XU Nuggets sign 7 more, including 4 state-champion relay runners

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana announced Friday the addition of seven student-athletes to its women's cross country and/or track and field programs for the 2015-16 academic year.

Signed to scholarships were:
• Sprinter Kee-Myah Henderson of Humble, Texas, and Summer Creek High School.
• Middle distance/distance runner Chinyere Jones of Jackson, Miss., and Murrah High School.
• Distance runner Dionysia Love of River Ridge, La., and Sophie B. Wright Charter School.
• Sprinter Ky'Reon McBride of Lafayette, La., and Lafayette High School.
• Sprinters Alexis Milton and Martina Wright of Opelousas, La., and Westminster Christian Academy.
• Distance runner Brianna Pace of Junction City, Kan., and Junction City High School.

All will be freshmen and will compete in track. Jones, Love and Pace also will compete in cross country.

Henderson was a district champion and region runner-up in the 100-meter dash her sophomore season. Her best times include 11.9 seconds for 100 meters and 24.4 for 200 meters. Henderson also was a national qualifier in the 100 for the Junior Olympics.

Jones placed third this year in the 400 and 800 in Mississippi's Class 6A state outdoor meet and ran the leadoff segment on the state-champion 1,600 relay team. She was third in the 800 at the 2014 state meet. Her best times include 2:20 in the 800 and 57.1 in the 400.

Love was a three-time qualifier for the 2A state cross country meet and had a best finish of 18th as a senior. As a junior she ran three miles in a career-best 20:01 to place third at the District 10-2A meet. In outdoor track she placed seventh in the 3,200 at this year's state meet.

McBride scored in the relays for four consecutive years at Louisiana's indoor and outdoor state meets. She was a member of Lafayette 3,200 relay teams which won indoor state championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Her best 400 time is 58.6.

Milton and Wright finished 2-3 in the 100 and 2-5 in the 200 at the 2A state outdoor meet this year. They also ran on Westminster's state-champion 400 relay team and state-runner-up 800 relay. Milton's state-meet times were 12.23 in 100 and 25.43 in 200, and Wright's times were 12.57 and 26.77.

Pace ran the anchor segment of Junction City's 3,200 relay team which placed fourth at this year's 6A outdoor meet. Pace ran the third segment in a third-place finish at state in 2014. Her best times include 2:24.08 in the 800 and 15:41.49 for 4,000 meters in cross country.

Xavier majors for these signees will be psychology/pre-med for Henderson, physics/bio-medical engineering for Jones, biology/pre-medical for Love, McBride and Wright, biology for Milton and computer science for Pace.

The Gold Nuggets have eight signed for next season. Previously announced was sprinter Janelle Jones of Baton Rouge, La., and Episcopal High School.

Xavier's women won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country team championships each of the past nine seasons and GCAC outdoor track titles each of the past three years. The Gold Nuggets qualified for NAIA National Championship meets in cross country (team) and outdoor track (four events) this past season. The 2015 cross country season will begin in late August.

2015-16 Xavier women's cross country and/or track and field signees

Name Events Ht. Yr.* Hometown High School
Kee-Myah Henderson Sprints 5-9 Fr. Humble, Texas Summer Creek
Chinyere Jones Middle Distance/Distance 5-8 Fr. Jackson, Miss. Murrah
Janelle Jones Sprints 5-4 Fr. Baton Rouge, La. Episcopal
Dionysia Love Distance 5-3 Fr. River Ridge, La. Sophie B. Wright
Ky'Reon McBride Sprints 5-6 Fr. Lafayette, La. Lafayette
Alexis Milton Sprints 5-2 Fr. Opelousas, La. Westminster Christian
Brianna Pace Distance 5-1 Fr. Junction City, Kan. Junction City
Martina Wright Sprints 5-3 Fr. Opelousas, La. Westminster Christian
* athletic classification at Xavier in 2015-16


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Former NCA&T Aggie Makes Baseball All-Star Game

LUKE TENDLER
Courtesy: Hickory Crawdads

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Former North Carolina A&T baseball standout Luke Tendler continues to progress in the Texas Rangers farm system. Tendler is a member of the Hickory Crawdads (N.C.), a minor league Class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League.

As of July 10, Tendler is hitting .268 with a .326 on-base percentage and .433 slugging percentage. His power numbers have been impressive. He has seven home runs, 40 RBI, 19 doubles and four triples. He was recently named to the SAL North All-Star team. During the All-Star game, he went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 7-5 win over the South in Asheville, N.C.

Tendler, who played at NewBridge Bank Park, home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers, four times as a collegiate, plays in the same league as the Hoppers. In six games against the Hoppers at NewBridge, Tendler is 12-for-30 (.400) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, three RBI and four runs scored. Tendler returns to Greensboro Aug. 20-23 for a four-game series.

From 2011-14, Tendler was a key power hitter for the Aggies baseball team. Tendler led the Aggies in batting in three out of the seasons he played, while starting 199 out of the 200 games he played at A&T. His career highlights include being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, a Louisville Slugger third-team All-American as a junior and he was named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year in 2013.

He was a career .349 hitter with 24 home runs and 179 RBI. He also finished with 66 doubles, 15 triples and a .561 slugging percentage. As a junior, he was fourth in the nation in doubles per game.

As an Aggie, Tendler played second, shortstop and in the outfield. He became the 18th Aggie in school history to be selected in the MLB draft. The Rangers selected Tendler with 876th overall pick in 2014 amateur draft to play the outfield. Tendler was assigned to the Spokane Indians, a Class Short-Season A affiliate of the Rangers in the Northwest League before being promoted to the Crawdads in 2015.

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Former NCCU baseball star killed in motorcycle crash

CLAYTON, North Carolina — A former baseball star at N.C. Central University was killed Thursday night after his motorcycle crashed in Johnston County.

Dylan Lee Drayton, 23, of Charlotte was riding a 2003 Suzuki on McLemore Road when he lost control, said State Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Jeff Gordon.

Drayton’s mother, Deidre Wolfe, 44, of Clayton, was a passenger on the motorcycle and was taken to WakeMed Raleigh, where she was treated for injuries not considered life threatening, Gordon said.

The accident took place about 10:40 p.m. on McLemore Road near Cleveland Fire Road, in the Clayton-Cleveland area of Johnston County.

Wolfe told state troopers that her son was going too fast for a curve and ran off the right side of McLemore Road. Investigators determined the motorcycle struck a ...

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ASU football, Jenkins under NCAA investigation

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Three Alabama State University sports programs, including the school's football team, are currently under investigation for NCAA rules violations, two ASU officials revealed under oath in depositions, according to a source familiar with the proceedings.

ASU President Gwendolyn Boyd and athletic director Melvin Hines were questioned in lengthy depositions on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, as part of former football coach Reggie Barlow's wrongful termination lawsuit against the university.

According to the source, Boyd revealed that ASU had been notified by the NCAA that it was conducting an investigation into allegations that first-year ASU football coach Brian Jenkins' staff violated practice restrictions placed on the school due to poor academic progress rate (APR) scores.

Boyd also said the school was copied on a notice from the NCAA stating it was investigating numerous rules violations alleged by former coaches and players at Bethune-Cookman University during Jenkins' tenure at the Daytona Beach, Florida, college.

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CAU Lady Panthers Volleyball Announces 2015 Schedule

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers volleyball team and head coach Brittany Black released their schedule for the upcoming 2015 season on Monday. The team, which returns all but one student-athlete, will be looking to improve on their fourth place finish in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) last season, finishing with a record of 11-25 (9-8 SIAC).

The Lady Panthers will kick off their season as they take a short trip up I-85 on September 5th to participate in the Emmanuel College Tournament, which will see them take on the host school in addition to the University of West Georgia.

The squad will follow the opening games with a trip to Albany, Georgia, to participate in the SIAC Crossover (September 24-26), competing against all eight of the SIAC West Division teams including conference newcomer Central State University.

The first of eight home contests will take place on October 1st, as they play host to SIAC rival Benedict College. The team will also host a tri-match event on October 16th, with Loyola University (LA) and North Greenville coming to town. CAU will play Loyola in the first match of the day and North Greenville in the nightcap, with their two opponents facing off against each other in between.

Claflin University (10/18), Emmanuel College (10/27), Albany State University (11/3), Paine College (11/6) and Fort Valley State University (11/9) round out the home schedule for the Lady Panthers.

When asked about the upcoming season, Black replied, "This year we will rely on our senior outside Cori Smith, as well as our All-Conference and All-Tournament Junior middle Sierra Scoggins and sophomore middle Alexandria Baptiste. I am looking forward to seeing the growth and maturity these young ladies have displayed during our Spring season translate into competitive play this Fall. Returning almost our entire team with the addition of a few transfers will be an asset we will use throughout the season. I believe with maturity comes an aspect of development mentally on the court that helps a coach and team be successful."

All Clark Atlanta home matches take place in L.S. Epps Gymnasium. For more information, please log on to clarkatlantasports.com.

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Stillman College Tennis Coach Will Riley and Southern University Alumnus Avery Johnson (Cover Story) Featured in Tuscaloosa Magazine

COACH WILL RILEY
STILLMAN COLLEGE TENNIS
COURTESY: STILLMAN COLLEGE ATHLETICS

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --  It took five cans of Pepsi, yards of pacing and a championship victory for Will Riley to overcome his nerves.

The Stillman College tennis coach always drinks Pepsi when he's nervous. That spring day in 2013, Riley's teams were competing for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. He had all kinds of butterflies in his stomach as he paced from court to court.

His men's tennis team had claimed a quick 5-0 victory over Morehouse College. His women's team was taking longer, prolonging the players' nerves as well as his own. Finally, with a last effort, the Stillman women took the victory, 5-3, over Benedict College. For years, Riley's teams had been competing at the SIAC, but this was the first time they left as winners.

The rest can be read here.

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AVERY JOHNSON STORY ON PAGES 1, 45-51 (Link)

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Clark Atlanta Sets New Course for Football Turn-Around; New Interim Head Coach Kevin Ramsey on the Defense

KEVIN RAMSEY
INTERIM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
CLARK-ATLANTA UNIVERSITY

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Looking to transform its current football program into one that consistently produces high-performing student-athletes, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) today announced a decisive shift in its approach to building what new president Ronald A. Johnson, Ph.D., intends to be a force in the SIAC that galvanizes students and alumni and garners national attention for the University. The first building block in what will become the "Panther Powerhouse" is the July 13 arrival of Interim Head Coach Kevin Ramsey.

"Coach Ramsey is a model of excellence who has consistently demonstrated his ability to build relationships that yield the highest standard of performance on the field and off," Johnson said. "His arrival signals a new, critical cornerstone in a strategic shift that, with the right balance of talent, coaching and training, can precipitate a long-awaited turn-around. Our goal is not simply to post a better record in one season," Johnson noted. "We are looking to build a comprehensive program that sets a new, higher standard in player training, education and safety within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and across the HBCU competitive field. Suffice it to say," Johnson noted, "that CAU is on the defense."

Ramsey's pedigree, shaped considerably by three seasons as secondary coach for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals (2000-02) and NFL coaching internships with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, is one Johnson believes will be the right match for fortifying and elevating CAU's program. Ramsey presently serves as defensive coordinator for Alabama State University (ASU) where his aggressive brand of defense has since 2013 held opponents to a per-game average of 110.1 yards, leading the SWAC and ranking 11th nationally. With Ramsey at the helm, ASU led the SWAC in quarterback sacks with 50, a 4.17 per game average that placed ASU second among all NCAA Division I-AA/Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams.

Ramsey was defensive coordinator at Texas Southern University (TSU) from 2009-10 and, after serving as interim head coach during the 2011 season, returned to his post in 2012. His team record topped the FCS in total defense in 2010 (204.9 yards per game allowed) and 2011 (245.0 yards per game allowed), and in fewest first downs allowed (140 in 2010; 141 in 2011). His 2010 squad led the nation in six statistical categories: total defense, fewest first downs allowed, sacks (45), tackles for loss (112), lowest third down percentage allowed (22.5) and pass efficiency defense (78.9).

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Prior to coaching at Texas Southern, Ramsey, who began his coaching career as a graduate assistant during Kansas State University's 1984-85 season, spent five seasons as defensive coordinator at Carson-Newman College (2004-08), where his units ranked in the top 20 in various national categories each season. He has coached at some of the nation's largest schools: Kansas State (1987-89, outside linebackers), Northwestern (1990-92, defensive line/defensive backs), West Virginia (1993-94, defensive backs), Tennessee (1995-98, defensive backs), Georgia (1999, defensive coordinator) and Michigan State (2000, defensive backs). He returned to Arizona State University in 2003 (defensive secondary), after serving as defensive coordinator with the Cardinals.

Ramsey's coaching acumen has helped secure numerous bowl game appearances, including: the Outback Bowl (Georgia, 2000); the Carquest Bowl (West Virginia, 1995): the Sugar Bowl (West Virginia, 1994); as well as the Citrus Bowl in (1996 and 1997), the Orange Bowl (1998) and the Fiesta Bowl National Championship Game (1999), all with the University of Tennessee. He most recently was the defense coordinator for the East Team in the Jan. 17, 2015, East vs. West Shrine Bowl, helping clinch a 19-3 East Team victory.

Ramsey earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Indiana State University where he was a three-time All-Missouri Valley defensive back from 1980-83 and a second team All-American as a senior. He also played baseball. A native of East St. Louis, Ill., Ramsey and his wife Doreen have four daughters.

"I will spend the next few weeks making a full assessment of the current program's viability and then we will begin the focused, deliberate work of building a solid, successful football program at Clark Atlanta University," Ramsey said.

Clark Atlanta University is a private, coeducational four-year university located in the historic heart of Atlanta. It is designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Doctoral Research University. Our 3,500 students are engaged in 38 areas of study in our four schools: Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education and the Whitney M. Young Jr. School of Social Work. National business and consumer publications rank Clark Atlanta high among the best buys in American higher education. Clark Atlanta University is accredited to award the Bachelor’s, Master’s, Specialist and Doctoral degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone 404-679-4501).  For more information, call 404-880-8000 or go to www.cau.edu.

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