SWAC tourney: Jackson State overcomes Prairie View

SHREVEPORT, La. - Prairie View A&M went toe-to-toe with Jackson State in its Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament opener but came undone in the seventh inning en route to a 6-3 loss Wednesday afternoon at Fair Grounds Field.

Jackson State, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division, scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to erase a one-run deficit and advance to the winner's bracket. Prairie View, seeded third in the Western Division, will face the loser of Wednesday night's matchup between Western top seed Southern and Eastern fourth seed Alabama State at noon Thursday.

The Panthers (24-20) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth on RBI singles by Giovanni Angel and Evan Richard. Prairie View starter Michael Listi made that lead hold up through the next two innings but ran into trouble in the seventh.

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Vanguard eliminates XU Gold Rush in NAIA second round

MOBILE, Ala. — Vanguard's reversal of fortune resulted in a 5-3 victory Wednesday against Xavier University of Louisiana in the second round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship.

The Lions (9-13), seeded ninth in the 24-team tournament, advanced to the quarterfinals for the third straight year and the seventh time in eight seasons. They avenged a 6-3 March 4 home loss to Xavier.

Xavier, seeded eighth, got a doubles victory from freshmen Amir Rahbar and Jonathan Aubrey and singles victories from Zach Taylor and Hassan Abbas, but the Gold Rush (13-10) were eliminated in the second round for the third straight season.

"Vanguard was much more intense, focused and determined than earlier in the season," Xavier Coach Alan Green said.

The Lions' turnaround began in doubles, where they dominated at the top two flights after losing those matches to Xavier in the regular season. Lucas Pereira and Alexandre Piccin throttled Abbas and Taylor 8-0 at No. 1 — the first shutout loss of the season for the NAIA's 15th-ranked tandem — and Yahor Kryvaruchka and Sandro Bucher beat Steffen Giles-Osborn and Sean Richardson 8-2. It was the first time since March 15, 2003, that XU's top two doubles teams combined to win just two games.

"Vanguard came out and destroyed us in the top two doubles matches," Green said.

Xavier finally scored when Rahbar and Aubrey defeated Nils Iwdal and Robin Wagner 8-4. Abbas tied the dual at 2 with his 6-2, 6-1 victory against Kryvaruchka at No. 2 singles, and Taylor made it 3-all with his 6-0, 6-4 decision against seventh-ranked Pereira at No. 1. But Piccin put Vanguard ahead to stay with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Richardson at No. 5, and Bucher clinched the dual at No. 3 with a 6-4, 6-4 decision against Giles-Osborn.

"Vanguard was a different team than the one we faced in California," Green said. "They never gave us any opportunity to get into the match. We fought hard in singles but couldn't gain a lead in the overall score."

Still it was a record-setting season for Xavier. The March victory at Vanguard was the first for the Gold Rush against a top-10 NAIA opponent, and it propelled the XU men into the top 10 for the first time. Xavier was top 10 in five of the final six polls and finished at a program-record eighth.

But with high achievements come higher expectations — and the chance of bigger letdowns.

"The season shouldn't have ended the way it did for us," Green said. "This was a very disappointing loss."

Results

NAIA National Championship (seedings in parentheses) First Round — 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) d. Aquinas (16) 5-4 Vanguard (9) d. Mobile (24) 9-0 Graceland (12) d. Huntington (Ind.) (21) 8-1 Concordia (Calif.) (13) d. Bethany (Kan.) (20) 5-3 Lindsey Wilson (14) d. Lewis-Clark State (19) 6-3 Shorter (11) d. Hastings (22) 8-1 Union (Ky.) (10) d. Brescia (23) 9-0 William Carey (15) d. Olivet Nazarene (18) 6-3 Second Round — 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Fresno Pacific (1) d. St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) 5-0 Vanguard (9) d. Xavier (8) 5-3 Azusa Pacific (5) d. Graceland (12) 5-1 Oklahoma Christian (4) d. Concordia (Calif.) (13) 5-0 Auburn Montgomery (3) d. Lindsey Wilson (14) 5-0 Westmont (6) d. Shorter (11) 5-1 Point Loma Nazarene (7) d. Union (Ky.) (10) 5-2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) d. William Carey (15) 5-1 Quarterfinals — 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 Fresno Pacific (1) vs. Vanguard (9) Azusa Pacific (5) vs. Oklahoma Christian (4) Auburn Montgomery (3) vs. Westmont (6) Point Loma Nazarene (7) vs. Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) Semifinals — 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20 Championship — 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 Xavier at Nationals (2-3) May 12, 2009 (first round): Xavier 5, Oklahoma Christian 4 May 13, 2009 (second round): Auburn Montgomery 5, Xavier 0 May 18, 2010 (first round): Xavier 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 3 May 19, 2010 (second round): Fresno Pacific 5, Xavier 1 May 18, 2011 (second round): Vanguard 5, Xavier 3

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Grambling eyes SWAC title repeat

Shreveport, LA - Grambling baseball coach James Cooper knows first-hand just how good Shreveport has been to his school. After all, it was less than a year ago when Cooper's Tigers stormed through the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament to secure an NCAA regional berth.

The Tigers' chance at an encore begins today at 9 a.m. when they face Mississippi Valley State at Fair Grounds Field in the first game of the 2011 SWAC Tournament.

"Shreveport has been good to the university," Cooper said. "We had the Port City Classic when the football team came and played (Louisiana) Tech last fall and we were able to win a championship here last year. We feel it's going to be a home game since we're right down the road." The Tigers (22-23) enter this year's tournament in a much different frame of mind than in 2010.

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B-CU going for 6th straight MEAC crown

Daytona Beach, FL - Bethune-Cookman has a lot at stake in the first-round game of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament at 2 p.m. today. When the Wildcats take the field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark vs. Florida A&M, they will begin their defense of a conference championship they have won five consecutive years.

The Cats' are going for their sixth straight MEAC title and 13th overall.

Bethune-Cookman finished the season 32-22 overall and 18-0 in conference. It is the Wildcats' second straight 18-0 season in conference and their third undefeated season since 2006 when they went 15-0. The Wildcats have only lost four conference games since 2006 and they currently have an NCAA record of 43-straight wins against conference opponents. The last time the Wildcats dropped a conference game was May 2, 2009, at home against Delaware State.


Videographer: GILVIDEO7

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Spelman left spellbound by Michelle Obama

College Park, GA - First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about community service, helping others and overcoming obstacles when she addressed 550 Spelman College graduates Sunday in College Park. "Do big things," she told her audience. "Now it's your turn to repay the favor."

Obama delivered her keynote speech to 9,000 people in the ballroom of the Georgia International Convention Center, saluting the graduating class for one of the nation’s two historically black women’s colleges.

HD Digital Video: First Lady Michelle Obama Commencement Address At Spellman College- CLICK HERE for CBS Atlanta, high quality viewing.

Read remarks from First Lady Michelle Obama's Commencement address at Spelman College here.

“It is vitally important that you all rise to the highest ranks of every industry and every profession,” Obama said. “As you climb those career ladders, just remember to reach down and pull others up behind you.”

Obama recounted how she took a high-paying job in the high-rise offices of a Chicago law firm. While she welcomed the paycheck, and paying down her student loans, she missed doing more fulfilling work.


Videographer: Mskekemichel; Spelman College -- 2011 Commencement Address by First Lady Michelle Obama.

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Former B-CU QB Matt Johnson signed by CFL BC Lions

VANCOUVER, Canada - The BC Lions have added a fifth quarterback for training camp with the signing of Matt Johnson. Johnson played four seasons with Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida where he led the Wildcats to a school-best record of 10-2 and a share of the 2010 MEAC Championship.

The Lions are expected to add a sixth quarterback before rookies report to camp June 2 in Kamloops. BC is talking with University of California-Berkeley quarterback Kevin Riley. Lions coach and general manager Wally Buono says if a team "is going to be in excess at any position, it should be at the quarterback position."


Videographer: rbcoach2

BC Lions Signs Former Bethune-Cookman QB Matt Johnson

Vancouver - The BC Lions Football Club announced today that quarterback Matt Johnson has signed with the team.

Johnson appeared in 32 games over four seasons at Bethune-Cookman throwing for a total of 3,283 yards on 243 completions as well as 18 TD’s. As a senior, Johnson led the Wildcats to a program-best 10-2 record and a share of the 2010 MEAC Championship. He led the conference in total offense with 2,514 total yards and passing average, connecting on 65.1 percent of his throws (140/215). He also ranked second in the MEAC and FCS in passing efficiency (152.5) and sixth in the MEAC in scoring touchdowns (20).

The Lions also added import running backs Tim Brown and Michael Smith. All three signings will attend BC Lions rookie camp slated to begin in Kamloops, BC on Thursday, June 2nd.

Matt Johnson described as a Damon Allen type

VANCOUVER - Three years ago, the B.C. Lions added a rookie quarterback to their training camp roster who was billed as the next coming of Tracy Ham, a 2010 inductee into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

But the book on Omar Haugabook turned out to be more baloney than prosciutto. The “electrifying” Haugabook short-circuited in rookie camp and was released before the CFL team’s main camp opened.

Thus, Tuesday’s announced training camp addition of a “Damon Allen type” quarterback – Matt Johnson from Florida’s Bethune-Cookman University – must be greeted with not a pinch, but a pickup truck load of salt. Johnson will arrive at training camp in Kamloops 72,381 yards in arrears of Allen, pro football’s all-time passing leader and a four-time Grey Cup winning quarterback.

For now, the only area of comparison is their ectomorphic body types. Johnson is listed at 5-10, 175 pounds. Allen was a will-o’-the-whipish 6-1, 175, and almost impossible to hit squarely because of his elusiveness.

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Xavier Gold Rush to play Vanguard in second round of nationals

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis team: from left,
 Zach Taylor, Jonathan Aubrey, Steffen Giles-Osborn, Coach Alan Green,
 Amir Rahbar, Sean Richardson and Hassan Abbas.
(Photo courtesy - Xavier University Sports Information)

MOBILE, Ala. — Xavier University of Louisiana will get a rematch with Vanguard in Wednesday's second round of the NAIA Men's Tennis National Championship at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center.

Xavier, 13-9 and the No. 8 seed, had a first-round bye Tuesday. Vanguard, 8-13 and the No. 9 seed, advanced to the second round with a 9-0 victory against No. 24 Mobile.

The XU men won 6-3 at Vanguard on March 4 for their first-ever victory against a top-10 NAIA opponent. The Gold Rush won at the top two doubles flights and got singles victories from Zach Taylor, Hassan Abbas, Amir Rahbar and Sean Richardson. Taylor clinched the dual with his 6-2, 7-5 victory against Pereira, the NAIA's 10th-ranked singles player.

This is Xavier's third consecutive appearance at nationals. The Gold Rush lost in the second round to the eventual runner-up each of the past two seasons after first-round victories against Oklahoma Christian in 2009 and Tennessee Wesleyan in 2010.

The Gold Rush will try to become the second Xavier team in any sport to reach the NAIA quarterfinals. The only time it happened was in men's basketball in 1973.

NAIA National Championship (seedings in parentheses) First Round — 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) d. Aquinas (16) 5-4 Vanguard (9) d. Mobile (24) 9-0 Graceland (12) d. Huntington (Ind.) (21) 8-1 Concordia (Calif.) (13) d. Bethany (Kan.) (20) 5-3 Lindsey Wilson (14) d. Lewis-Clark State (19) 6-3 Shorter (11) d. Hastings (22) 8-1 Union (Ky.) (10) d. Brescia (23) 9-0 William Carey (15) d. Olivet Nazarene (18) 6-3 Second Round — 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18 Fresno Pacific (1) vs. St. Thomas (Fla.) (17) Xavier (8) vs. Vanguard (9) Azusa Pacific (5) vs. Graceland (12) Oklahoma Christian (4) vs. Concordia (Calif.) (13) Auburn Montgomery (3) vs. Lindsey Wilson (14) Westmont (6) vs. Shorter (11) Point Loma Nazarene (7) vs. Union (Ky.) (10) Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (2) vs. William Carey (15) Quarterfinals — 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 19 Semifinals — 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20 Championship — 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 Xavier at Nationals (2-2) May 12, 2009 (first round): Xavier 5, Oklahoma Christian 4 May 13, 2009 (second round): Auburn Montgomery 5, Xavier 0 May 18, 2010 (first round): Xavier 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 3 May 19, 2010 (second round): Fresno Pacific 5, Xavier 1

Vanguard, from Costa Mesa, Calif., reached the NAIA quarterfinals six of the last seven seasons and was a semifinalist in 2004 and 2000. The Lions tied for fifth place in the Golden State Athletic Conference and are one of six GSAC teams ranked among the final top 12.

Higher seeds won seven of eight first-round matches Tuesday. The exception was No 17 St. Thomas (Fla.), which defeated No. 16 Aquinas 5-4.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS