 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Booty was highlighted as the SAC Athlete of the Year after tallying 593 yards on 80 carries with two touchdowns while averaging 7.4 yards per rush. The junior tailback showed his versatility in the passing game and on special teams after hauling in 28 receptions for 461 yards and eight scores and punted 26 times this while averaging 32.8 yards per punt.

Head coach Quinton Morgan was honored with the inaugural SAC Coach of the Year award after leading Langston to a 9-2 record, the SAC Conference title and the NAIA Football Championship Series Opening Round. This is the second conference coach of the year honor that's been bestowed on Morgan after being named the CSFL Coach of the Year for the 2017 season.

Langston's eight overall first-team selections were the most of any SAC school. The Lions also picked up two selections on the second-team offense to boast a league-high 10 all-conference players. Southwestern Assemblies of God and Ottawa-Arizona tied with nine selections apiece, followed by Arizona Christian with seven and Texas Wesleyan with six. Wayland Baptist, Oklahoma Panhandle State and Lyon College all tied with five selections apiece, Texas College place two on the all-conference team.

In addition to Lowe and Booty, senior offensive linemen Christopher Carrillo and Trevin Carson were selected to the first-team offense, while Craig Evans, James Cox, JaQuan Richmond and James Caligone IV earned spots on the first-team defense.

Two players were named to the All-SAC Second Team in junior wide receiver Isaiah Shaputis and junior tight end Keith Tracy.

Additionally, defensive back Devin Dourisseau, defensive back Dennis Gafford, defensive lineman Peter Gordon, defensive lineman Terrance Grimsley, wide receiver Glenn Irons, wide receiver Leon Monget, wide receiver Daylon Person, offensive lineman Myles Ragsdale, defensive back Meordrick Shoemake, offensive lineman Joel Thurman and defensive lineman Justin Wade were named honorable mention at their respective positions.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Langston Halts Philander Smith 84-71

LANGSTON, Oklahoma – Malik Young came off the bench to score 22 points and led a quartet of double-digit scorers as the Langston Lions knocked off the Philander Smith Panthers 84-71 on Tuesday at C.F. Gayles Field House.

Young finished six-of-seven on the night including four-of-four from three-point range in 18 minutes of action as Langston (6-0) remains unbeaten before beginning Sooner Athletic Conference play next week. Jorori Coleman finished with 15 points, Tyrone Killings, Jr. chipped in 12 and Alfonzo Anderson pumped in 10 for the Lions.

Tied at 21-21 the Lions roared their way to a 21-3 scoring run which ended with back-to-back free throws from Killings, Jr. to put Langston in front for good 42-24 at the 2:30 mark in the opening half. Philander Smith managed to trim Langston's lead to five at 58-53 but were unable to get any closer as Langston pushed their lead back to 14 following a three-point bucket by Killings, Jr.

BOX SCORE

Langston knocked down .472 percent on the night and finished 12-of-25 from three-point range and 22-of-35 from the free throw line. The Lions defense forced 17 Panther turnovers into 20 points. The Panthers finished .434 on the night but only managed 21-of-36 from the charity stripe.

Langston (6-0) opens up conference play on Thursday, Nov. 29 at Oklahoma City University, Tip-off time is scheduled for 8 p.m. The Lions next home game is set for Saturday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. against Southwestern Christian.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Wiley Lady Wildcats End Season in NAIA Opening Round

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma – For the first time in program history, the Wiley College volleyball team won a set in a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Women's Volleyball National Championship match, but the Lady Wildcats' season came to an end with a four-set loss (20-25, 11-25, 25-22, 13-25) against Oklahoma City University in the NAIA Opening Round Saturday at Abe Lemons Arena.

This is the second time in program history that the Lady Wildcats have reached the NAIA Opening Round. The 20 wins is the most for Wiley College since 2013. Wiley College had its highest winning percentage (.833) in program history.

"It's good for these women to see where we are at," head coach Mike MacNeill said. "It's good for them to see this level and play a team that has been to the tournament multiple times. It doesn't hurt any less knowing we didn't execute tonight."

FULL STATS

The Lady Wildcats (20-4) had its highest hit percentage in the third set at .194. They trailed early but gain the lead with an 8-3 run. Khrystyna Frank (FR/Kiev, Ukraine) gave the Lady Wildcats the lead with a kill. The lead changed hands several times but Wiley College took control for good on a kill by Olena Fedorenko (JR/Sevastopol, Ukraine). An attack error and a service ace by Larissa Francisco (JR/Sao Paulo, Brazil) extended Wiley College's advantage to 21-18. Frank recorded three kills to clinch the set and extend the match.

Wiley College which entered the match hitting .250 – was held to a .068 hitting percentage. It recorded negative hitting percentages in the second ((-) .059) and fourth set ((-).029). Frank led all attackers with 19 kills – which is a career-high. With 11 digs, she recorded a double-double.

"We just got outplayed," MacNeill said. "We played uncharacteristic as a team. Credit to Oklahoma City. They came out in a big match and know how to perform. Credit to Coach Santiago and his ladies. I wish them the best of luck in the next round."

Alexia Souza (JR/Taubate, Sao Paulo, Brazil) assisted on 33 of 41 kills for an average of 8.25 per set. She also led the Lady Wildcats block contributing to four. Alia Scott (FR/Houston, Texas) led the team with 13 digs. Francisco and Fedorenko each recorded service aces.

The match was the last for outside hitter Tsvetelina Bozhanova (SR/Razlog, Bulgaria), who will graduate. In her three seasons with the Lady Wildcats, she recorded 387 kills, 410 digs and 42 aces. All those marks rank in the top 20 in Lady Wildcat history.

The rest of the team is eligible to return to help the Lady Wildcats repeat as Red River Athletic Conference champions and make a deeper postseason run in 2019.

WILEY COLLEGE WILDCATS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Thomas and Ash Headlines 2018-19 SIAC Men's Basketball Preseason Honors

ATLANTA, Georgia — Junior forward Myles Thomas of Tuskegee has been voted the 2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Preseason Player of the Year while Lane's senior forward Kendarius Ash earned his second consecutive Preseason Defensive Player of the Year selection, as announced Wednesday by the league office.
 
The preseason honors and predicted order of finish are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
In his tenure at Lane, Ash has been named to every all-conference team since his freshman season. During his junior season, the Decatur, Georgia native averaged 16.3 points per game and 13.1 rebounds per game. Ash led the league with 340 rebounds last season averaging 4.5 offensive rebounds and 8.5 defensive rebounds per game. Ash finished the season with a SIAC best 20 double-doubles.
 
Thomas, a 6’7 junior from Tallahassee, Florida., averaged 9.6 points per game in his rookie season with the Golden Tigers. The junior forward shot 70.2 percent from the free-throw line and averaged 3.8 rebounds per game and finished with 110 rebounds on the season. Thomas also led Tuskegee in blocked shots with 12.
 
Joining Ash and Thomas on the 2018 SIAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Team are Omar Alston (Morehouse), Jeffrey Dockett (Miles), and Brandon Fischer (Spring Hill) who were also named to the 2017-18 SIAC Men’s Basketball All-Conference Team. New additions include Jaylon McMillan (Fort Valley State), Ditalion Battle (Kentucky State), Tyler Edwards (Fort Valley State), Shelvick Henry (Clark Atlanta), Dwight Richards, Jr. (Central State), and Austin Donaldson (Clark Atlanta).
 
In the eastern division, Morehouse was voted to finish on top as they garnered five first place votes after last year’s historic season. Clark Atlanta finished second in the poll with three first place votes above Albany State who was voted third with two first place votes. With one first place vote, Benedict was voted fourth ahead of Fort Valley State. Paine rounded out the eastern division.
 
Central State was voted to lead the western division as they collected six first place votes followed by Lane who was picked to finish second with three first place votes. With two first place votes respectively, Kentucky State finished third above LeMoyne-Owen who is expected to finish fourth. Miles collected one first place vote as they were chosen to finish fifth. Spring Hill and Tuskegee rounded out the western division and were voted to finish sixth and seventh respectively.
 
2018-19 SIAC Basketball Preseason Team
 
Men’s Basketball
 

Kendarius Ash*	F	Lane	Senior
Omar Alston*	F/G	Morehouse	Senior
Jeffrey Dockett*	G	Miles	Senior
Brandon Fischer*	F/C	Spring Hill	Senior
Jaylon McMillan	SG	Fort Valley State	Senior
Ditalion Battle	G	Kentucky State	Senior
Tyler Edwards	G	Fort Valley State	Senior
Shelvick Henry	PG	Clark Atlanta	Senior
Dwight Richards, Jr.	PF	Central State	Senior
Austin Donaldson	G	Clark Atlanta	Senior

 
*Indicates returner for 2017-18 SIAC All-Conference Team
 
2018 SIAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year: Myles Thomas, Tuskegee
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kendarius Ash, Lane
 
Predicted Order of Finish:
(first place votes in parenthesis)
 
Eastern Division
1.Morehouse (5)
2.Clark Atlanta (3)
3.Albany State (2)
4.Benedict (1)
5.Fort Valley State
6.Paine
 
Western Division
1.Central State (6)
2.Lane (3)
3.Kentucky State (2)
4.LeMoyne-Owen (2)
5.Miles (1)
6.Spring Hill
7.Tuskegee

SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

CIAA Basketball Tournament Honored as a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, has announced the 2018 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing more than $700 million to the national economy over the past year.

Among the winners was the 2018 CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, produced in cooperation with Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority (CRVA) and the City of Charlotte.

The 2018 CIAA Tournament took place from February 27-March 3, 2018 with 12 institutions bringing over 700 administrators and student-athletes to town for 22 Division II men’s and women’s basketball games.

In addition to the games, the CIAA hosts over 20 ancillary events which build on its mission of tradition, leadership and community. Some of the public events included both a middle school and high school education day, which impact almost 5,000 Charlotte area students; a free Career Expo which attracted 340 participants; a Minority and Leadership Business Symposium; and Toyota Fan Fest, which attracted over 18,000 fans to the Convention Center on Friday and Saturday of tournament week. The tournament has an economic impact of over $50.5 million for the city and attracts over 140,000 visitors to Charlotte.

Since 2000, the CIAA has generated more than $650 million in economic impact and an average of $500 million in the state of North Carolina.

All winners of awards have been recognized in a special feature published in the November/December 2018 issue of Sports Destination Management. The entire article with full details on the winners listed below can also be found online along with a special feature on economic impact.

Read Now: Article on Winners
Read Now: Article on Economic Impact and Trends in Sports Tourism
 
About the CIAA: Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first African American athletic conference and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 13 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Claflin University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. For more information on the CIAA Basketball Tournament, visit CIAATournament.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
 
About the CRVA: The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) works to deliver experiences that uniquely enrich the lives of our visitors and residents. Through leadership in destination development, marketing and venue management expertise, the CRVA leads efforts to maximize the region’s economic potential through visitor spending, creating jobs and opportunities for the community. Brands supported by the CRVA include the Charlotte Convention Center, Spectrum Center, Bojangles’ Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte in conjunction with the region’s destination marketing brand. For more information, visit charlottesgotalot.com.

About Sports Destination Management: Sports Destination Management is written for the largest audience of sports event managers and tournament directors in the sports tourism market and maintains a focus on the important issues surrounding event location decisions and event management. With content from experts and thought leaders, SDM provides in-depth coverage of sports event planning and execution through incisive and relevant articles as well as insightful, real-world case studies showcasing best practices and successful event production.

In addition to the publication, SDM offers extensive digital resources through www.sportsdestinations.com and the e-newsletter SDM Blitz, both providing decision support tools for organizers to ensure successful events at all levels of play.

About Due North Media:  Due North Media, a division of Due North Consulting, Inc., is a niche business-to-business publisher providing media services to executives within specialized vertical markets impacting economic development including corporate site selection, business development, market-to-market events and sports tourism via publications, digital media, qualified list marketing and custom publishing.

Founded in 2001, Due North Consulting, Inc. has helped niche marketers obtain their goals for a decade and a half. The principals of the company have over 40 years of business-to-business advertising and marketing experience. It has been their mission to serve readers, clients and employees with integrity, humility and a continuing quest for the achievement of excellence.

CIAA MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS