Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Even though 13th-ranked Winston-Salem State will be playing perennial loser Livingstone on Saturday, in some respects this week will be one of the toughest for coach Connell Maynor.
His task is convincing the Rams (6-0) that they still must perform at a high level to beat the Blue Bears (1-5), who have just six wins in the past seven seasons.
Maynor, however, said he senses that his team understands what's in front of it. A victory will clinch the CIAA's Southern Division title and that will get the Rams a spot in the conference-championship game on Nov. 12 in Durham.
"You have to stay focused," Maynor said. "We have bigger goals of winning the CIAA and winning playoff games and the guys understand that. We have to be prepared every week because everybody wants to beat us."
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Thursday, October 13, 2011
Gov. Robert Bentley to honor first responders at Alabama A&M football game
Huntsville, Alabama -- Gov. Robert Bentley will help Alabama A&M University honor local first responders during a "Community Night" football game Thursday at Louis Crews Stadium, the university said in a news release.
Bentley will be on hand to help honor emergency workers who responded during the April 27 tornadoes and beyond. The emergency workers are invited to come to the game against Texas Southern University free of charge. The game will be televised on ESPN-U at 6:30 p.m.(C.T.).
Emergency management staff, fire and medical personnel, National Guard, soldiers and marines stationed at Redstone Arsenal, members of the print and broadcast media, and other first responders with the proper credentials can present work ID at the "Heroes Gate" located on the visitors' side of Louis Crews Stadium. Special recognition will be made to the honorees during the half-time observance.
AAMU Band - 2011 Homecoming On Campus Parade & Pep Rally
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Bentley will be on hand to help honor emergency workers who responded during the April 27 tornadoes and beyond. The emergency workers are invited to come to the game against Texas Southern University free of charge. The game will be televised on ESPN-U at 6:30 p.m.(C.T.).
Emergency management staff, fire and medical personnel, National Guard, soldiers and marines stationed at Redstone Arsenal, members of the print and broadcast media, and other first responders with the proper credentials can present work ID at the "Heroes Gate" located on the visitors' side of Louis Crews Stadium. Special recognition will be made to the honorees during the half-time observance.
AAMU Band - 2011 Homecoming On Campus Parade & Pep Rally
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XU's Didavi, Taylor take aim at national event for small colleges
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will take another significant step in its modern era of men's tennis when Loic Didavi and Zach Taylor compete Thursday in the USTA/ITA National Small College Championships at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center in Mobile, Ala.
It's the first time that Xavier has competed in this event. Didavi will play Embry-Riddle's top-seeded Chris Freeman in the opening round of NAIA men's singles. Didavi and Taylor are seeded second in NAIA men's doubles and will play their first match against Olivet Nazarene's Sebastian Esquetini and Diego Gonsalvez.
Also competing are men's and women's regional singles and doubles winners and at-large selections from NCAA Division II and III and the junior colleges. Survivors of all the brackets will meet this weekend to determine overall champions.
"It's like a Super Bowl of small-college tennis," Xavier coach Alan Green said.
All singles players and doubles teams will play a minimum of three matches, and Green says he wouldn't be surprised if Didavi and Taylor spent all their time in the winners bracket.
"Loic has a great shot to win in singles because he's left-handed and because it's humid down here," Green said. "When left-handers hit, the ball spins in the opposite direction compared to a right-hander's hit. Right-handers have to really be careful when playing a left-hander. In doubles Loic and Zach's chemistry is not 100 percent yet, but what's making it work is that they're both talented. Both have pretty good hands around the net. The more familiar they become with each other, the more lethal they'll be."
Didavi, a junior from Cotonou, Benin, and a transfer from Auburn Montgomery, is 8-0 in singles and 5-1 in doubles through two fall tournaments. Both he and Taylor, a senior from Monroe, La., were second-team NAIA All-Americans this past season, and both had top-10 NAIA doubles rankings.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
It's the first time that Xavier has competed in this event. Didavi will play Embry-Riddle's top-seeded Chris Freeman in the opening round of NAIA men's singles. Didavi and Taylor are seeded second in NAIA men's doubles and will play their first match against Olivet Nazarene's Sebastian Esquetini and Diego Gonsalvez.
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| Zach Taylor |
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| Loic Didavi |
Also competing are men's and women's regional singles and doubles winners and at-large selections from NCAA Division II and III and the junior colleges. Survivors of all the brackets will meet this weekend to determine overall champions.
"It's like a Super Bowl of small-college tennis," Xavier coach Alan Green said.
All singles players and doubles teams will play a minimum of three matches, and Green says he wouldn't be surprised if Didavi and Taylor spent all their time in the winners bracket.
"Loic has a great shot to win in singles because he's left-handed and because it's humid down here," Green said. "When left-handers hit, the ball spins in the opposite direction compared to a right-hander's hit. Right-handers have to really be careful when playing a left-hander. In doubles Loic and Zach's chemistry is not 100 percent yet, but what's making it work is that they're both talented. Both have pretty good hands around the net. The more familiar they become with each other, the more lethal they'll be."Didavi, a junior from Cotonou, Benin, and a transfer from Auburn Montgomery, is 8-0 in singles and 5-1 in doubles through two fall tournaments. Both he and Taylor, a senior from Monroe, La., were second-team NAIA All-Americans this past season, and both had top-10 NAIA doubles rankings.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
Turnovers help Alabama State stay atop conference
Montgomery, Alabama -- As a native of Montgomery, Ala., and an Alabama State alumnus, fifth-year coach Reggie Barlow knows full well that times have rarely been higher at his alma mater.
A new field house is up and running. Steel beams are rising on a state-of-the-art on-campus football stadium, which is scheduled to open late next year.
And right now, the Hornets haven’t lost a game in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Yet as the next game approaches, Barlow is concerned. He usually is. Such is life in the SWAC.
“I don’t think there’s one team in this league to where you can say, ￔOh, they’re so much better than everybody else,’” Barlow said. “So everybody has to play.”
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A new field house is up and running. Steel beams are rising on a state-of-the-art on-campus football stadium, which is scheduled to open late next year.
And right now, the Hornets haven’t lost a game in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Yet as the next game approaches, Barlow is concerned. He usually is. Such is life in the SWAC.
“I don’t think there’s one team in this league to where you can say, ￔOh, they’re so much better than everybody else,’” Barlow said. “So everybody has to play.”
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Both XU teams receive vote in NAIA national polls
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana received one point Wednesday in each of the NAIA Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 polls.The Gold Nuggets collected their first national vote since Sept. 18, 2008, and the Gold Rush gained its first vote since the 2010 preseason poll. It's the first time since the '08 preseason polls that both teams received votes the same week.
Both XU teams closed the regular season Saturday by winning team championships at the University of Dallas Invitational in Irving, Texas. The victories gave the Gold Rush a 35-16 record and the Gold Nuggets s 36-14-1 record entering the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships at Clinton, Miss., on Oct. 22.
Xavier is the five-time defending GCAC men's and women's champion, and both teams are aiming for their third berth in four years in the NAIA National Championships. Both GCAC team champions will earn automatic berths in the national meet, and the top five men and women not on the winning teams also will qualify.LINK TO NAIA COACHES TOP 25 POLLS
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
Southern University secondary a bright spot
Baton Rouge, Louisiana -- In the past four weeks, the Southern football team is 1-3, its three losses coming by four points, five points and three points. It’s been a disappointing month for the Jaguars, who at times have faltered in almost every area - passing offense, rushing offense, special-teams units, run defense and the like.One area, however, has been rock-steady: pass defense.
“Not bad at all,” second-year coach Stump Mitchell said, referring to his secondary. Last season, Southern gave up a conference-high 25 touchdown passes. Through six games this season, the Jaguars have allowed three. They rank second in the SWAC in pass defense, allowing 181.3 yards per game, and opposing quarterbacks have completed only 47 percent of their throws.
What’s made the difference?
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011
VUL Dragons torch West Virginia Tech for second win
Lynchburg, Virginia -- It took until the fourth quarter, but Virginia University of Lynchburg’s offensive line eventually wore down West Virginia Tech’s defense, Saturday afternoon at Liberty University’s Williams Stadium.
The Dragons took full advantage, as they started gashing the Golden Bears with a running attack that led to 28 unanswered points in the second half of a 34-6 victory.
"This was a big win," VUL coach Willard Bailey said. "We started out so flat, but our kids seemed to get some confidence. We are talented. It’s just spread all over the place. We just have to get synchronized, organized and better able to communicate with each other."
VUL (2-4) rushed for 290 yards on 45 attempts, despite having just 68 yards on the ground in the first half. The Dragons’ massive offensive line, consisting of junior left tackle Dion Howze (6-foot-6, 325 pounds), freshman left guard James Lewter (6-3, 345), sophomore center DeAngelo Lucas (6-7, 360), freshman right guard Mike Pearson (6-3, 315) and junior right tackle Ronnie Dixon (6-5, 360) really threw their weight around in the fourth quarter.
VUL at Coppin State Eagles, Oct. 1, 2011
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The Dragons took full advantage, as they started gashing the Golden Bears with a running attack that led to 28 unanswered points in the second half of a 34-6 victory.
"This was a big win," VUL coach Willard Bailey said. "We started out so flat, but our kids seemed to get some confidence. We are talented. It’s just spread all over the place. We just have to get synchronized, organized and better able to communicate with each other."
VUL (2-4) rushed for 290 yards on 45 attempts, despite having just 68 yards on the ground in the first half. The Dragons’ massive offensive line, consisting of junior left tackle Dion Howze (6-foot-6, 325 pounds), freshman left guard James Lewter (6-3, 345), sophomore center DeAngelo Lucas (6-7, 360), freshman right guard Mike Pearson (6-3, 315) and junior right tackle Ronnie Dixon (6-5, 360) really threw their weight around in the fourth quarter.
VUL at Coppin State Eagles, Oct. 1, 2011
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