Xavier's Didavi, Richardson reach singles finals at HBCU event

JONESBORO, Ga. — Xavier University of Louisiana's Loic Didavi and Sean Richardson won men's singles semifinal matches Friday in the HBCU National Tennis Championships.

Didavi, the No. 3 seed in the A-flight, defeated Florida A&M's top-seeded Salif Kante 7-5, 7-5 and will play FAMU's second-seeded Levan Clark for the championship. Clark defeated Xavier's Zach Taylor 6-2, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

Richardson, unseeded in the C-flight, beat Hampton's Kenneth Greene 6-1, 6-2 in a match suspended Thursday, then defeated North Carolina Central's Fabrice George 6-2, 6-3. Richardson will play FAMU's top-seeded Temuera Asafu-Adjaye for the title.

Asafu-Adjaye beat Xavier's Viktor Svoboda 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal. Svoboda got there with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Alcorn State's Maxim Tkanchenko in a match suspended Thursday.

Didavi and Taylor, seeded second in men's A-doubles, reached the semifinals with an 8-1 victory against Hampton's Advait Kitane and Lakshmana Satchithananthan. They'll play Alcorn's fourth-seeded Enresti Santillian and Winfried Weinbeer.

Richardson and Steffen Giles-Osborn, seeded second in men's B-doubles, beat James Pressley and Nate Sinckler of Morehouse 8-1 to reach the semifinals, where they'll face FAMU's fourth-seeded Asafu-Adjaye and Fabrice Myrtil.

XU's Kourtney Howell, seeded fourth in women's A-singles, defeated FAMU's Britney Dean 6-1, 6-3 and will play Southern's second-seeded Carlista Mohammed in the semifinals. XU women eliminated in the quarterfinals were Amanda Materre and Amber Brown in the B-flight and Jordyn Goody in C.

Brown, a No. 1 seed, lost 7-5, 6-2 to Prairie View A&M's Christine Gwodog in the round of 16.

Howell and Nicole DeLoach, seeded second in women's A-doubles, beat Prairie View's Alejandra Barrera and Brittany Harrell 8-6 to reach the semifinals. Goody and Brown upset FAMU's second-seeded Kathline Durden and Stephanie Miller 8-6 but lost to Bethune-Cookman's Shereen Peterson-Paul and Stacey Speller 8-4 in the B-doubles quarterfinals.

XU's Amir Rahbar lost 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals of men's B-singles to FAMU's second-seeded Takura Happy.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GCAC

Saturday Football Around the SWAC

All 10 SWAC teams are in action Saturday, including four conference matchups and two Classics as the season heats up on the final Saturday of September.

Alabama A&M at Grambling (SWAC TV) - 6 pm

The return of coach Doug Williams comes full circle in the home opener for the Tigers, losers of two straight games and needing a win to keep from falling two games back of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the Western Division race.

The Bulldogs have never won at Grambling, and head coach Anthony Jones is just 2-9 against the Tigers. However, his team righted the ship last week in an important win over out of conference rival Tuskegee.

Alabama State at Jackson State - 4 pm

This game should go a long way in determining the top of the Eastern Division. Last year, the 32-30 win by the Hornets was the difference maker in sending Bama State to the SWAC Championship Game.

JSU's offense has been more balanced early in the season, and the Tigers are the SWAC's only unbeaten team remaining. JSU won a thriller last week in Baton Rouge before a packed house at Southern. Expect a lot of fans at this one this evening.

The Hornets pulled away from Grambling last week, led by the defensive efforts of Kejuan Riley with two interceptions. Will Riley and the defensive backfield be able to stop the JSU Air Raid? We shall see.

Alcorn State at Texas Southern - 1 pm

This suddenly becomes an extremely important game for each team. The Braves cannot afford a third conference loss this early in the season, and the Tigers would be facing an uphill climb back to the championship game if they start 0-2 in SWAC play.

TSU stepped out of conference last week for an easy victory over Texas College. The road will be much tougher today for quarterback Riko Smalls, who put up impressive numbers last week in the victory. The 212 defense is statistically the best in the nation after two games for TSU.

For the Braves, a tough schedule early on in the season has them at 1-2, but a win at Texas Southern would go a long way in getting back in the Eastern Divsion race. The offense found itself with an important win last week over Mississippi Valley State, and quarterback Brandon Bridge is starting to look like the freshman phenom we saw last year.

Mississippi Valley State at Prairie View A&M - 6 pm

Is this the week for Valley head coach Karl Morgan? At some point, the answer to that question is "yes" as the coach tries to break a 14-game skid for the Delta Devils and get his first win as head coach in Itta Bena.

MVSU has shown signs early in the season that it is a much-improved team despite not yet capturing that elusive first victory. Last week the fourth quarter was not kind to the Delta Devils, but the team was toe-to-toe on the road at Alcorn prior to it. If the team can stay healthy, especially at quarterback, this is a dangerous team to play.

PV is looking to recover from a bad fourth quarter of its own. The Panthers allowed UAPB to score 22 unanswered points at home in the final quarter last week and now need a win to remain just a game back of the Golden Lions in the Western Division race.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs. Clark-Atlanta (Gateway Classic) - 3 pm

The Golden Lions have never lost to the Panthers in two previous games. UAPB is 2-0 in league games this year, but lost a disappointing game to Langston in the Delta Classic 4 Literacy to open the season. With that bad taste still lingering, look for the Lions to be ready to play today as they represent the SWAC at the Gateway Classic in St. Louis.

Southern vs. Florida A&M (Atlanta Football Classic - Television: Versus Channel) - 2:30 pm (CT)

One of the oldest non-conference rivalries in black college football gets renewed today in the Atlanta Football Classic. These two teams haven't met since the MEAC/SWAC Challenge was still played in Birmingham, and both teams are hungry for a win after early season losses.

The game will be carried live on the Versus Network, and you can expect a lot of fans to fill the Georgia Dome for this one. The MEAC has had the SWAC's number so far this year with head-to-head wins by Hampton and Bethune-Cookman. Let's see if the Jags can come up big representing the league today.

Courtesy: SWAC.org

Lions play Lincoln (Mo.) in St. Louis Gateway Classic Doubleheader

St. Louis, MO - Missouri Southern isn’t quite sure what kind of defense it will face today against Lincoln.

“Lincoln has been very multiple on defense,” Lions coach Bart Tatum said. “They’ve shown in exactly one and one-half of their games an eight-man front … very aggressive, a stop-the-run type look. And then they have been very base defense-oriented the other game and a half. We’re preparing for both, which is the only choice we have.”

Regardless of the defense, the Lions need to be more productive on offense. The Lions gained 264 yards in last week’s 30-14 loss to Washburn, and more than one-third of them came in a 99-yard scoring drive in the second quarter.

Kickoff is at 11 a.m. for the first game of the St. Louis Gateway Classic doubleheader at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, home of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

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Grambling comes home-finally

GRAMBLING, LA — The Tigers make their way back home this week — finally, and not at all too soon.
Grambling coach Doug Williams hasn't been particularly pleased with his team's — especially his offense's — performances in its past two games.

He's hoping some home-cooking will be just the remedy to rebound against visiting Alabama A&M (1-2, 0-1) and start moving forward again in SWAC play.

"It's certainly a good time to get back on track, and that's at home," he said. "Alabama A&M had a big win for them to beat Tuskegee who has been like a thorn in the side to some of the schools in the SWAC, but the good part about it, it's home. We get a chance to recoup, and hopefully the guys realize in order to do what we've set out to do we've got to compete every week, every minute, every second. There ain't no time to let up, and it ain't over until it's over."

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XU's Kirk tames Lady Tigers with 13 kills, .650 percentage

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Moira Kirk produced 13 kills and a .650 attack percentage Friday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-12, 25-12, 25-10 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Edward Waters.

The Gold Nuggets (8-2 overall, 3-0 GCAC) won their seventh in a row to extend a school record and moved a half-match ahead of Tougaloo in the conference.

Kirk had no attack errors for the first time this season. She hit .600 or better in a match for the third time, and for the first time she reached double figures in kills in consecutive matches. Kirk had 12 kills in a three-set sweep of Talladega earlier in the afternoon.

Xavier never trailed in any of the three sets, and first-year coach Christabell Hamilton used 11 of 12 players in the rout. Freshmen Kia Smith and Morgan Stallings both produced their first two kills of the season. Stallings also recorded her first block.

Starting setter Patrice Hightower did not play after the first set, and kills leader Taylor Reuther sat out the third. Alexandra Rencher had 16 assists and Smith seven in relief of Hightower.

Jeanay Butler served a season-best four aces and finished with a XU-best seven for the day.

Xavier closed the first set with a 12-4 run, had a 9-1 run in the second set and scored 11 of the first 12 points in the third. Edward Waters (2-10, 0-2) did not produce a kill until the 16th rally.

Xavier hit .275. It was the third straight match the Gold Nuggets hit .200 or higher, the first time that's happened since Xavier reinstated the program a year ago. The Nuggets had a 9-1 advantage in aces, including Celeste Poe's two and one apiece from Hightower, Rencher and Reuther.

Xavier will conclude its GCAC series at Talladega with an 8 a.m. Saturday match against Fisk, which led 5-2 and 9-5 in its fifth set against Tougaloo before losing 15-13. Fisk rallied from a 2-sets-to-none deficit.

NOTES: The Lady Tigers were Xavier's first neutral-site opponent of the season . . . It's the third time in Xavier's four seasons that the Nuggets won twice in one day. The other times were Sept. 11, 2004, and last Nov. 12 during the opening day of the GCAC Tournament . . . The Nuggets have won 10 consecutive sets and 21 of their last 23.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GCAC

TSU quarterback Smalls big on answering the bell

Houston, TX - Texas Southern quarterback Riko Smalls had to wait three weeks after the start of summer camp before he could practice with the team. He didn't have to wait nearly as long to see game action.

Smalls, a junior, was pressed into punting duty during the Tigers' Sept. 10 season opener against Prairie View A&M after starter Francois Ejiofor was benched for disciplinary reasons. He saw his first snaps at quarterback last weekend, filling in for injured starter Dantavious Parker against Texas College.

Small (6-2, 185) will make his third career start today against Alcorn State and likely remain the No. 1 quarterback for the near future with Parker expected to miss three to four weeks after undergoing left knee surgery Monday.

It's a remarkable reversal of fortune for Smalls, who missed ...



Alcorn State vs. Texas Southern
When/where: 1 p.m.; Delmar Stadium.
TV/radio: None; 90.9 FM.
Records: Alcorn State 1-2, 1-2 SWAC; Texas Southern 1-1, 0-1 SWAC.

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XU wins again in first of three GCAC matches at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Taylor Reuther had 17 kills Friday, and Chinedu Echebelem and Moira Kirk had 12 apiece to lead Xavier UniversIty of Louisiana in a 25-19, 25-11, 25-16 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Talladega.

The Gold Nuggets (7-2 overall, 2-0 GCAC) extended their school-record win streak to six in a row.

Reuther had seven kills and nine digs during a first set in which Xavier rallied from a 6-2 deficit. A Reuther kill put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 13-12, and she scored Xavier's final three points of the set with kills.

Xavier led 18-7 in the second set and 17-7 in the third. Kirk and Echebelem closed the match with free-ball kills.

Reuther hit 417 and finished with 14 digs in her fifth kill-dig double-double of the season — Xavier recorded just three in 37 matches in 2010 — and her third in a row. Celeste Poe had 12 digs to reach double digures for the fifth time this season.

Shalitha Swain led Talladega (5-7, 0-1) with six kills. Xavier had 46 kills, twice as many as the Lady Tornadoes, and hit .238 with six aces. Jeanay Butler, who entered the match with one ace this season, served a season-best three aces for the Nuggets.

Kerris Crier led Xavier with four blocks — her fifth consecutive match with three or more — and Kirk and Butler had three apiece.

Talladega is playing host to 13 GCAC matches Friday and Saturday involving six of the league's eight members. Xavier will play Edward Waters at 5 p.m. Friday, then return home after an 8 a.m. Saturday match against Fisk.

NOTES: Xavier has swept five of six opponents during its win streak . . . Reuther recorded her fourth straight match with 10 or more digs and leads Xavier with six . . . Reuther's 17 kills are the most by a Nugget in a three-set match since Xavier reinstated volleyball in 2010. Reuther had 20 kills in the Nuggets' other GCAC match, a five-set home victory against SUNO this past Saturday.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GCAC

Game preview: Alabama State at Jackson State

When: 4 p.m. today
Where: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Miss.
Records: ASU (2-1, 2-0 SWAC); Jackson State (3-0, 1-0 SWAC)
On the air: TV -- none; Radio -- WVAS-FM 90.7

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. Jackson State ranks second in the conference in total defense, in part because of a solid defensive front that makes the Tigers a formidable group against both the run and the pass.

"They're huge in the middle," Alabama State head coach Reggie Barlow said. "That's going to be a big challenge being able to run the ball on these guys. We haven't rushed the ball particularly well anyway and now you've got a big stout defensive front with big linebackers. We're going to have to create some other running opportunities."

2. The Hornets had their hands full last year trying to defend Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault, and they'll face the same daunting task again today.

"He's about as good as we've seen over the last few years in the conference," Barlow noted. "He's a pinpoint passer and has some receivers to throw to. They've got a real good scheme. It's patented for him. We're really going to have to be on top of things as far as coverage to have a chance of success against them."



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Florida A&M LB student of game

Atlanta, GA - Football is a game of hard hits and emotion, and through it all Florida A&M linebacker Demarius Folsom gleams a big, bright smile. A smile that coaches in the past may not have approved of. However, don’t be fooled by the fifth-year senior’s pleasant demeanor.

He is a down-to-business, fierce competitor. This was evident in Florida A&M’s 23-17 loss to Hampton on Sept. 8. After fellow starter Alvis Graham — the mainstay of the defense with 190 tackles in three seasons — left in the first quarter of that game with a knee injury that will lead to him missing the remainder of the season, the departure created a massive hole in the linebacking corps.

A void that Folsom gladly plugged in. “It became a lot more personal for me,” Folsom said. “Seeing him go down, I had to step up, and the coach looked to me. I had to put on my hard hat and go to work.”

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Georgia key territory for FAMU, Southern

Southern linebacker Franchot West was thrilled to make his first start last weekend, albeit in a crushing 28-24 home loss against Jackson State. This week, he’s even more excited. He’s going home. See, he grew up in Stone Mountain, Ga. It’s not a stone’s throw from Atlanta, but it’s not much farther.

West pulled for Michael Vick, Keith Brooking and the hometown Falcons. He’s even played football a few times in the Georgia Dome.

“Park ball. I played down there on the field a couple of times with my park-ball team,” West said. “You know how they do the halftimes at the NFL games, where they bring the little teams on the field to play? We were the show. Unfortunately, I couldn’t play in the dome when I was in high school, for a state championship.”

At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, in the same building where West once dreamed of playing, Southern (1-2) and Florida A&M (1-2) will renew one of the longest and hottest rivalries in black college football. To the fan bases, it’s a little more important than a high school game, let alone park ball.

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Air Force scrambles to replace its open date with Tennessee St.

Tennessee State Tigers Head Coach Rod Reed

Colorado Springs, CO - It wasn't quite like searching for a needle in a haystack, but for Jim Trego at Air Force, there was a big sigh of relief when his call to Tennessee State proved fruitful.

During February and March of this year, Trego, a senior associate athletic director, was telephoning, e-mailing and contacting everyone he knew to find an opponent to fill the Sept. 24 date on Air Force's 2011 football schedule.

The combination of BYU and Utah departing the Mountain West and only one school, Boise State, coming in left Air Force in need of a game.

"I shut my office door and started going through the phone directory trying to find a game," Trego said. "I just kept looking and looking and finally found Tennessee State with an open date. I've been involved in scheduling for 24 years, and that was the biggest challenge I've ever had."

In Nashville, officials at Tennessee State also were looking for a game. A matchup in the Atlanta Football Classic against Florida A&M had fallen through. The telephone call from Trego proved a blessing.

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FVSU Sprints Past Benedict Tigers for 1st Win

Columbia, SC - Fort Valley St. dropped to 0-3 Saturday, with starting quarterback Antonio Henton on the bench. Don Pittman's team got back on the field on short rest Thursday in a SIAC road test, and came away with a 40-23 win.

Peach Co. grad gave the Wildcats a 7-3 lead on his first collegiate touchdown. FVSU then ran away from the Tigers, leading 40-3 in the 4th quarter. By game's end Benedict made the game look far less one-sided.

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WSSU's offensive line playing extremely well

Winston Salem, NC - "The Block Squad" wanted to look its best for the big moment.

That's why all members of the group — Winston-Salem State's starting offensive linemen — showed up Wednesday at coach Connell Maynor's media conference well dressed and wearing ties. Keenly aware that offensive linemen rarely get exposure, they also were ready to talk.

The Rams are 3-0 and averaging 503 yards a game, and production like that requires more than just talent at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. It also requires talent on the line.

Starters Winston Hill, Markus Lawrence, Darrell Billiott, Devan Gray and Terrence Thomas — and reserves Chris Beardon and Corey Morris — acknowledge that playing in the trenches isn't glamorous.

"I've been playing offensive line since I was 13," said Lawrence, the center. "I would love to score touchdowns and all of that, but you just have to love it when your running back scores or your quarterback throws for a touchdown."

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WSSU needs plenty of support at home games

The powerful Bill Hayes, who is WSSU’s energetic athletics director, can control a lot of things as a top-flight administrator. But the one thing he can’t control is the weather, and he’ll be watching the forecast with keen interest for Saturday’s 6 p.m. home game at Bowman Gray Stadium against Fayetteville State (0-3).

The Rams fans have traveled in bunches for their first three road games. They traveled so well, in fact, that I estimate the Rams had more fans in the stands at all three games at Elizabeth City State, Virginia Union and Chowan.

Hayes made sure to seek me out last week to let me know that for the program to truly be successful seats have to be occupied at home games. That’s one of the ways the athletics program generates money and it’s a big resource.

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B-CU wins after refs nullify last-second Hampton TD

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Hampton players swarmed the field and jumped on their hero. They didn't bother to listen to the referee announce that David Legree's touchdown pass with no time left would be reviewed.

But after several minutes the replay officials decided that receiver Isiah Thomas did not maintain possession as he fell to the ground on the apparent 12-yard TD pass, and Bethune-Cookman came away with a 35-31 victory in a bizarre Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game Thursday night at Municipal Stadium.

Backup quarterback Jackie Wilson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Poole with 2:50 left in the game for the final margin of victory.

Legree, who passed for 225 yards and a touchdown and ran for two touchdowns, appeared to lead the Pirates (2-2, 1-1 MEAC) to victory with no time left.

But it was B-CU (2-1, 1-1) that got the final chance to celebrate in the back-and-forth contest that started nearly an hour late because of lightning in the area.




YOU BE THE JUDGE!! TD or NOT?

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XU wins 10 of 11 in singles at HBCU Championships

JONESBORO, Ga. -- Xavier UniversIty of Louisiana's men's and women's tennis teams won 10 of 11 singles matches Thursday in the HBCU National Championships. Five players -- Jordyn Goody, Kourtney Howell and Amanda Materre on the women's team and Loic Didavi and Viktor Svoboda on the men's -- opened their XU careers with victories.

Xavier, an NAIA member, won all eight of its matches against NCAA Division I.
Howell defeated Alcorn State's Keti Mebuke 6-2, 0-6, 1-0 (10-3) to reach the A-flight quarterfinals. Materre beat Hampton's Tabita Daolo 7-5, 6-0 in the B-flight, Goody beat Savannah State's Ge'Anne Hilton 6-2, 6-0 in the C-flight.

Didavi and Taylor, both second-team All-Americans this past season, both reached the men's A-flight semifinals. Didavi defeated Bowie State's Piotr Kruk 6-1, 6-3 and Alcorn's Ernesto Santillian 6-1, 6-2. Taylor beat North Carolina Central's Jack Waissen 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 and
Bowie's Shikhar Kapur 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (12-10).

In the men's B-flight, Amir Rahbar defeated Prairie View A&M's Trenton Johnson 6-2, 6-4, and Steffen Giles-Osborn lost 6-3, 6-7, 1-0 (10-6) to Bowie's Conner Pickering. Svoboda won 6-0, 6-0 in the C-flight against Hampton's Isaiah Stewart, and Sean Richardson beat Prairie View's Jamaal James 6-2, 6-1.

Svoboda, Richardson and Materre all were up one set in their second matches when rain halted play.

The tournament, Xavier's first of two in the fall semester, will continue through Sunday.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Gary joins Xavier staff as athletics trainer

Tiffany Gary

NEW ORLEANS — Tiffany Gary has joined Xavier University of Louisiana as athletics trainer.

Gary's position is funded through an agreement between Xavier and Ochsner Health System's sports medicine division. She works primarily with the women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's and women's tennis teams.

Gary, a native of New Iberia, La., joined XU on Aug. 1 after working the past six years for Willis-Knighton Health System of Shreveport and Bossier City, La. During that time Gary was the athletics trainer for Bossier Parish Community College and the high school teams at Calvary Baptist Academy.

Gary also worked five years as assistant athletics trainer at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette — there she handled women's soccer, women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, football and baseball — and was a graduate assistant trainer at Clemson University, where she received a master's degree. Gary received her bachelor's degree from UL Lafayette.

She is certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the Louisiana Athletic Trainers' Association.

Xavier's other athletics trainer, Melvin Wallis, remains on the staff and is in his fifth year at XU. Wallis will work primarily with men's basketball, men's and women's cross country and men's and women's tennis.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GCAC

HU's new offensive coordinator opens up Pirates' offense

HAMPTON (2-1, 1-0 MEAC) at BETHUNE-COOKMAN (1-1, 0-1)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, Fla.

TELEVISION: ESPNU (7:30 P.M.)
INTERNET: ESPN3

HAMPTON, VA — Donovan Rose first met Willie Snead at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting in Michigan in September 2010. Rose, Hampton University's head football coach, was in the audience as Snead, fresh off a 2009 state semifinal appearance at Muskegon Heights (Mich.) High, delivered a speech.

Neither man knew it at the time, but that speech also was a job audition.

After Rose's Pirates went 6-5 in 2010, averaging just 17.5 points per game, Rose found himself in the market for an offensive coordinator. One of the names that surfaced was that of Snead, a native of Belle Glade, Fla., who had made an impression on Rose.

"He had a way with people," Rose said. "(He's) a guy that is not easily thrown off track. He's just a very kind of mellow, consistent guy about getting things done. His resume was very impressive."

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Bethune-Cookman faces Hampton in key MEAC game

Time: 7:30 p.m ET

TV: ESPNU

DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Brian Jenkins' inaugural season at Bethune-Cookman was a year-long run to a potential undefeated season and the Wildcats' claiming a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship for the first time since 2002.

The 2011 season could all come down to Thursday night — just three weeks into the campaign – when Bethune-Cookman meets Hampton in a nationally-televised (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.) MEAC game at Municipal Stadium.

It's perhaps already a must-win for B-CU (1-1,0-1) if it wants to stay in the conference race. Hampton (2-1,1-0) has already beaten 2010 co-champion Florida A&M and doesn't have to face the South Carolina State team that beat B-CU 26-18 on Sept. 10.

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Senior provides spark for Stillman offense

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - Deandre Holley played a significant role last Saturday when the Stillman College football team beat Kentucky State 31-29 on the road.

But the running back didn’t find out until Monday that he had reached a personal milestone. Holley’s contributions included a career- and team-high 106 yards rushing on 19 carries, including a 7-yard touchdown run. He caught two passes for 24 yards. His longest run covered 23 yards, and the longest catch went for 19.

“I didn’t see a stat sheet,” said Holley, a senior from Belle Glade, Fla. “Actually, it was Monday at practice when they were telling me. I was like, ‘OK, I want more.’”

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Mecklenburg neighbors JCSU, Davidson renew football series

Charlotte, NC - It’s never too late to grow a rivalry.

Davidson and Johnson C. Smith, Mecklenburg County’s only collegiate football programs – at least until Charlotte’s arrival in 2013 – play Saturday at Davidson’s Richardson Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. The series, tied at a game each, has been dormant since 1990 when Davidson won 17-7 at home. The Golden Bulls won 18-15 at Memorial Stadium the previous season.

“We got the ball with 32 seconds left and had to drive 70 yards for a touchdown,” said JCSU offensive coordinator Maurice Flowers, who tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to David Washington on the final play of Smith’s win. “We had a couple of big plays and it came down to … 3 seconds left and we had to go to the end zone.

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Miami Dolphins Sign Running Back Richard Medlin to Practice Squad

Miami, Florida - The Miami Dolphins found running back Larry Johnson expendable, releasing him yesterday. But the team has apparently opted to keep five running backs in house by signing undrafted free agent Richard Medlin to the practice squad.

Medlin joined fellow undrafted rookie Nic Grigsby as one of two running backs on the team's eight-man practice squad. He replaces seventh-round rookie nose tackle Frank Kearse, who was signed to the Carolina Panthers' active roster Monday.



As a member of the practice squad, Medlin will make roughly $5,700 a week. He will not be eligible to play in games but will participate in practice and team meetings. He can be signed to the Dolphins' active roster if they choose, or he can sign to another NFL team's active roster at any time just as Kearse did.

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Xavier signs three, opens fall season at HBCU Championships

NEW ORLEANS -- A two-time NAIA All-American is one of three men's tennis players to sign scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Joining the Gold Rush for the 2011-12 season are junior Loic Didavi of Cotonou, Benin, freshman Nikita Soifer of Beer Sheva, Israel, and sophomore Viktor Svoboda of Kamenice, Czech Republic. Didavi transferred from Auburn Montgomery, and Svoboda transferred from Lewis-Clark State.

The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will begin their season Thursday in the HBCU National Championships at Clayton County Tennis Center in Jonesboro, Ga. Xavier will return to Georgia next week for its other fall event, the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional on Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Atlanta.

Didavi was second-team NAIA All-America twice at AUM. He was an ITA NAIA All-American in doubles this past season, when he was 29th in singles and fourth in doubles with Boris Obama in the final rankings. Didavi helped AUM win the NAIA championship in 2010.

Soifer, who was born in Russia but moved to Israel when he was six years old, was ranked first in singles among Israelis in the 14 and 18 age groups. His highest overall singles ranking in Israel was 12th, and he spent 2½ years in Israel's army before signing with Xavier. Nicholls State, UNC Asheville and James Madison, all of NCAA Division I, also recruited Soifer.

Svoboda helped Lewis-Clark State qualify for the NAIA National Championship in May and won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles in the Warriors' first-round loss to Lindsey Wilson. Svoboda recorded two singles victories and two doubles victories against NCAA Division I opponents.

The Gold Rush ranked a program-record-tying eighth in the final coaches poll this past season. Xavier will announce its schedule of spring-semester dual matches near the end of 2011.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

Football has finally come to Coppin State!!

Baltimore, MD - Club football will kick off its initial season with a home game against Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. The team has 55 Coppin State University students who have played football in high school or at other campuses.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How does club football differ from NCAA football teams?

Club football is an opportunity for students to play against other club football teams in an organized fashion. Currently, there are approximately 20 colleges with club football teams. See the entire list -  Club Football Teams.  Coppin State University’s Club Football program is a part of the National Club Football of America organization and competes with modified NCAA rules. It’s a way for athletes interested in playing football, and for fans to support them.

2. Are the players on the team Coppin State University Students?

Yes, all of the students who participate must be a Coppin student who maintains 2.0 GPA. To see find out more about the club football players, join their Facebook page:  Coppin Club Football.

3. How much are tickets for me or my friends?

Tickets are free! Bring a friend, bring three!

4. Is there a schedule?

Yes, the football schedule is below.  Go Eagles!

COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY EAGLES CLUB FOOTBALL

9/3 - Open

9/10 - George Mason at 1pm

9/17 - Wright State 7pm

9/24 @Hampton Roads Community College Gators 1pm

10/1 - Virginia University of Lynchburg at 1pm

10/8 - Longwood University at 1pm

10/15 - Williamson Free Trade School at 1pm

10/23 - Wesley College (Homecoming) at 1pm

10/29 - @VCU at 1pm

11/5 - @ Longwood at 1pm

Mascot: Eagles

Conference: Mid-Atlantic

Official Website

Email Team

View Team Roster

View Team Stats

2011 Schedule (PDF) | CSU Tailgating Policy/Application | Tailgating Parking 

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Jackson, MS - Southern University football coach Stump Mitchell and Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow are standing behind JSU coach Rick Comegy.

Comegy, the 58-year-old sixth-year JSU coach, is in the last few months of his contract with the school.

"I don't think Coach Comegy is going to have a problem finding a job if they don't sign him to a contract (extension)," said Mitchell, whose Jaguars lost to JSU 28-24 last week. "I think they probably need to go ahead and do it, because he's a fantastic coach, and he's been successful every place that he's been."

Said Barlow, whose team faces JSU on Saturday: "This dude, all he does is win everywhere he goes."




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DeFilippis suffered a chest contusion after getting hit on a blitz in the second quarter during a 41-6 loss to Appalachian State last Saturday. Backup Antonio Bostick, who started seven games a year ago, played the rest of the way and scored the Tigers’ lone touchdown on a 10-yard run.

“We’re looking forward to having (DeFilippis) back this week,” Davenport said. “He’s the starting quarterback and I’m one who believes if the man wins the job in competition, it’s his job. I’m not necessarily going to change that.”

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Blount looks forward to flying his Hornets in to visit Bulldogs

DOVER, Del. - Kermit Blount has two reasons to look forward to bringing Delaware State to Oliver C. Dawson Stadium this Saturday to face 25th-ranked South Carolina State.

The first one for the first-year Hornets' head coach is returning to familiar surroundings at a school where he previously served as an assistant coach under Willie Jeffries.

The second reason is the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener allows his team to quickly move forward from last Saturday's forgettable 45-0 rout at the hands of in-state rival and sixth-ranked Delaware.

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