Texas Southern Women's Track Head Coach Pauline Banks Inducted into MVSU Hall of Fame

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Seven former Mississippi Valley State University standouts were inducted into the MVSU Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday during a banquet at the H.M. Ivy Cafeteria on the MVSU campus.

The inductees include: Pauline Banks, Stephanie Gardner, Robin Williams, Roy Hazzle, Rufus Williams, Albert Jo Williams and Larry Harmon.

Pauline Banks was named the Most Valuable Player at Greenwood High School in track and field for a three-year span from 1983-86. She was also a Big 8 champion in the 100, 200 and 400 meters in 1986. She continued her success at MVSU in 1987 by being selected All-SWAC in the 200 and 400 meter dash. She was also selected in 1987, 1989 and 1990 as the MVSU Most Valuable Player for Outdoor Track & Field. Banks was selected All-SWAC in the 400 meters in 1988-1990. She was All-SWAC in the 4x400 relay in 1990. During her employment at Jackson State University, she became the first woman selected as head coach for the track and field team in 2003. The JSU 4x400 relay team was selected NCAA Division I Mid-East All-Region Team. The 2008 and 2009 JSU indoor and outdoor track and field teams earned SWAC titles. Banks moved on with her trail blazing, becoming the first woman selected as head women's track and field coach at Texas Southern in 2009.

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Lincoln Blue Tigers Win Seven Events At The Missouri Relays

COLUMBIA, Missouri  -- Yanique Ellington broke the meet record in 100m, posting one the Lincoln women's outdoor track & field team's seven victories at the Missouri Relays on Saturday (April 12). The Blue Tigers turned in 33 overall top-10 finishes at the meet, which was hosted by the University of Missouri.

Ellington was one of six Blue Tigers to finish among the top-15 in the 100m, winning the race in 11.52. That time, an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, beat the previous Missouri Relays meet record of 11.58, set in 2007 by another Blue Tiger, Nandelle Cameron. Janae Johnson was the runner-up in the 100m, taking second in 11.60, while Judith Riley (11.98) and Kimberly Bailey (12.01) finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Nickeisha Beaumont, meanwhile, finished 12th (12.42) while Erika Spencer placed 15th (12.81).

Lincoln also had tremendous success in the 200m, with Johnson emerging as the winner with a time of 23.65. Ellington was the runner-up, clocking in at 23.86, and Riley finished seventh in 24.63. Bailey came in ninth (24.80) and Marcia Harrison placed 11th (25.12), tying fellow teammate Shakeisha Miller.

Tamara Keane
5'-8" Senior Sprinter
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri
Photo Courtesy: Lincoln University Athletics

The Blue Tigers also dominated the hurdle events, including the 400m race, where Tamara Keane won with a provisional time of 1:00.19. Ladonna Richards also had a provisional mark in the 400m hurdles, finishing second in 1:01.04, and Harrison rounded out the top-three with a time of 1:02.93. Juneille Barker finished fifth in both the 400m hurdles (1:03.52) and the 100m hurdles (13.94), with Richards winning the latter event in 13.44. Miller took seventh in the 100m hurdles (14.26) while Nadia Harriott finished 10th (14.74).

Monique Thompson led four Blue Tigers in the 800m, winning the race in 2:11.34. Jhevere Hall came in third (2:14.90) and Willomena Williams placed fourth (2:16.14) while Ebony Rose came in sixth (2:20.42). Hall, meanwhile, won the 1,500m, clocking in at 4:41.26, while Williams finished 10th (5:01.46).

The other win of the day for Lincoln came in the 4x400m relay. LU entered three foursomes into that event, with all three finishing among the top five. The group of Lovan Palmer, Donna-Lee Hylton, Hall and Keane won with a provisional time of 3:42.24. The group of Thompson, Barker, Harrison and Williams finished second, coming in at 3:46.00, and the unit of Rose, Richards, Bailey and Cynthia Halbert came in fifth with a time of 3:56.73.

The Blue Tigers also turned in a pair of second place results, including finishing as the runners-up in the 4x100m relay. In that event, it was the foursome of Bailey, Ellington, Richards and Johnson taking second in 45.78, a provisional-qualifying mark. Hylton finished as the runner-up in the 400m dash, clocking in at 55.17. Palmer finished seventh in the latter event, timing in at 57.13.

In the field events, Beaumont led LU with a third-place result in the long jump (5.79m). Miller placed eighth in that event, posting a top distance of 5.39m, and Jonelle Campbell took 12th (5.04m). Daniele Newman, meanwhile, turned in a pair of fourth-place finishes, including in the high jump (1.64m) and the triple jump (12.36m). Campbell placed sixth in the triple jump, posting a top mark of 11.97m.

Next week, Lincoln is scheduled to compete in two meets, including the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kan. from April 17-19. LU is also slated to compete in the Dewey Allgood Invitational, which will be hosted by Missouri S&T University in Rolla, Mo. on April 19.

Complete Results

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Lincoln's 2014 Spring Game: Photo Gallery and Video

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri  -- The Lincoln football team held its annual spring game on Saturday (April 12), with LU's offensive players running drills against the defense as a culmination of the Blue Tigers' spring practices. In addition to running unit drills, the players lined up for some 7-on-7 plays and showed off the current offense and defense to Blue Tiger fans at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

In the above video, head coach Mike Jones discusses what he liked from his defense, identifies some stand-out offensive players and talks about how much Julio Segura and Andrew Fishel have improved after their impressive play during the fall.

The below photo gallery, meanwhile, features 47 pictures from the day, covering everything from the pre-game drills to some of the in-game highlights.

Photo Gallery: Lincoln's 2014 Spring Game

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Dillard Bleu Devils dominate competition and claim men's GCAC Track and Field Championship

Dillard University's men's track and field team is crowned 2014 GCAC champions.
Photo Courtesy By R. Costanza

NEW ORLEANS -- The Dillard Bleu Devils track and field team scored 178 points en route to a 2014 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championship at Tad Gormley Stadium. The win marked the second GCAC Track and Field Championship in the last four years for the men's team.

Junior runner Jevonte Ezzard (JR/College Park, GA) kicked things off with a first place finish in the Men's 3000 Meter Steeplechase with a time of 11:02.78, a personal best, as Dillard proceeded to have runners finish third, fourth and fifth respectively in the same event. The men's 4x100 meter relay team also earned a first place finish, posting a time of 42.06. Seniors Matthew Jones, Wendell Collins (SR/New Orleans, LA), and juniors Tobyus Simmons (JR/Chattanooga, TN) and Kermit Buggage rounded out Dillard's relay team.

Jones also finished first place overall in the Men's 400 Meter Dash with a time of 49.32 while Simmons finished second in the men's 100 Meter Dash, posting a time of 10.66, virtually tying the first place finisher (Stanley Johnson-Voorhees) who also produced a time of 10.66.

Edward Waters College finished second overall with 153 points while GCAC newcomer Voorhees College finished in third with 106 points. In the previous two seasons, the Bleu Devils ended up on the short end of the stick with two second place finishes as Edward Waters earned back to back championships.

For Dillard, senior Sean Wilson (JR/New Orleans, LA) finished first in the Men's 110 Meter Hurdles with a time of 16.41 while junior Rudy Garza (JR/Rosenberg, TX) placed second with a time of 17.32. Senior Emory Nash (SR/Ft. Worth, TX) finished first place overall in the Men's 800 Meter Run, posting a time of 2:01.00.

The Bleu Devils will now participate in Friday's track meet at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond as they prepare for NAIA Nationals in Gulf Shores, AL, which begin on May 22.

COURTESY THE GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (GCAC)

Florida A&M Defeats Savannah State 9-8, Wins Series

RYAN KENNEDY

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  – Florida A&M (15-20, 10-7 MEAC) scored eight of nine runs with two outs en route to a 9-8 weekend series clinching victory over Savannah State (13-24, 4-11 MEAC) Sunday afternoon at Moore-Kittles Field. Ryan Kennedy’s three-run home run in the sixth gave the Rattlers the lead for good while William Carrasco earned his first save of the season.

The win marks the fifth win of the season for FAMU over the defending MEAC Champions.

Marlon Gibbs and Logan Seymour both went 3-for-4 with two runs scored to help pace the Rattler offense. Brandon Fleming (2-3) earned the win while pitching 4.1 innings of middle relief. Fleming gave up two runs on four hits while striking out two Tiger batters. Carrasco worked the final scoreless inning and a third for the save.

Following a two-out single by Zachary Brigham, Brian Miller came in as a pinch runner in the bottom of the ninth for Savannah State representing the tying run at first base. Lee Moore roped a single deep into left field and Miller was going to attempt to score from first. Miller had rounded third base but changed his mind and was thrown out at third as he tried to get back to the base.

Savannah State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Todd Hagen and Hector Benitez recorded back-to-back hits to start the inning and David Richards drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Charles Sikes then grounded into a double play that scored Hagen from third. Benitez later came home on a wild pitch from Montague for the second Tiger run of the inning.

The Tigers added an unearned run, to make the score 3-0, in the third inning on a misplayed ball by Devin Perry at third base that would have ended the inning for the Rattlers.

FAMU took the lead 4-3 as the bats came alive with four hits in the home half of the third inning. Seymour singled to left and Gibbs bunt single put runners on first and second with one out. Both runners advanced a base after a balk from Savannah State starter Zach McCormack and Ryan Kennedy drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases. Michael Birdsong’s hard hit single to left brought home Seymour and Gibbs , but the ball got past Tiger left fielder Parker Nix allowing Kennedy to score all the way from first. Perry’s RBI single plated Birdsong for the go-ahead run.

Savannah State answered back with three runs in the fourth to regain the lead by a score of 6-4. Nix had the only hit of the inning for the Tigers, an RBI single, that tied the game at 4-4. SSU scored two more unearned runs, courtesy of a pair of Rattler errors, to take the lead.

The Rattlers wouldn’t be denied, scoring four runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, for an 8-6 advantage. The sixth inning was highlighted by Kennedy’s three-run home run, his sixth of the season. FAMU had four hits in the inning as Birdsong, Jeremy Barlow and Taylor Strauss each had singles for the Rattler offense.

Florida A&M added what proved to be an important insurance run in the seventh as Bennie Robinson grounded into a double play, but still scored Seymour for the score of 9-6.

SSU got within one, at 9-8, as they added two more runs in the eighth. Devin McHugh’s RBI groundout plated Lee Moore and Hagen’s RBI single back up the middle scored Nix.

Savannah State’s starter Zach McCormack (2-2) took the loss after giving up eight runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work. McCormack struck out two with four walks.

Florida A&M continues its six games in six day stretch as it travels to face Central Florida (22-15, 10-2 AAC) on Tuesday, April 15. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm at Jay Bergman Field.

BOX SCORE

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Rush, Nuggets earn 5-2 victories at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Kyle Montrel and Amber Brown delivered clinching singles victories Sunday in Xavier University of Louisiana's 5-2 men's and women's tennis decisions over Jackson State.

It was the first victory of the season for the Gold Rush (8-9), ranked 10th in the NAIA, against an NCAA Division I opponent, and the second such victory for the Gold Nuggets (12-6), who are ranked second.

Montrel's 6-1, 6-3 victory against Hernan Geria at the top flight gave Xavier a 5-0 lead. Jordan Harrell, Tushar Mandlekar and Kevin Chaouat earned straight-set singles victories for the Rush.

The Rush swept all three double matches and clinched that point when Montrel and Nikita Soifer beat Ryan Swanier and Geria 8-2.

Brown gave the Gold Nuggets a 4-2 lead in their dual when she defeated Rebekah Adewumi 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 6-1. It was Brown's seventh consecutive singles victory and the second straight time she won in three sets.

Also extending XU streaks were Nour Abbes and Simone-Alyse Ewell. Abbes is 12-0 in singles this season after her 6-0, 6-0 victory against Angela Condorelli at the top flight. Ewell teamed with Abbes for an 8-3 victory against Anastasia Zviahintseva and Julie Angermann which clinched the doubles point. It was Ewell's 13th consecutive doubles victory and her sixth in a row with Abbes. 

Kourtney Howell and Brion Flowers won in doubles and singles for the Nuggets.

It was the second consecutive year that both XU teams won at Jackson State. JSU's men are 3-13, and the women are 4-14.

Next for the Nuggets will be a 3 p.m. Monday dual against Southern at the XU Tennis Center. The Rush will visit the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold 

ASU Black Team Wins Black and Gold Game

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Alabama State brought its spring football campaign to a close today with the annual Black and Gold Game.  It was a game which pitted the defense (Black) against the offense (White) with the black team taking advantage of several point gaining plays to defeat the white team 82-18.

"For us this spring this was our finale, the spring game," Head Coach Reggie Barlow said.  "It's an opportunity for our fans to see where the team is and see where these guys have done and accomplished over the spring."

"For us it was more about letting these kids get out there and playing without the coaches actually being on the field and ultimately trying to keep everybody healthy.  All-in-all it was a pretty good spring and we have some things to evaluate on and go from here."



ASU's defense returns nine starters from last year's team and it showed all spring as the defense turned in big play after big play.  In the 81-play game ASU's offense only managed 222 yards and scored two touchdowns, while also getting a field goal.

The scoring system which heavily favored the defense awarded five points for an interception and three points for any three-and-out, sacks and fumble recoveries.  Tackles for lost yardage awarded the defense with two points.

The defense recorded eight sacks led by Chris Terry and Marcus Owens who had two each.  There was a total of 18 tackles for lost yardage as Owens led the way with four and Terry and Roderick Henderson recording three each.



Kourtney Berry picked up a fumble which he returned 27 yards for a score and Justin Mitchell also fell on a loose ball.  JaQuez Bowser had a first half interception for the Black team and Henderson finished off an outstanding spring game when he picked off the game's final pass for the defense's fourth turnover of the game.

"Obviously I went and discussed the scoring system with the defensive coaches because I wanted to make sure I was fair to them and of course they were all like yea, yea a sack should be three points and a loss of yardage should be this and it kind of got out of hand," Barlow said jokingly.

The White team did manage a touchdown pass from Quinteris Toppings to Earl Lucas which covered 35 yards in the opening half.  In the second half Andre Kincey ran in from 10 yards out for the White team's second score and the final three points came off the foot of kicker Alex Louthan who booted a 21 yard field goal in the final quarter of play.



Toppings completed 11 of 19 passes for 82 yards and the scoring toss to Lucas who had 40 yards on two receptions.  The game's leading rusher was Kincey who finished the game with 37 yards on 11 carries including his 10 yard sprint to the end zone.

"Obviously, I was a bit disappointed in the (offensive) performance today," Barlow said. "The game of football has to be played with emotion and energy and excitement and when you don't have that, it shows. Even if you don't have all the ability, if you play with energy and effort you'll make some plays. I just didn't think our guys displayed that from an offensive standpoint."

"Yeah, we know our defense is good but our offense is good. We've got the same guys who averaged 30 points except for Crowell and Edmond. You've still got Damian, you've still got Bell, you've still got Cyrus. There's no reason for us not to be able to put on a better show. They lacked energy and it showed on the field."



The coaching staff handed out their spring awards following the game which were;
"Peter Rabbit" Award: JaQuez Bowzer
Rico Wells Award:  Marcus Owens
Most Improved Defensive Player:  Antonio Humphreys
Most Improved Offensive Player:  Andre Hammond
Most Valuable Defensive Player:  Trey Jenkins
Most Valuable Offensive Player:  Damian Love

The Hornets will begin preparations for the 2014 season in August with the team's first game against Football Championship Series (FCS) power Sam Houston State, Saturday August 30 in Huntsville, Texas.



COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION