XU Gold Nuggets bust Union, collect first victory of season

CLEVELAND, Tennessee -- Xavier University of Louisiana got double-doubles from Taylor Reuther (14 kills, 20 digs) and Chinedu Echebelem (12 kills, 14 digs) in a 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 25-16 women's volleyball victory Saturday against Union (Ky.) in the Lee Invitational.

The Gold Nuggets (1-2) tied for third place in the six-team season-opening tournament with Lindsey Wilson and Olivet Nazarene. Indiana Wesleyan (4-0) was the lone unbeaten team.

Reuther, who had 13 double-doubles as a freshman in 2011, also served four aces in the matchup of defending regular-season conference champions. Echebelem produced her second double-double of the season and her fourth in two years.

Moira Kirk hit .417 and had 13 kills, five digs and four blocks for Xavier, and Darian Harris had 20 digs, eight in the second set. CeCe Williams had 12 digs and three kills, and setter Franziska Pirkl had 43 assists, nine digs, three kills and three aces. Harris, Williams and Pirkl are freshmen.

"We had great energy," said XU coach Christabell Hamilton, whose team lost in straight sets Friday to ranked NAIA teams Lindsey Wilson and Lee, "and our ladies looked like they enjoyed themselves on the court."

Williams clinched the first set with a kill. The Nuggets rallied from a 21-17 deficit in set two with a pair of Reuther aces and Kirk's clinching ace. Kirk had six kills and Echebelem four in the final set.

Xavier outhit Union .166 to .138 and led 52-44 in kills, 82-77 in digs and 9-1 in aces. Cat Neumann had 14 kills, and Caity Merritt and Paige Moore had nine apiece for Union (0-3).

Xavier's next match will be its home opener -- 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 against city rival Loyola at The Barn.


Box score

By Ed Cassiere, SID
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Alabama State season preview: Hornets eyeing conference title

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  - Wetumpka’s Kejuan Riley finished second in Division I-AA last year with nine interceptions, which earned him consensus All-America honors. The ASU free safety is tied for the career school record with 17 interceptions, but is aiming for double-digit picks this year.

 • EXTRA POINT

Since his second year as a head coach in 2008, Reggie Barlow and the Hornets have improved their record every year. Battling back from NCAA probation, the Hornets have used recruiting and coaching hires to field a stronger team each year. Last year’s team lost three games by a total of 11 points, and their chief weapon (QB Greg Jenkins) played sparingly in all three games. This year, there are more weapons at every position, an indication that Barlow will improve on last year’s eight-win season.

• PLAYER TO WATCH

Isaiah Crowell: The running game was a glaring weakness last year, and while many of the problems could be attributed to a makeshift offensive line, the addition of Georgia transfer Isaiah Crowell should remove any doubts this season. Crowell, one of the nation’s top running backs as a high school senior two years ago, needed a place to play after getting kicked off the Bulldogs’ squad, and the sophomore may have found the perfect match at ASU, a team that runs an offense similar in style to what he ran at Carver High in Columbus, Ga.

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Travis Richmond’s status with Fort Valley State in doubt

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  -  Throughout the latter stages of the summer, there have been murmurs that Fort Valley State sophomore running back Travis Richmond might miss the first two games of the season, ostensibly for an academic issue that needed to be clarified.

As it turns out, if and when Richmond suits up at all is in question.

Head coach Donald Pittman said Saturday that Richmond has not practiced this month and that his status is not related to academics, any rules violations, nor regarding a possible transfer.

“It’s not academic at all,” Pittman said. “I guess can’t talk about it. It’s something personal to him. It’s a personal matter.”

Pittman said he expected to ...


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DSU Announces 2012 Athletics Hall of Fame Class

DOVER, Delaware - Rahsaan Matthews, Delaware State University's career passing leader; and Jahsha Bluntt, who led the DSU men's basketball team to the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, head the University's 2011 Athletics Hall-of-Fame class. A total of 11 former athletes will be inducted during a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 12 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Dover.

The 2012 DSU Hall of Fame class also includes former baseball standouts Maynard Jack Miles, Shawn Phillips, Fred Ruben and Howard Smack.

In addition, Delaware State will honor former football stars Calvin Stephens and Greg Wright, along with basketball greats Robert Vanderhost and Terrelle Waller; and volleyball record-holder Dawn (Alford) Jones.

Matthews was the MEAC Football Offensive Player-of-the-Year and a Black College All-America selection in 2000. He ranks second on the MEAC's career list for passing yards (8,073) and touchdown passes (74), and is fourth in completions (563). He was a Delaware high school all-star before enrolling at DSU.

Bluntt is Delaware State's third all-time leading men's basketball scorer with 1,721 points and the team's career leader with 303 three-point field goals. He was the Most Outstanding Player of the Hornets' lone MEAC Tournament championship team in 2005. The team was the first in school history to compete in a NCAA national championship tournament.

Miles helped lead the Hornets to two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) baseball championships in the 1960s. A four-time All-CIAA selection, Miles was the conference leader, and ranked sixth among all NCAA Div. II players in hitting, in 1963. He also played two seasons with the Hornet basketball team.

Phillips, a former Laurel (Del.) High School star, is the Hornets' modern-day record holder in wins (24), complete games (18), strikeouts (281) and innings pitched (308.2). He led DSU to the MEAC Tournament championship game, and selected by the Texas Rangers in the Major League Baseball draft in 2004.

Smack, a resident of Seaford, Del., was selected as Delaware State's baseball Most Valuable Player after posting a 5-0 record and 1.84 earned run average in 1970.

A standout infielder, Ruben was an All-CIAA performer for the Hornets in the late 1960s.

Wright was a standout linebacker at DSU from 1976 to '79. He earned Associated Press Division II All-America honors in 1978, and was a three-time All-MEAC selection. He competed in the 1979 Black College All-Star Game, and signed by the NFL's Cleveland Browns after his senior year with the Hornets.

Stephens was a top offensive lineman for the Hornets in the late 1970s and 1980. An All-MEAC selection in 1978, he was selected to play in the Black College All-Star Game in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans in 1979.

Vanderhost was a two-time All-MEAC basketball selection and 1000-point scorer for the Hornets. He was also an assistant coach at DSU.

Waller was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Hornets' basketball team. A three-time All-MEAC First Team selection and 1000-point scorer, she helped lead DSU to the MEAC Tournament championship game in 2003 and '04. Waller was named to the MEAC All-Tournament in each of those years.

Jones, formerly Dawn Alford, was the Hornets' volleyball career assist leader following her final season in 2005. She holds the top two single-season assist totals in team history.

For more information, contact George Robinson, DSU Director of Athletic Development at (302) 857-7087.

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY 2012 ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME CLASS

Jahsha Bluntt Basketball

Dawn (Alford) Jones Volleyball

Rahsaan Matthews Football

Maynard Jack Miles Baseball

Shawn Phillips Baseball

Fred Ruben Baseball

Howard Smack Baseball

Calvin Stephens Football

Robert Vanderhost Basketball

Terrelle Waller Basketball

Greg Wright Football

COURTESY DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

QB Jenkins expected to serve as ASU coach on the field

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - When asked about quarterback Greg Jenkins' role on his team this upcoming season, Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow was honest in his answer.

"Greg is as important to the program right now as I am," he said. "He stirs the offense and our defensive group knows when he's out there we have a chance."


Jenkins, a transfer from Troy, finished the 2011 season with 1,475 yards on 125 of 210 passes and 11 touchdowns in the air while rushing the ball 122 times for 330 yards and another seven touchdowns.



"The three games we lost last season were the three games where Greg didn't play the entire game," Barlow said. "So far, I've been really impressed with Greg. His approach and competition level is where he left off last season. He understands the system and it fits him."

Jenkins and the Hornets finished the 2011 season 8-3 overall and 7-2 in the East Division of the SWAC.

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Tuskegee season preview: Golden Tigers sputtering with quarterback play

TUSKEGEE, Alabama - • EXTRA POINT

While this year’s schedule is tough, with just three home games, it’s not terribly unusual for Tuskegee. Because the program has a large fan following that travels well for the D-II level, the Golden Tigers are invited to participate in a number of “classics” each year. Those neutral site games, in addition to TU’s commitments to play ASU in Montgomery and Morehouse in Columbus, Ga., burn through home games. In Slater’s first season at Tuskegee, the team played in five classics.

• PLAYER TO WATCH

Justin Nared, QB, Soph., 6-1, 195:Quarterback has been an issue for the Golden Tigers the last three or four seasons. In two of those years, the coaches were able to piece together enough offense to get the job done. But the last two years, TU has been one of the worst passing teams in the SIAC. The coaches hope Nared, who took over as the starter late in his freshman season last year, has matured enough to be the consistent starter they need. After completing less than 40 percent of his passes and throwing just one TD and six picks, he’ll need to step it up significantly.

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Florida A&M finds fresh talent

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - During the walk-through phase of preseason camp, FAMU offensive lineman Zerrie Patterson stayed zoned in on his every move during a technique drill. He wanted to make sure his footwork was right. Hand placement appeared to be a concern too, but he kept trying until he got it right.

Coaches were watching and when the football team was evaluated after its first scrimmage, Patterson and at least seven other freshmen came up with high marks. They were good enough to earn playing time.

But some of them already knew they’d be on the field when the Rattlers open the season on Sept. 1. They are that talented, said FAMU coach Joe Taylor.

“When I found out I was starting I was like, ‘oh snap,’ ” Patterson said. “I’ve got to step up’ and I can’t miss blocks or anything like that.”

The list of freshmen expected to get some playing time includes four local players — Caleb Helms (North Florida Christian), offensive lineman Drew Savary (North Florida Christian), running back Lee Williams (Maclay School) and running back Will Thomas (Wakulla High).

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