Gold Rush remain at No.10 in NAIA coaches poll

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana held on to its No. 10 position Tuesday in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Rush (8-9) have been in the top 10 for 26 consecutive polls -- a streak which began nearly three years ago -- and in 29 of the last 30 polls.

Xavier was 2-0 since the previous poll, winning 8-1 at home against No. 13 William Carey on Saturday and 5-2 at NCAA Division I's Jackson State on Sunday.

Defending champion Embry-Riddle (Fla.) received 9-of-13 first-place votes and remained No. 1 for the sixth time in as many polls this season. There are no newcomers in this week's top 25.

Xavier will be one of three ranked men's teams in next week's NAIA unaffiliated group tournament in New Orleans. Joining the Rush will be No. 3 Georgia Gwinnett and No. 25 Oklahoma Baptist. Matches will be played at XU Tennis Center the University of New Orleans. Tournament winner will receive at automatic berth in next month's NAIA National Championship at Mobile, Ala.

The next team rankings will be announced April 29.

The top 25:

1. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
2. Auburn Montgomery
3. Georgia Gwinnett
4. Vanguard
5. Westmont
6. Cumberland
7. Lindsey Wilson
8. Belhaven
9. Aquinas
10. Xavier
11. Bethany
12. Concordia (Calif.)
13. William Carey
14. Graceland
15. Coastal Georgia
16. Warner
17. Northwestern Ohio
18. Bethel (Tenn.)
19. Davenport
20. Lewis-Clark State
21. Pikeville
22. (tie) Olivet Nazarene
22. (tie) Webber International
24. Northwood (Fla.)
25. Oklahoma Baptist

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Brewbaker Tech G Steven Rogers follows father's footsteps, commits to Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Brewbaker Tech's Steven Rogers could have gone away to school. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound guard had scholarship offers from Savannah State, Clark-Atlanta and Arkansas-Monticello.

But instead, he chose to stay close to his family, literally, announcing his commitment to Alabama State, where his father is an assistant under head coach Lewis Jackson, today.



"I've always looked up to my dad and saw all the great things he did at Alabama State as a player and as a coach," said Rogers of his father, Steven Rogers, Sr. , a former two-time SWAC Player of the Year. "I'd like to play under him and coach Jackson and I think it's a good fit for me. I think I have a chance to be successful and that's really all it came down to."

The younger Rogers certainly had success as a senior, averaging 32.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while leading his team to an appearance in the AHSAA South Regional tournament in Dothan. He was a first-team selection to the Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state squad and is a ...

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Florida A&M Rattlers' offense picks up steam

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS



TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Earl Holmes came away from FAMU’s first spring scrimmage feeling that the Rattlers are showing early signs of an offensive identity.

He caught glimpses as running back Keith Stalling pretty much had his way against the defense Saturday morning.

“That’s who we are,” Holmes said afterward. “We’ve got to be able to run the ball. We can’t be one-dimensional. When people have to put eight or nine guys in the box, then the passing game opens up. We are going to run it and continue to run it until they stop the run.”

For the most part, the passing game was on target, too. Receivers caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Carson Royal, who was the most effective of the three who are competing this spring while starter Damien Fleming recovers from foot surgery.

During a break in the 90-minute scrimmage, offensive coordinator ...

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Tennessee State Narrows Basketball Coach Finalists to Six

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Former Whites Creek and Belmont basketball standout Brian “Penny” Collins, now the coach at Columbia State, is among six finalists for the Tennessee State men’s coaching vacancy, according to a source.

Collins interviewed on Monday for the position, which came open March 11 when Travis Williams was fired after leading the Tigers to a 5-25 record in his only season.

The other finalists are North Carolina State assistant Rob Moxley, Illinois State associate head coach Dana Ford, Georgia assistant Stacey Palmore, West Virginia associate head coach Larry Harrison and former District of Columbia coach Julius Smith.

“I’m just excited and glad to even be considered for the head coaching position at Tennessee State,” Collins said. “I thought the interview went well and now it’s in the (search) committee and (athletics director) Teresa Phillips’ hands.”

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Alabama A&M coach James Spady wants to see more consistency as spring continues

NORMAL, Alabama -- Alabama A&M's offense has shown some of the same inconsistency play that plagued it throughout and rough and tumble 2013 campaign, during which the Bulldogs went 4-8 in its final season under former coach Anthony Jones, this spring.

"I see a bunch of mixed messages right now," AAMU coach James Spady said, following the team's first scrimmage of the spring this past Saturday. "On minute, we break off a 35, 40-yard-run and the next play we get tackled for a 5-yard loss. One minute, our defense is getting up the field and penetrating. The next minute they get pushed around. So, we're inconsistent right now. We gotta make sure we do all the little things right all the time."

Spady, a former tight ends coach at Nevada, took over the reigns in Normal back in late December, taking over for Jones, who had guided the program for more than a decade.

The first-time head coach will have his debut when the Bulldogs take on ...

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Byron Dobson: Mangum speaks frankly with students about FAMU-FSU College of Engineering proposal

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- One of the disruptions playing out behind the scenes of the high-stakes political gamble to dissolve the joint FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is the impact it’s having on current students.

This was evident during a forum last week at the college, where about 100 people, including students, faculty and the curious, showed up to hear Florida A&M President Elmira Mangum’s responses to the pending legislation. It came on the heels of late-night sessions of FAMU engineering students and a previous town-hall forum at Lee Hall, where emotions ran high.

It says something about Mangum’s interest in hearing from students that she would commit more than an hour of her afternoon to addressing their concerns. Two questions quickly surfaced: Why now? And how could this happen without any perceived input from FAMUMangum talked straight and deliberately with the students, who have been developing strategies to get the message across that they oppose a move to split up the joint FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. What they want most are answers and an explanation.

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Lincoln University Introduces John Moseley As Next Men's Basketball Coach

MOSELEY LEAVES NCCU MEN'S BASKETBALL FOR FIRST COLLEGE HEAD COACHING JOB.


Dr. Kevin D. Rome, president of Lincoln University, introduces new head men's basketball coach John Moseley at a press conference on April 14, 2014.

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri --John Moseley has been named as the next head men's basketball coach at Lincoln University.

A press conference was held by Lincoln University president Dr. Kevin Rome and athletic director Betty Kemna on Monday (April 14) to announce the hiring.

"We're committed to building a winning program, like we used to have, but theoseley past doesn't matter if you're not winning now," Dr. Rome said. "With that said, we're excited to bring someone here who we think can do that for basketball. We believe John is the coach who can take us to the next level."

Moseley joins Lincoln after spending the past four years at North Carolina Central University, including the last three as the team's associate head coach. Working with head coach LeVelle Moton, Moseley helped lead the Eagles to a 28-6 record, tying the program record for wins in a season, and both the regular season and tournament Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships. NCCU earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, where the Eagles fell in the second round to No. 3 Iowa State.

"I'd like to thank Dr. Rome and his staff, Betty Kemna and her staff and the search committee for this opportunity," Moseley said. "Everything was professional, and I'm excited that I was selected to lead this program."

During Moseley's time at North Carolina Central, the Eagles increased their win total all four years, going from 15 victories in 2010-11 to 17 in 2011-12 to 22 in 2012-13. In each of the past two seasons, NCCU went 15-1 in MEAC play, and in 2013-14, was a perfect 14-0 at home. Moseley was the position coach for two players who went on to earn All-MEAC honors, including a first team and a second team selection.

In addition to the Eagles' success on the court, Moseley helped his players succeed in the classroom, as NCCU earned its highest APR in program history this past year, with the team posting a GPA of 2.85 during the fall of 2012.


New Lincoln University men's basketball coach John Moseley introduces himself at a press conference on April 14, 2014.

Moseley brings 10 years of NCAA Division I experience with him to Lincoln. A 1998 graduate of East Carolina University, Moseley returned to his alma mater in 2008 to serve as the program's Director of Basketball Operations. In 2009, Moseley was promoted to assistant basketball coach, serving as the recruiting organizers. In both of his years with the Pirates, ECU posted double digit wins.

Prior to coaching at East Carolina, Moseley was an assistant coach at Winston-Salem State University in 2007-08, where helped lead the team to its most Division I victories in program history. Before that, Moseley made a one-year stop at Wright State University, working as an administrative assistant on a Raiders team that won Horizon League regular season and tournament championships.

Moseley's teams have enjoyed success at every one of his stops, and he has proven he can win at multiple levels of competition. Moseley was the head basketball coach at Warren County High in Warrenton, N.C. from 2004-06, leading the program to its first state championship in 23 years.

"I'm intrigued by the opportunity to coach in the MIAA, one of the premiere Division II athletic conferences," Moseley said. "I've had a chance to talk to some of the current [Lincoln] players, and they're ready to play. I expect our team to be tough, competitive and relentless. We are the Blue Tigers, and we will be a collar team."

This will be the first head coaching job at the collegiate level for Moseley, who has a bachelor's degree in science, exercise and sport science as well as a master's degree in education and athletic administration. Moseley and his wife, Crystal, have a daughter, Jillian.


John Moseley, the new head men's basketball coach at Lincoln University, answers some questions during his introductory press conference.

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