Former NFL players from Oklahoma weigh in on concussion settlement and share their experiences

Michael L. Garrett
Athletic Director
Langston University

Former OSU player Rusty Hilger, former Sooners Steve Zabel and Jimbo Elrod, and Langston AD Mike Garrett talk about the settlement and their time in the NFL.

LANGSTON, Oklahoma --  Before the 2013 season, the NFL agreed to pay $765 million to settle a lawsuit in which former players contended league officials knew about the dangers of concussions.

Almost six months later, the case drags on for 4,500 former players, including former Oklahoma State quarterback Rusty Hilger. The Southeast High product got involved in the lawsuit after talking to former OU running back Marcus Dupree's attorney.

One condition to the proposed settlement is this can't be viewed as an admission of guilt by the NFL.

“The cover-up is what bothers me,” said Hilger, who played five NFL seasons. “I was knocked completely out three times. Now we know a real concussion basically is when you see stars. I had 15 or 20 or more of those.”

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Jackson State football to play FAMU in 2014

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Jackson State’s 2014 football schedule hasn’t officially been released. But there are a few things we are certain about that bring anticipation to the upcoming season.

1) Jackson State will host Florida A&M: JSU and FAMU are set for Aug. 30 at Memorial Stadium. It’s uncertain if this will be JSU’s season and/or home opener, but the Rattlers will be in town. The game brings back some history of the Orange Blossom Classic, an unofficial championship game for all-black colleges. (Here’s a neat New York Times article about the Orange Blossom Classic).  JSU faced FAMU twice in the classic, losing in 1961 but avenging that loss the following season. The two met again in the ...

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Gold Nuggets' No. 3 rank is their highest in preseason

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 3 in the NAIA Women's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. That's the best-ever preseason ranking for the Gold Nuggets, whose previous high was 13th in 2013 and 2007.

Xavier spent the final seven polls of 2013 in the top 10, including three consecutive times at No. 1. The Gold Nuggets were third in the postseason poll after becoming the first XU team in any sport to reach the semifinals of an NAIA National Championship.

Coupled with the No. 6 ranking of the Gold Rush, it makes Xavier one of three schools -- Auburn Montgomery and Lindsey Wilson are the others -- with both tennis teams in the 2014 preseason top six.

The Gold Nuggets, 19-8 a year ago, will open the season at 2 p.m. on Feb. 7 against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center. That dual originally was scheduled for Saturday. The Nuggets' schedule includes seven dual matches against the NAIA preseason top 25, including No. 1 Auburn Montgomery, No. 2 William Carey, No. 4 Lindsey Wilson and No. 6 Brenau.

Xavier was 12-1 in 2013 against ranked opponents, including victories on consecutive days against Auburn Montgomery and William Carey.

Auburn Montgomery, the two-time defending national champion, was a unaminous choice for the top spot. It's the 12th time in the last 14 years that the Warhawks are preseason No. 1.

The top 25:

1. Auburn Montgomery
2. William Carey
3. Xavier
4. Lindsey Wilson
5. SCAD Savannah
6. Brenau
7. Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
8. Northwood (Fla.)
9. Lewis-Clark State
10. Vanguard
11. Oklahoma Baptist
12. Westmont
13. Concordia (Calif.)
14. SCAD Atlanta
15. Olivet Nazarene
16. Indiana Wesleyan
17. Coastal Georgia
18. Cumberland
19. Milligan
20. Georgia Gwinnett
21. Campbellsville
22. Marian (Ind.)
23. Southeastern (Fla.)
24. Davenport
25. Bethel (Kan.)

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Gold Rush in preseason top 10 for 3rd consecutive year

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana is tied for sixth with Lindsey Wilson in the NAIA Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The NAIA announced rankings Tuesday.

The Gold Rush are in the preseason top 10 for the third consecutive year. It's the highest-ever preseason ranking for the XU men, who are in the top 10 for the 21st consecutive time. They ranked a program-record fifth in the 2013 postseason.

Coupled with the Gold Nuggets' No. 3 ranking, it makes Xavier one of three schools -- Auburn Montgomery and Lindsey Wilson are the others -- with both tennis teams in the 2014 preseason top six.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 51st consecutive time. That streak began April 4, 2007.

The Gold Rush -- 15-8 in 2013 and an NAIA National Championship quarterfinalist each of the past two years -- will open the season at 3 p.m. Friday at NCAA Division I member Nicholls State. Xavier's schedule includes eight dual matches against the NAIA preseason top 25, including No. 2 Auburn Montgomery, No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, Lindsey Wilson and No. 8 Cumberland.

The home opener for both Xavier teams will be Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. against city rival Loyola at the XU Tennis Center. Those duals were pushed back from Saturday.

Defending champion Embry-Riddle (Fla.) was unanimously chosen No. 1. It's the second consecutive year that the Eagles top the preseason rankings.

The top 25:

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

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Winston-Salem State Announces 2014 Football Schedule

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics has released its 2014 football schedule. Winston-Salem State finished 10-2 in 2013, and made its third consecutive trip to the NCAA DII playoffs. The schedule features two opponents that made the 2013 NCAA DII playoffs and another challenging Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association schedule of games.

Winston-Salem State University will open the 2014 season at home in Bowman Gray Stadium against 2013 playoff participant, the UNC Pembroke Braves on September 6th. The Braves defeated the Rams to open the 2013 season in Pembroke before WSSU went on to win 10 games in a row before losing in the playoffs. UNCP was a 2013 NCAA DII playoff participant. Winston-Salem State holds a 3-1 season lead over the Braves.

The following week, September 13, 2014, The Rams will take to the road to face Valdosta State University at Cantrell Stadium on the campus of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA. The game will be a rematch of the 2012 NCAA DII National Championship game that saw the Blazers defeat the Rams 35-7. Valdosta State holds a 1-0 series lead over the Rams.

WSSU will return home for the third week of the season, as they will host the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University at Bowman Gray Stadium. The September 20th matchup will be a rematch of the 2013 Cleveland Classic that saw the WSSU Rams defeat Tuskegee 35-13. The Golden Tigers were a 2013 NCAA DII playoff participant for the first time. Tuskegee holds a 2-1 series lead over the Rams.

"Our first three games will be a big challenge for the program in the non-conference portion of the schedule", says head coach Kienus Boulware. All of these schools that have played in the NCAA playoffs within the past couple season, but we look forward to the tough challenge", stated Boulware.

Winston-Salem State will open conference play on September 27th, when the Rams will host the Vikings of Elizabeth City State University at Bowman Gray Stadium. Winston-Salem State has won four games in a row in the series, and holds a 38-15-2 series advantage over the Vikings.

As the month of October rolls around, the Rams will hit the road for consecutive games. On October 4th, WSSU will travel to Murfreesboro, N.C. to take on the Hawks of Chowan University. The Rams have won consecutive games over Chowan in the series, and lead the overall series by that 2-0 margin.

"Elizabeth City and Chowan and are back on our CIAA conference schedule.  We have played them before but will have to; and ECSU has a powerful running game, but Chowan has a high powered passing attack, so we will have to adjust our focus for teams that have different styles", added Boulware.

The following week, October 11th, WSSU will travel to Charlotte, N.C. to face the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith. The Rams has won 13 consecutive games over the Golden Bulls, including a 44-17 win in 2013. Winston-Salem State leads the series record against the Golden Bulls, 40-21-4.

The Rams will return home to the friendly confines of Bowman Gray Stadium on October 18th for Homecoming 2014, as the WSSU Rams will host St. Augustine's University. WSSU has won two straight in the series and holds a slight 13-11-2 overall series record against the Falcons.

WSSU will finish up the month of October by hosting the Livingstone College Blue Bears on October 25th for Senior Day at Bowman Gray Stadium.  Winston-Salem State has won 11 consecutive games versus the Blue Bears, including this past season's 40-0 win. WSSU holds a 37-11-1 series advantage over Livingstone.

November 1st, Winston-Salem State will travel to Raleigh, N.C. to take on the Bears of Shaw University. The Rams have won three straight versus Shaw including this past season's tilling 28-24 win. WSSU leads the series 10-7-2.

Winston-Salem State will wrap up the regular season will a CIAA showdown against Fayetteville State on November 8th. The Rams have won five consecutive versus the Broncos, including this season's 28-14 win. The Rams lead the series 46-13-3.

"Being on the road for the final two CIAA games will be challenging for us.  Fayetteville State is never an easy environment to play in and Shaw is always a tough challenge", Boulware concluded.  "Both Shaw and Fayetteville State played us very tough last season at home, and we know that going on the road will be a test for us."

2014 Winston-Salem State University Schedule

Date Opponent Time
September
Sat 6 UNC Pembroke 6:00 PM
Sat 13 at Valdosta State   TBA
Sat 20 Tuskegee TBA
Sat 27 Elizabeth City State* 6:00 PM
 
October
Sat 4 at Chowan * TBA
Sat 11 at Johnson C. Smith * TBA
Sat 18 St. Augustine's * Homecoming 1:30 PM
Sat 25 Livingstone * 1:30 PM

November
Sat 1 at Shaw * TBA
Sat 8 at Fayetteville State * TBA
Sat 15  CIAA Championship Game
 
Home games in bold.
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Game

COURTESY WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Davis Pushes NCCU To Last Second Victory Over MSU

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  With the hoop and harm by junior Racquel Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) at the six second mark, the North Carolina Central University women's basketball team (8-11, 3-3 MEAC) pulled off the 50-48 victory over the Morgan State Lady Bears (2-17, 0-6 MEAC), as the Lady Eagles finished 2-2 during their four-game road stand on Monday, Jan. 27 in McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium.

Down by one with 25 seconds left in the game, junior Khyra Conerly (Oakland, Calif.) dished to Davis on the block. After missing her first shot attempt as the clocked ticked, Davis collected her own offensive rebound and fired a second shot, counting the basket, and earning a foul from MSU's Britashia Burns.

The made bucket put the Lady Eagles back up by one and Davis' fourth made shot from the foul line sealed the two-point lead for NCCU with six seconds left on the game clock.



Davis earned her eighth double-double of the season with a team second-best 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from the charity stripe while pulling down a game-best 11 boards and also collecting three steals.

Senior Jessica Freeman (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a game-high 20 points during the Lady Eagle victory, pulled down an additional seven boards, dished two helpers and grasped two steals while Conerly added 10 NCCU points.

Never earning a lead during the first half of action, the Lady Eagles took a five-point shortage into the locker room at the half, trailing the Lady Bears, 30-25.

MSU pulled ahead by as many as ten during the second twenty minutes of play before Freeman knocked down two free throws with 6:14 left in the game, giving NCCU its first lead of the contest.

The lead shifted back and forth four more times during the final six minutes of action before Davis' extra point gave the Lady Eagles the two-point conference victory over the Lady Bears, 50-48.

Tracey Carrington led MSU with 18 points while Dinah Jones pulled down a Lady Bears best seven rebounds.

As a team, NCCU shot 16-for-47 from the field (34.0%), 1-for-6 from behind the arc (16.7%) and 17-for-26 from the free throw line (65.4%) while pulling down 40 boards, dishing nine assists, and collecting two blocks and seven steals.

The Lady Eagles hit the road for a weekend Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series at Howard in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Feb. 1 and at Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Md., on Feb. 3.

Box Score 

Written By Andrea Wheeler, Assistant Sports Information Director

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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Comeback win puts N.C. Central atop the MEAC

DURHAM, North Carolina  — N.C. Central snatched control of its postseason destiny with a razor-thin comeback win against Morgan State in front of a McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium crowd that gave the Bears an earful.

The 53-52 victory put the Eagles in first-place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That potentially bodes well for seeding purposes in the MEAC Tournament, from which the winner gets the league’s lone berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Morgan State led by 13 points early in the second half.

Then NCCU started chopping wood.

“We came in here and got punched in the mouth early,” NCCU coach LeVelle Moton said. “We got punched in the mouth, again. Sometimes to win a championship you’ve got to prove that you can take a punch.”

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