NSU's Evans, Stony Brook Young throw their hats in the ring

ANTHONY EVANS
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY
 

POUGHKEEPSIE, New York  --  As speculation grows about who the new Marist College men’s basketball head coach will be, two coaches Thursday confirmed their interest in the job to the Poughkeepsie Journal.

“I’d definitely be interested. It’s a great opportunity,” Anthony Evans, who just concluded his sixth season as Norfolk State University’s head coach, told the Journal.

Evans led the 15th-seeded Spartans to their first NCAA tournament ever and a first-round upset of second-seeded Missouri last year; former Marist forward Rob Johnson was a member of that team. From 1999-2001, Evans was a coach at Ulster County Community College, where he earned Region XV Coach of the Year honors in 2001. He was also an assistant coach at SUNY New Paltz.

Stony Brook associate head coach Jay Young, a 1986 Marist graduate, also told the Journal the Red Foxes’ vacancy intrigues him.

“I definitely have an interest in the job,” said Young, who has reached the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Final Four, among other postseason experience in his quarter-century as a coach.

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Metil Leaves UMES Volleyball Program for Towson U.

TOWSON, Maryland  --  Donald Metil, the highly-successful coach at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for the last six years, has been named as the new head volleyball coach at Towson University, it has been announced by Director of Athletics Mike Waddell.

"Towson University is excited to announce the addition of Don Metil as our new volleyball head coach," said Waddell. "When we began our search we were looking for a coach with good experience and one that had been a champion. Don was a perfect fit. He has recruited the best talent both here from Maryland and elsewhere around the country. He will continue expand on the foundation of winning we have here at Towson."

The 11th coach in Towson University volleyball history, Metil spent six years as the head coach at UMES and compiled a 145-44 (.767) record during that time. He led the Hawks to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship in 2011 and 2012 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament each of those years.
 
Metil led UMES to the best season in school history in 2012. In addition to posting a 28-6 record and an 11-1 MEAC mark, UMES won three in-season tournaments and the MEAC Tournament before falling to Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament.

A three-time MEAC Coach of the Year, he guided UMES to six straight MEAC Northern Divisional titles and four undefeated conference seasons.

Metil's squads won at least 20 matches in each of his six seasons at UMES and finished among the Top 5 in the nation for service aces per set during each of those years. He had 18 players earn all-conference honors during his six years with the Hawks. That group included the MEAC Rookie of the Year four times and two winners of the MEAC Player of the Year award.

"I would like to thank Towson University for this exciting opportunity and a chance to move back to the area," said Metil. "After speaking with Mike Waddell, I was impressed and motivated by his overall vision for the athletics department and look forward to working under his leadership. Our focus will be to develop a program that wins championships, graduates it student-athletes and is respected in the Towson community."

Prior to his tenure at UMES, Metil served as the head coach at Coppin State for two years. He helped the Eagles qualify for the MEAC Tournament twice and coached the 2005 MEAC Rookie of the Year. Metil has also served as the head coach at Lees-McRae and the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Before starting his collegiate coaching career, Metil served as a high school coach and junior Olympic club team coach in the Baltimore Metro area while teaching at Dumbarton Middle School.

Metil earned a dual bachelor's degree in secondary education and sports medicine from California University of Pennsylvania in 1996. He played collegiate volleyball for the Vulcans, serving primarily as a setter.

He earned a master's degree from Loyola University in secondary education in 2002.


COURTESY TOWSON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU's Jackson, tops in 2 NAIA events, wins national award

Zahri Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Zahri Jackson was selected NAIA National Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, the NAIA announced Wednesday.

Jackson, a sophomore from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, won for March 18-24 after producing NAIA season-best times Saturday in the 800-meter run (2 minutes, 12:01 seconds) and the 1,600-meter relay (3:54.13) at the LSU Relays in Baton Rouge, La.

Both times are the only ones to meet the A-qualifying standard in those events for the NAIA Outdoor Championships at Marion, Ind., in May. They're also the Gold Nuggets' fastest times since Xavier revived its track and field program in 2010. Jackson ran the second leg of the 1,600 relay and teamed with Devinn Rolland, Tramaine Shannon and Chartia Hurt.

This is the first time an athlete in the XU track or cross country program has received the NAIA's weekly award.

The Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush are not competing this week during Xavier's spring break. They'll resume competition April 5 in the Mississippi College Twilight Invitational at Clinton, Miss., and April 13 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans. Xavier is the host school for the GCAC meet.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Information
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

PV Lady Panthers take SWAC bowling championship title

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  --  History has repeated itself with the Lady Panthers bowling team defending its title and becoming the 2013 Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions by beating Alabama A&M like last years competition.

Coming into the tournament at number four, like in 2012, having to beat Alabama A&M twice to claim the title. Losing their first game against Texas Southern University 4-1, the Lady Panthers came back and eliminated Texas Southern and Jackson State in a 4-3 game.

The Lady Bulldogs rolled through the rounds on Saturday. In the first match, Prairie View started well, blowing past A&M 231-175.

After the red-hot start, the Lady Panthers struggled in the next three games. The Lady Bulldogs capitalized, posting 154-150, 179-173 and 171-147 wins.

The second championship match did not go in Prairie View’s favor as Alabama A&M won the first two games 160-157, 170-122.

Making a comeback, the Lady Panthers won the next three games 189-170, 201-133, and 171-147, but the Lady Bulldogs did not let up that easy. They tied the series and won the sixth game 202-191.

An opportunity knocked at the Lady Bulldogs door giving them an open from the Lady Panthers. At the 10th frame, Collins stood on the approach with a chance to put the Lady Bulldogs in the lead. She responded with a strike and a spare, giving the Lady Bulldogs a slim lead and putting all of the pressure on freshman Ashle Reid.

Alabama A&M was on its way to a third SWAC title, however, Prairie View was not going to let that happen.

Despite her knee injury Reid stepped up to the line with the game in her hand. With both teams standing on their toes she nailed a strike giving Prairie View the title.

Day one of the tournament Prairie View was fourth in pinfalls beating Alabama A&M, Southern State, and Jackson State. Alexis Holmes had the best pinfall average knocking down 951 in the tournament Brittney Wehmeier followed behind knocking down 897 pins.

FAMU Rattlers Under The Lights At Bragg Stadium

Rattler James Owens returns a kick

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --   It’s Tuesday morning, and while most people are snug in their beds as 43-degree temperatures test the levels of insulation in their homes, the Rattler football team is at full tilt. It’s 5:45 a.m. and the Rattlers are 15 minutes into their spring football practice inside Bragg Memorial Stadium. New head coach Earl Holmes has decided that practicing that early has several benefits.

“At some point, your team has to be mentally tough. Looking at what we’re trying to get done here and looking at the style of ball we’re going to play here, we’ve got to make sure that the elements are not a part of it. Whether we’re playing in the sun or strong winds or rain, we’ve got to be ready to execute,” Holmes said.

The team is even varying locations for practice, utilizing the regular practice field, Bragg Stadium and the campus recreation turf fields in a rotation of venues. Holmes feels this will help with the team’s preparedness and insure that nothing is mundane about spring football practice this year.

FAMU offensive coordinator Quinn Gray signals a play to quarterback Damien Fleming, who executes the play, throwing a crisp pass right between the 2 and 7 on the chest of receiver Lenworth Lennon. Lennon promptly throws a move, causing a defensive back to miss, that draws whoops from the offensive sideline and exposing an energy that the new era has brought to the program.

The Rattlers have 12 games lined up for the 2013 slate, but they pale in comparison to the competition internally on the team. Coach Holmes has stated that 21 positions are open as of spring, excluding quarterback he said with a laugh. Fleming will be regarded as the top returning quarterback in the MEAC and FAMU’s top professional quarterback prospect since Gray finished his playing days.

With All-American kicker Chase Varnadore handling kickoffs and field goals, special teams coach Juan Vasquez now turns his attention to replacing punter Branden Holdren. Right at mid-practice, the Rattlers went over punt team coverage drills, where heir-apparent Colby Blanton booted a 60-yard booming kick that had the scout team returners retreating. In usual Vasquez fashion, he commented to Blanton that the punt was “okay.”

Holmes, a career defensive guy, seems to be rooting more for the offense these days. “As a head coach, I have to concentrate on our weaknesses. Last year, obviously we struggled offensively and now I want to see progress in our offense and I’m confident that coach Gray and his staff will bring better results for us,” Holmes said.


 Coach Quinn Gray talks with Damien Fleming.

Surveying players on the sideline, the best analysis they could give about the new direction of the team is “it’s just different.” Holmes said he accepts that notion. “If different means better, then I can attest to that. We’ve talked about it among the coaching staff and in player meetings and it’s about moving forward and that’s what we are concentrating on,” Holmes said.

Minutes later, a receiver caught a pass on the sideline and was popped by a defensive back. The team energy was evident as the mode was rowdy…a competitive rowdiness that brought smiles to all of the coaches. The energy of internal competition is evident.

The Rattlers have about eight working days before they publicly unveil the changes to the team. The annual Orange & Green Game is Apr. 6, 2013 at Bragg Memorial Stadium at 2 p.m. Coming off a disappointing 4-7 season, Rattler fans are anxious as well to see what Holmes and his staff have to add to the FAMU legacy.

“I’ve seen some of our underclassmen starting to raise some eyebrows. Guys are improving and understanding what we’re looking for and understanding the tempo of practice, while playing close attention to detail. We’re going to continue to put our best foot forward and try to play some Rattler football,” Holmes concluded.

The Rattlers will play five home games in Bragg Stadium and two more games in the state of Florida. To order your season tickets, please call (850)599-3141. To renew your Rattler Booster memberships, please call (850)224-6093.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
PHOTOS BY FAMU ATHLETICS

Rush 24th in postseason poll for second consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is 24th for the second consecutive year in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll.

The Gold Rush (24-8) arrived there after dropping eight spots from the previous poll on March 6 — and 11 places in the final two polls. Opening-round losses to Dillard in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and to Faulkner in the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship helped bring the Rush down in the rankings.

Xavier was 19th in the preseason poll and spent seven weeks in the top 15, including a high of 11th place on Jan. 22. The Gold Rush were one of six teams to drop seven or more places and remain in the top 25.

This is the third consecutive year and the fourth time in Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach that the Gold Rush are in the final top 25 of the season. This is the second consecutive year that the final poll was conducted after the national tournament.

Xavier will enter the 2013-14 season trying to extend a streak of 24 consecutive top-25 appearances. The Gold Rush have appeaered in the top 25 in 37 of the last 38 polls.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through end of season) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Georgetown (Ky.) (11) 28-8 281 tie-13 2 Southwestern Assemblies of God 33-5 272 6 3 Lindsey Wilson 33-5 262 2 4 LSU-Shreveport 27-7 254 25 5 Columbia (Mo.) 35-1 245 1 6 Montana Western 24-10 228 tie-13 7 John Brown 28-7 223 4 8 Lee (Tenn.) 30-4 221 3 9 Evangel 26-7 211 9 10 Culver-Stockton 26-9 187 RV 11 Oklahoma Baptist 25-8 177 10 12 Westmont 25-8 166 11 13 MidAmerica Nazarene 26-10 163 RV 14 Faulkner 29-6 162 18 15 Pikeville 26-7 159 8 16 Martin Methodist 21-11 152 tie-20 17-tie Hope International 26-8 137 tie-16 17-tie Cal State San Marcos 23-7 137 7 19 Lewis-Clark State 26-6 134 5 20 Concordia (Calif.) 23-11 112 23 21 William Carey 25-6 106 12 22 Philander Smith 25-8 94 22 23 St. Thomas (Texas) 28-6 80 tie-20 24 Xavier 24-8 78 tie-16 25 Emmanuel (Ga.) 28-5 67 15 Others receiving votes: Montana State Northern 66, Arizona Christian 52, Life 37, Science & Arts 30, Voorhees 11, Rocky Mountain 7, Bethel (Tenn.) 5, Campbellsville 4.

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

Summer Camp Dates Set For Tennessee State Football

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Dates have been set for the annual TSU Lil' Tiger and TSU Prospect Camps this summer.

The TSU Lil' Tiger Camp is scheduled from June 3-6 at Hale Stadium. Camp will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day with boys ages 6-14 eligible to participate. For more information, click here to read the brochure.

The TSU Prospect Camps will begin on June 7 at Hale Stadium. The Tigers will go on the road to Memphis on June 9, Chattanooga on June 13 and conclude the camp season on July 20 with the Music City Shootout and OL/DL Camp.

For more information, click here to read the brochure.

To check out camp information for all TSU sports, CLICK HERE.

2013 TSU Prospect Camp Brochure
2013 TSU Lil' Tiger Camp Brochure