After 2-year hiatus, UAPB returning to Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- The Arkansas-Pine Bluff football team is coming back to Little Rock.

At least for one day.

A group of UAPB officials that included Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander, Athletic Director Lonza Hardy and Coach Monte Coleman visited Little Rock on Wednesday to promote the school's football game this fall at War Memorial Stadium.

UAPB will host defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Alcorn State on Oct. 3 in its first visit to War Memorial Stadium since 2012.

"It's been a long time coming," Hardy said. "We didn't just want to play a game, we wanted to play a marquee game. We believe there is no better marquee matchup than the Golden Lions playing against the defending champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference."

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UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Stadium	Location	Time
Sept. 6	vs. South Carolina State+	Florida Citrus Bowl	Orlando, Fla.	3:30 p.m. EST
Sept. 12	Morehouse College	Golden Lion Stadium	Pine Bluff, Ark.	6 p.m.
Sept. 19	Texas Southern*	Golden Lion Stadium	Pine Bluff, Ark.	6 p.m.
Sept. 26	at Alabama A&M*	Louis Crews Stadium	Normal, Ala.	1 p.m.
Oct. 3	vs. Alcorn State*	War Memorial Stadium	Little Rock, Ark.	4 p.m.
Oct. 17	Alabama State*	Golden Lion Stadium	Pine Bluff, Ark.	6 p.m.
Oct. 24	at Jackson State*	Veteran Memorial Stadium	Jackson, Miss.	2 p.m.
Oct. 31	at Prairie View A&M*	Waller Stadium	Waller, Texas	TBA
Nov. 7	Southern*	Golden Lion Stadium	Pine Bluff, Ark.	2:30 p.m.
Nov. 14	Grambling State* HC	Golden Lions Stadium	Pine Bluff, Ark.	2:30 p.m.
Nov. 21	at Miss. Valley State*	Rice-Totten Stadium	Itta Bena, Miss.	1 p.m.

Former Alabama linebacker Alex Watkins helps Stillman bulk up

COACH ALEX WATKINS

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Football stars aren't usually found in the offseason.

Stillman College coach Teddy Keaton believes he has found one, and he isn't even on the Tigers' roster.

Former University of Alabama linebacker
Alex Watkins is making a difference at Stillman as the strength and conditioning coach. He was hired a little less than a year ago.

Watkins, from Brownsville, Tenn., was a senior on UA's 2011 national championship team.

“This is his first offseason with our kids,” Keaton said. “You can see a big difference. I saw a big difference during the season with their bodies changing. The things he learned at Alabama, he brought to Stillman.”

Those things aren't just about getting bigger and stronger. Stillman emphasized bulk in the past, but Watkins is working to increase athleticism.

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Hampton's Deron Powers latest MEAC hoops star to transfer

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton basketball senior point guard and 2015 Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, Deron Powers, has decided to transfer.

"Honestly, I want to play for a better program," Powers, a Williamsburg, Va. native, told The Daily Press of Hampton. "I'm definitely up for anything, and it doesn't have to be at the highest level. There are a lot of good programs I wouldn't mind going to, but I am looking for a higher profile team that needs a point guard."



Powers, considered one of the best point guards in the MEAC and a third team all-conference selection, averaged 10.1 points, 29th best in the conference and fourth best on the Pirates squad, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists, fifth in the league. A former MEAC rookie of the year, Powers played three years for Hampton and is fifth on the school's all-time assist list.

The decision is odd considering that he led the Pirates, a fifth seed, to the MEAC tournament title and then guided them to a win over Manhattan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Hampton lost to top seed Kentucky in the second round. All three games were nationally televised. Powers joins a list of MEAC standouts who have decided to transfer following the 2014-15 season.

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Harris-Stowe State University Hires Hana Haden as Women’s Head Basketball Coach

ST. LOUIS, Missouri -- Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is pleased to announce Hana Haden as its head women’s basketball coach. Haden, 23, comes to Harris-Stowe after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) during the 2014-15 season. During that season, Haden helped lead the Tritons to an overall record of 14-14; (10-3 home record and 9-9 conference record).

“After a national search of very qualified candidates, Coach Haden emerged as the best fit for our women’s basketball program. I am positive that she will excel here at Harris-Stowe,” said Jamaal Mayo, athletic director, Harris-Stowe State University. “Coach Haden has connections in St. Louis and across the country and I look forward to her attracting quality young women to Harris-Stowe and developing those ladies into champions on and off the basketball court.”

Haden is a 2014 graduate of Western Carolina University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Communications and served as a team captain for the Catamount women’s basketball team. As a senior she led the team in scoring once and scored in double figures five times; averaging 4.5 points per game and tied in assists with 32.

“I look forward to leading our young ladies on the court, as well as being an inspiration in helping them achieve the ultimate goal of a four year degree.” Haden said. “I see many great things in the future and couldn't be more excited to join the Hornet family during this new era for Harris-Stowe athletics.”

Prior to graduating from Western Carolina, Haden attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis and spent one season at Mineral Area Junior College, where she was named Honorable Mention All-Region. Originally from Springfield, Mo., Haden attended high school at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

COURTESY HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Harris-Stowe State University’s Athletics Department Hires Alfred Williams as Men’s Head Basketball Coach

ST. LOUIS, Missouri -- Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) has hired Alfred Williams as its head coach of the Hornet's men's basketball program, the school announced today.

Williams, 31, has served on head coach Dannton Jackson's staff at his alma mater Xavier University of Louisiana for the past six seasons (2009-15). During Williams' tenure as an assistant coach, the Gold Rush were 139-55 with three consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) and five consecutive appearances at the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championships (2011-15).

"We're thrilled to welcome Coach Williams to St. Louis and into the Harris-Stowe State University family," said Harris-Stowe Director of Athletics Jamaal Mayo. "He comes from incredible basketball pedigree and will be an outstanding leader for our men's basketball program and a phenomenal mentor for our student-athletes."

As a player for the Gold Rush, Williams is one of three players in Xavier's storied basketball history to achieve the 800 points, 500 rebounds and 150 assists milestone his career.

"I believe we have a great opportunity to do some amazing things at Harris-Stowe and we'll be working hard to get a little better every day," said Williams. "I look forward to sharing my passion for the game and bringing a thrilling and fun style of basketball to Hornet Nation, exciting the student-body and the entire St. Louis community."

Williams is a native of Greenville, S.C. and a 2008 graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. After graduation, Williams returned to South Carolina to work with his brother Eric Williams. Eric is the founder and CEO of Fundamentals IV Success, Inc., a non-profit community agency that offers educational, personal and athletic assistance to basketball student-athletes.

Williams' other brother, Shammond was a four-year letterman at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and helped lead the Tar Heels to three NCAA Final Four appearances. Shammond went on to play 13 years professionally, which includes seven in the NBA. Currently Shammond is coaching college basketball in New Orleans as an assistant at Tulane.

COURTESY HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU Alum Washington Claims his spot in Louisiana Sports Hall

Facebook video of acceptance speech

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana — Otis Washington deflected praise Saturday during his Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

"It was never, ever, ever about me," said Washington, a 1961 Xavier University of Louisiana graduate and a Selma, Ala., native. "I just went along for the ride. And boy, what a ride."

Washington coached St. Augustine High School of New Orleans to Class 4A state football championships in 1975, 1978 and 1979 and a 4A runner-up berth in 1971. He left St. Aug after the 1979 season and was an assistant coach at LSU for one season, then head coach at Southern University from 1981-86. He also was an assistant coach at Tulane and director of the New Orleans Police Athletic League.

"Otis Washington brought discipline, character, excellence and leadership to St. Aug's football program," said former St. Aug athletics director Emmett Moten, Washington's presenter. "And he brought a can-do, never-say-can't attitude."

Washington thanked many who helped him achieve the honor, including his wife of 48 years, Linda, also an XU graduate.

"She has endured untold numbers of Sunday film sessions at our home and many evenings alone as I prepared for each week's upcoming game," Washington said. "She has endured taunts and barbs from boorish fans and through it all remains my greatest support, my rock. She has served as a surrogate mother to literally dozens of young men. I can't imagine having accomplished any of this without her. I could not possibly end without thanking her."

Washington, who starred in football and baseball as a Xavier student, also is a member of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame (inducted 1994), the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame (2012) and the New Orleans High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Also inducted Saturday were football's Leonard Smith, Kevin Faulk, Jake Delhomme and Pat Collins, softball's Yvette Girouard, horse racing's Frank Brothers and and basketball's Avery Johnson, a St. Aug graduate. A sellout crowd of 831 was in attendance for dinner and inductions at the Natchitoches Events Center. There are nearly 400 members in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, including recipients of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award and the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. The first induction class was in 1959.

"There's not a nicer, classier guy in this room tonight than Otis Washington," Collins said.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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Xavier's Alfred Williams Named Head Coach at Harris-Stowe

HEAD COACH ALFRED WILLIAMS
 MEN'S BASKETBALL
HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana, an educator of future college head coaches for nearly 70 years, added another to its list Wednesday when Harris-Stowe State University hired Alfred Williams to lead its men's basketball program.

Williams, 31, was a Xavier men's basketball assistant coach the past six seasons (2009-15) and served a vital role in one of the most successful periods in Gold Rush history. Williams also played three seasons for the Gold Rush (2004-05, 2006-07 and 2007-08).

Harris-Stowe is in St. Louis and a member of the NAIA Division I American Midwest Conference. Like Xavier, it is a historically black university.

"I am definitely looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge," said Williams, whose final day at Xavier was June 22. "I have spent 10 years (at Xavier) with coach (Dannton) Jackson. I have seen just about everything I could see and learn from him. The amount of preparation we did with coach Jackson will help me at Harris-Stowe. I give thanks to the Xavier family for all the support I got here."

Williams succeeds Phillip Hunt, who coached the Hornets for six seasons. Harris-Stowe was 6-24 overall this past season and 5-17 (tied for 10th place) in the American Midwest.

"I'm going to take what I learned here at Xavier and take it to Harris-Stowe with a new energy, a new mentality," Williams said. "We'll be working hard at it every day."

During Williams' tenure as an assistant coach, the Gold Rush were 139-55 with three consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) and a school-record five consecutive appearances at the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship (2011-15). Xavier's 121 victories from 2010-11 through 2014-15 are the second-winningest five years in the program history, topped only by the Gold Rush's 126 victories from 1936-37 through 1940-41.

"I am proud of Alfred," said Jackson, who has a Gold Rush-record 273 victories in 12 seasons. "Harris-Stowe is getting a very good basketball coach and a very good young man who will care for the university and take care of their student-athletes. From a leadership standpoint, he is prepared."
As a 6-foot-4 forward he averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 97 career games and helped Xavier earn a share of the 2006-07 GCAC regular-season championship and qualify for the NAIA national tourney in 2005, 2007 and 2008. He was All-GCAC his senior year when he averaged 11.4 points and a team-leading seven rebounds per game.

Williams is one of three Gold Rush players with 800 points, 500 rebounds and 150 assists in a career. Williams shot 41.1 percent from 3-point range in his career to rank fourth in Xavier history. His blocked shot and ensuing tiebreaking basket with seven seconds remaining lifted Xavier to an 82-79 victory over third-seeded Georgetown (Ky.) in the opening round of the 2007 NAIA nationals at Kansas City, Mo. — the first opening-round victory for the Rush since 1973.

After receiving his bachelor of science degree from Xavier in 2008 and before returning to the university, Williams worked in his native Greenville, S.C., with his brother Eric for Fundamentals 4 Success, a non-profit community agency which offers educational, personal and athletic assistance to basketball student-athletes.

Another brother, Shammond Williams, is the University of North Carolina's career leader in 3-point field goals made and is second in career free-throw percentage. Shammond played 13 years professionally — seven in the NBA — and coaches college basketball in New Orleans, too. Shammond in 2014-15 completed his second season as an assistant at Tulane.

Xavier was 24-10 in 2014-15, finished second in the GCAC regular season and tournament and ranked 21st in the postseason poll. The Gold Rush have the NAIA's longest active streak of top-25 appearances, 50.

Xavier hopes to replace Williams as soon as possible. "There are enormous shoes to be filled here," Jackson said, "but we are really happy for Alfred."

Xavier's legacy of educating head coaches dates to the 1940s, when Leonidas Epps joined Clark College of Atlanta and eventually won SIAC men's championships in football, basketball, golf and track and field. Other college head coaches Xavier produced include Marino Casem, Doug Porter and Otis Washington — all football hall-of-famers — and Jackson, Dale Valdery and Bernard Griffith in basketball. Former Jackson players now coaching include Landon Bussie at Prairie View A&M (women's basketball assistant) and Shaun Dumas (boys basketball head coach) at Crescent City Christian High School in Metairie, La. Ryan DeRousselle, Nick Haywood and Devin Andrew were Gold Rush assistants this past season. In addition, John Ashaolu is director of athletics and student programs at Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, Pa.

XU assistants under Jackson still coaching include Kim Lewis, entering his fifth season as an assistant at the University of Richmond, and Jason Flanigan, entering his 11th season as head coach at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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