2015 SWAC Baseball Tournament Recap

May 13-17, 2015 • New Orleans, La.
MLB Urban Youth Academy • Wesley Barrow Stadium

TOURNAMENT BRACKET | ALL-SWAC BASEBALL TEAMS | TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
TOURNAMENT NOTES | 2015 TOURNAMENT STATISTICS | CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
LIVE AUDIO (SWAC DIGITAL NETWORK) | MEDIA CREDENTIAL REQUESTS

GM	MATCH-UP	TIME/RESULT	COVERAGE
WEDNESDAY - MAY 13
1	#2 Southern def. #3 Jackson State	10 - 5	RECAP | PHOTOS
2	#3 Grambling State def. #2 Alabama A&M	8-3	RECAP | PHOTOS
3	#1 Alabama State def. #4 Prairie View A&M	5-4	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
4	#1 Texas Southern def. #4 Alcorn State	5-2	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
THURSDAY - MAY 14
5	#3 Jackson State vs.#4 Prairie View A&M	9 a.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
6	#2 Alabama A&M vs. #4 Alcorn State	Noon	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
7	#2 Southern vs. #1 Alabama State	3 p.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
8	#3 Grambling State vs. #1 Texas Southern	6 p.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
FRIDAY - MAY 15
9	Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 5	9 a.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
10	Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8	Noon	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
11	Winner Game 7 vs. WInner Game 9	3 p.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
12	Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 8	6 p.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
SATURDAY - MAY 16
11b	Winner 11 vs. Loser 11 (if necessary)	Noon	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
12b	Winner 12 vs. Loser 12 (if necessary)	3 p.m.	LIVE STATS | AUDIO
SUNDAY - MAY 17
13	Bracket A Winner vs. Bracket B Winner	2 p.m. (ESPNU)	LIVE STATS | AUDIO | ESPN3

Tournament Information

When: May 13-17, 2015
Where: Wesley Barrow Stadium (New Orleans, La.)
Admission: General Daily $10 | General Tournament $35

The 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament takes place May 13-17 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the MLB Urban Youth Academy's Wesley Barrow Stadium.  This is the second year the tournament is being held at the Urban Youth Academy.

The top four finishers from the Eastern and Western Divisions qualify for the SWAC baseball tournament.  The team with the highest winning percentage during conference play is the regular season divisional champion and receives the number one seed.

Last year, Jackson State claimed its second consecutive title after defeating Alabama State 9-8.  The 2015 baseball championship game will be broadcast live on ESPNU with a tape delayed replay on ESPN3.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Abbes, Gold Nuggets topple Baranova, Lady Bison

MOBILE, Alabama -- On a hellaciously humid hump day during the second round of the NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship, Xavier University of Louisiana sophomore Nour Abbes was the hottest of all.

Abbes rallied from a 4-1 first set deficit, won the final 11 games and defeated Oklahoma Baptist's Anastasia Baranova 6-4, 6-0 Wednesday in a matchup of the NAIA's top two singles players. Abbes scored the fourth point for the Gold Nuggets in their 5-1 dual-match victory.

Xavier (16-9), seeded and ranked fifth, reached the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year. The Gold Nuggets will play fourth-seeded SCAD Savannah at 1 p.m. Thursday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center.

Abbes, Brion Flowers and Brandi Nelson won in doubles and singles for Xavier. The Gold Nuggets won 2-of-3 doubles matches, won three singles matches and led in all three uncompleted singles matches.

Abbes, ranked first in NAIA singles, said she wasn't concerned about her early deficit.

"I just needed to get back on my game," Abbes said. "It had been a while since I played someone who hit the ball that hard. Once I got used to her rhythm, it was good."

Abbes beat Baranova for the second time this season. The other was 6-1, 6-4 Oct. 11 in the NAIA final of the USTA / ITA National Small College Championships at Sumter, S.C.

Abbes and Carmen Nelson, Brandi's older sister, scored the first point of the dual when they defeated Olivia Charvat and Ashley Abbe 8-3 at the second doubles flight. Flowers and Brandi Nelson made it 2-0 when they beat Kathryn Sild and Alex Morales 8-5 at No. 3.

Brandi Nelson scored the Nuggets' first singles point, a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Sild in which Nelson rallied from a 3-0 second-set deficit. After Abbes closed out Baranova, Flowers clinched with her most decisive victory since early March, 6-1, 6-0 against Morales.

Temperatures at mid-afternoon were in the upper 80s, and the heat index was in the low 90s. But the Nuggets didn't wilt.

"It's good that we practice in New Orleans, because the weather is about the same here," Abbes said. "We came in ready for this. It was more mental than physical."

Oklahoma Baptist, ranked and seeded 12th, finished 13-9. OBU's point came from Baranova and Katheryn Shkot, the NAIA's top-ranked doubles team. They beat Caroline Vernet and Simone-Alyse Ewell 8-1.

The Lady Bison will compete in NCAA Division II next season.

The Gold Nuggets will attempt to reach the national semifinals for the third consecutive year. Their next opponent, SCAD Savannah, advanced by beating 13th-seeded Concordia (Calif.) 5-0.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Southern loses pitcher Tyler Robinson ahead of SWAC tournament

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- After a tumultuous regular season for the Southern baseball team, the Jaguars will travel to New Orleans for the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament without one of their top pitchers.

Freshman Tyler Robinson was ruled academically ineligible after falling below the required 12 hours for student-athletes as Southern heads into the conference tournament Wednesday. The Jaguars will open play in the double-elimination event with two-time defending tournament champion Jackson State at 9 a.m. at Wesley Barrow Stadium.

“Certainly we’re going to have to go a different route than we planned to,” Southern coach Roger Cador said Monday. “When the team is depending on someone and they’re not around, it does a disservice to the team. We’re hoping now the next guy steps up and does the job.”

Cador said he had not decided who will take Robinson’s spot in the rotation. Robinson (5-1) was second among Southern starters with a 3.18 ERA. He allowed 33 runs on 69 hits while striking out 30 batters.

CONTINUE READING

Rick Cleveland: Whitney was a Mississippi trailblazer

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi -- This would have been March, 1974. Mississippi Coliseum was so packed the fire marshals had locked the doors. If Jackson State defeated Alcorn State, the Tigers were going to the NIT, which was a huge deal 41 years ago.

The Tigers had the Short brothers, Eugene and Purvis, who would go on to be NBA first-round draft choices. Alcorn had an elfish looking little coach named Davey Whitney and a bunch of no-named players from backwoods Mississippi.

The JSU Tigers never knew what hit them. Alcorn came out in a swarming, full-court press. It seemed as if there were 10 of them on the court. It was 48-13, Whitney’s guys, before you knew it. Up in the rafters, Alcorn fans thundered the question: “Who ‘dat say they gonna beat them Braves? WHO DAT? WHO DAT?” Jackson State eventually made a game of it, but did not make the NIT.

Whitney, who died Sunday at 85, won 566 college basketball games. He was a Kentucky native and a Mississippi trailblazer. He changed the sport forever in his adopted home state. He will be remembered as one of Mississippi’s greatest coaches in any sport at any level.

CONTINUE READING

NCCU players fighting dismissals

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Tia Clement and Imani Atkinson, two of the three N.C. Central women’s basketball players who had their scholarships taken away last month, are fighting to reverse the decision legally.

Both players’ families have hired an attorney and are claiming their daughters are being wrongfully punished for their sexual harassment complaints against former NCCU associate head coach Ronnie Enoch.

Enoch is no longer employed by the school, NCCU spokeswoman Ayana Hernandez told the Herald-Sun April 30. Enoch was investigated by the school following a complaint from Tonya Kirkpatrick, Atkinson’s mother. Kirkpatrick received a text message from another parent that said Enoch had harassed her daughter, and Kirkpatrick reported the possible misconduct to the school.

NCCU athletics director Ingrid Wicker-McCree and other NCCU officials, including head coach Vanessa Taylor and Enoch, did not ...

CONTINUE READING

Former Ravens (Alabama State) linebacker Nigel Carr's Super Bowl XLVII ring auctioned off for $43,560

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Former Ravens practice squad linebacker Nigel Carr's Super Bowl XLVII ring was sold in an online auction for $43,560, according to Goldin Auctions.

The sale includes a letter of authenticity from Carr.

Former Ravens running backs Jamal Lewis and Damien Berry had Super Bowl rings previously auctioned by Goldin Auctions for $50,000 and $43,000, respectively.

Carr was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Ravens out of Alabama State in 2012 and was cut during training camp and then signed to the practice squad.

He hasn't played in the NFL since ...

CONTINUE READING 

Bethune-Cookman women claim record 12th title at 29th PGA Minority Collegiate Championship

2015 PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship Sunday Photo Gallery

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – Bethune-Cookman University raised the bar it has set in women’s golf by earning a record 12th title, while Alabama State University’s men’s quintet captured its first team crown Sunday in the 29th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship at PGA Golf Club.

Bethune-Cookman, behind senior Jennifer Hide’s closing 2-under-par 70, recorded an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship by a 33-stroke margin over the University of Houston-Victoria. The Wildcats finished their three days’ work on the Ryder Course with a total of 880.

“It never gets old to win the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship,” said Bethune-Cookman Head Coach and PGA Professional Loritz "Scooter” Clark. “I was glad that we had a little bit of a comfortable lead for once. We’ll celebrate today and look to hopefully repeat next year.”

Hide, a 21-year-old senior from Norfolk, England, had a 70, and 3-over-par 219 total, to lead the Wildcats.

“We work for this tournament throughout the year, and when we get here, we know that we have made the right preparations,” said Hide. “I really liked this course; it’s my favorite course to play.”

Alabama State entered the Division I men’s final round with a 14-stroke cushion over Florida A&M University, and finished at 893, seven strokes better than University of Incarnate Word of San Antonio, Texas. Tennessee State was third at 910, followed by Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M, which tied for fourth at 912.

The Hornets were led by Canadians Branson Ferrier, the Division I medalist, and Francis Bethiaume. Ferrier posted a 2-under-par 70 that included six birdies and two double bogeys, for a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 206. Berthiaume, a junior from Montreal, closed with a 71 for insurance, while teammates Andrei Collins of Trinidad-Tobago (80) and Jose Rodriguez of Puerto Rico (80) struggled coming in.

“It feels great after being here several years and being so close before, with some seconds and thirds, to finally win,” said Alabama State Assistant Head Coach Robert Clark. “As a PGA Professional, this means a lot for our program, for our kids and for our school.

“Branson is a very good player. He has aspirations of playing on the PGA Tour one day, and if he continues to work at his golf maturity, I think he will get there.”

University of Houston-Victoria sophomore Heather Shake of Pearland, Texas, fired a 67 to finish at 4-under-par 212 to claim her second-consecutive Division I medalist honor. The 20-year-old earned a berth in next week’s Symetra Tour’s Mission Health Wellness Classic at the Country Club of Asheville in North Carolina.

“It’s really cool to win here again,” said Shake. “Before I came here, I was struggling with striking the ball but something just clicked, and I finally got to throwing darts. I had problems putting yesterday, but thankfully, I got it back. I love this golf course; it sets up perfect for my game.”

Alabama State’s national champions traveled 10½ hours by bus from the campus in Montgomery, Alabama, to PGA Golf Club. “I had a birthday on the way down,” joked Clark. “Well, it felt like a birthday, because it was a long ride. Our expectations were high this week after having basically the same group last year.”

Cal State Dominguez Hills (Division II) and University of Texas at Brownsville (NAIA), the respective 36-hole division leaders, were declared champions when inclement weather forced a suspension of play at 2:51 p.m. Championship officials determined that both divisions would not have been able to complete their final rounds.

Cal State Dominguez Hills of Carson, California, had a 611 total, one stroke better than Texas A&M International.

The University of Texas at Brownsville had cruised to a 31-stroke lead over University of Houston-Victoria after two rounds, with a 4-under-par 580 total.

Tiana Jones, now a freshman in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s PGA Professional Golf Management University Program, turned in a 72 and 223 total for a second straight Women’s Individual Invitational title. Last year, she was victorious while playing for South Carolina State University.

“I want to play on the LPGA Tour, and also want to own my own academy and build my own golf course, and give back to the community,” said Jones. “I want to see more African-Americans in golf.”

Cathleen Wong of Florida Gulf Coast University and Grace Chua of the University of Delaware shared runner-up at 225.

LeMoyne-Owen College senior Dominique Worthen of Flint, Michigan, captured the Men’s Individual Invitational after a long journey. He lost a 2013 playoff while attending Texas Southern University, then was third last year. He held on Sunday for a 74 and 217 total, defeating Siyan Liu, a Palm Beach Atlantic University freshman from Beijing, China, by two strokes.

“It was tough for me today, but I knew if I could hit good drives, I could win,” said Worthen, who had a two-putt par on No. 18. “I borrowed my dad’s driver after the first round, and it feels good to win.”

The Championship featured 220 players representing 50 colleges and universities, 12 countries and two U.S. territories.

The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship has elevated golf in minority colleges and universities by providing opportunities for players to compete in a national championship. In 2006, the PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management by the National Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship Fund.

29th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship
PGA Golf Club - Ryder and Wanamaker Courses
Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Final Summary

Men’s Team Division I
1. Alabama State 301-291-301—893
Branson Ferrier 66-70-70—206
Francis Berthiaume 79-77-71—227
Andrei Collins 77-73-80—230
Ian Mmbando 79-75-83—237
Jose Rodriguez 86-73-80—239

2. University of the Incarnate Word 310-300-290—900
Austin Wylie 74-78-69—221
Kevin Smith 76-76-75—227
Christopher Martinez 83-73-74—230
Myles Dumont 77-75-79—231
Pedro Martinez 87-76-72—235

3. Tennessee State 308-305-297—910
Todd McGill 77-74-70—221
Andy Stout 73-74-77—224
Jermey Fultz 79-76-76—231
Matthew Campbell 79-81-74—234
Dallas Hill 84-82-83—249

T4. Bethune-Cookman 307-310-295—912
Ian Clark 74-77-73—224
Leon Fricker 76-79-75—230
Daniel Kovari 78-76-76—230
Jackson Kneeshaw 79-78-74—231
Alvaro Ramirez 84-79-73—236

T4. Florida A&M 299-307-306—912
Kevin Parker 76-75-71—222
LyRon Henderson 70-79-80—229
Omari Whitmore 78-76-82—236
Dennis Minefee 75-86-77—238
Anthony Phipps 84-77-78—239

T6. Chicago State 322-300-302—924
Dan Patkunas 81-70-76—227
Austin Egbers 78-75-74—227
David Keenan 78-77-76—231
Drew Vannoy 85-78-76—239
Miles Bailey 88-91-79—258

T6. North Carolina Central 322-311-291—924
Sumner Tate 81-77-71—229
Zane Lewis 82-76-74—232
Jordan Bohannon 82-78-72—232
Garreth Carpenter 78-84-74—236
Michael Wilson 81-80-82—243

8. Savannah State 313-308-315—936
Brandon Neals 74-79-73—226
Hayden Barrows 85-81-75—241
Scott Rogers 89-78-76—243
Riley Keagle 80-84-91—255
Travis Roe 74-70-NC—NC

9. University of Maryland Eastern Shore 312-317-311—940
Bryce Young 74-80-74—228
Norman Blanco 76-82-71—229
Demarkis Cooper 79-72-87—238
Timothy Mitchell 83-83-79—245

10. Texas Southern 319-318-308—945
Renior Knox 76-82-71—229
Jarett Croff 82-79-76—237
Thomas McLaughlin 84-76-79—239
Blake Lolato 81-81-82—244
Connor Mathers 80-92-86—258

11. Hampton 333-331-338—1002
Toiriste O'Neal 81-77-83—241
Kenneth Gaither 81-84-82—247
Dawson Hobbs 86-87-83—256
Arthur Davis 91-96-90—277
JeVon Bell 85-83-NC—NC

12. Prairie View A&M 354-329-320—1003
John Jones 91-78-75—244
Gabriel Hernandez 82-82-82—246
Jason Hudson 92-83-77—252
Harold Carter III 89-86-86—261
Vlryn Veal 95-87-89--271


Women’s Team Division
1. Bethune-Cookman 295-294-290--879
Jennifer Hide 78-71-70—219
Andrea Orozco 73-75-73—221
Patrizia Trevisan 73-74-74—221
Alice Plumb 77-74-73—224
Mackenzie Butzer 72-78-75—225

2. Houston-Victoria 303-310-300--913
Heather Shake 67-78-67—212
Rebecca Benchot 77-77-75—229
Brooke Brasseaux 81-78-78—237
Shelbi Vincent 80-77-80—237
Hayley Harris 79-83-81—243

3. Delaware State 312-313-307—932
Elaine Peete 74-73-79—226
Suchada Anusuriya 76-80-71—227
Samyra Lewis 82-76-83—241
Brooke Foster 81-84-78—243
Ireanna Peete 81-86-79--246

4. Texas Southern 315-310-309—934
Kassandra Rivera 73-73-69—215
Cherie Chua 79-76-76—231
Allison Flores 82-77-82—241
Carmen Gonzales 81-84-82—247
Jalyn Kuykendall 87-95-92—274

5. Chicago State 317-320-322—959
Fernanda Valdes Solis 75-77-73—225
Talialaina Letoi 77-80-85—242
Taneka Sandiford 83-81-79—243
Pia Serrano 82-82-86—250
TiAnna Ford 86-107-85--278

6. Hampton 314-323-325—962
Cheryl Chua 71-76-75—222
Britney Smith 79-76-74—229
Zora Moore 77-82-81—240
Milan James 90-89-95—274
Treliah Samuels 87-91-96--274

7. Texas A&M International 344-323-334—1001
Begona Aranguren 80-77-71—228
Sasha Linauskas 84-77-84—245
Abigail Palacios 88-86-89—263
Hannah Jiao 92-83-90—265
Amber Lopez 97-96-94--287

8. Texas at Brownsville 345-330-335—1010
Veronika Vasquez 82-77-80—239
Deanna Portillo 82-81-86—249
Angela Zepeda 86-82-89—257
Leanna Saenz 95-90-80—265

9. Lincoln 352-367-371—1090
Sophia Pardalos 82-86-83—251
Mackenzie Wilson 84-92-93—269
Lauren McHenry 86-94-94—274
Hanna Berendzen 100-95-101—296

Women’s Individual Invitational
1. Tiana Jones, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 73-78-72--223
T2. Cathleen Wong, Florida Gulf Coast University 72-78-75--225
T2. Grace Chua, University of Delaware 73-75-77--225
4. Adriana Trevino, Texas Southern University 82-72-79--233
5. Rachele Orme, Savannah State University 75-81-78--234
6. Hillary Washington, Texas Southern University 82-81-79--242
7. Sydney Woolfolk, Savannah State University 80-84-81--245
8. Sierra Everson, University of Akron 87-85-76--248
9. Jocelyn Williams, Savannah State University 84-89-84--257
10. Iyana Monagan, Delaware State University 88-89-85--262
11. Taylor Schwarz, Northern Kentucky University 96-87-89--272
12. Briana Trevino, Texas Southern University 100-84-91--275

Men’s Team Division II
reduced to 36 holes due to inclement weather
1. Cal State Dominguez Hills 306-305—611
Bret Gleason 76-74—150
Ryan Saldana 78-73—151
Brantly Blew 80-77—157
Shane Kowal 77-81—158
Cameron MacDonald 75-83—158

2. Texas A&M International 312-300—612
Steven Martinez 75-71—146
Sammie Goldfarb III 77-74—151
Rogelio Jimenez 78-78—156
Andres Aranguren 82-77—159
Zachary Jackson 83-78—161

3. Livingstone College 308-320—628
Phillip Harrison 71-77—148
Telvin Walker 77-82—159
Harry Standberry 79-81—160
Lennoris Williams 81-80—161
Stephen Washington 81-82—163

4. Lincoln 319-320—639
Blake Lammers 71-75—146
Cody Shaw 82-78—160
Austin Ruediger 81-80—161
Drew Geritz 85-87—172

5. Fayetteville State 317-330—647
Jared Chinn 72-77—149
Brandon Jobe 75-77—152
Christopher Jackson 81-79—160
Cameron Hughes 89-97—186
Corbin Rascoe NC-NC—NC

6. Benedict College 333-315—648
Kelly Allen 76-78—154
Rajai Cousley 84-75—159
Eddie Smith 83-83—166
Marques Edwards 90-79—169
Rhalston Jones 90-84—174

7. Morehouse College 320-332—652
Justin McElderry 81-80—161
Tommy Swearingen 81-81—162
Harvey Allen 79-83—162
Anthony Body 79-88—167
Caleb May 88-90—178

8. Miles College 352-332—684
Jacob McCurry 79-72—151
Vitthal Parker 83-87—170
Khaliq Dansby 89-86—175
Michael Fegan 101-87—188
Marcel Pickett 122-122—244

9. LeMoyne-Owen College 436-514—950
Darryl Lewis 101-98—199
Anthony Smith 95-107—202
Kemario Davis 115-158—273
Kevon Eskridge 125-151—276
Christian Coburn NC-NC—NC

Men’s Team NAIA
reduced to 36 holes due to inclement weather
1. Texas at Brownsville 285-295—580
Saad Milan 71-73—144
Angel Aguirre 71-73—144
Gage Murphy 70-75—145
Justin Kitten 73-76—149
Stevan Hinojosa76-74—150

2. Houston-Victoria 300-311—611
Vance Edwards 70-74—144
Will Hicks 73-82—155
Steven Jones 80-76—156
Cristian Esparza 77-79—156
Jake Truss NC-82—NC

3. Edward Waters College 315-306—621
Guido Vidotto 75-73—148
Bartosh Kaminski 77-79—156
Alvin Vicioso 82-75—157
Robel Woldagriel 81-79—160

4. Haskell Indian Nations 316-324—640
William Wilson 74-78—152
Deryk Speck 82-80—162
Josiah Kurley 78-84—162
Joshua Little Axe 82-86—168
Trevor Pueblo 87-82—169

Men’s Individual Invitational
1. Dominique Worthen, LeMoyne-Owen College 76-67-74—217
2. Siyan Liu, Palm Beach Atlantic University 76-69-74—219
3. Nqobani Ndabambi, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 75-79-71—225
T4. Benjarong Murray, Palm Beach Atlantic University 72-79-76—227
T4. Matthew Chen, Florida Gulf Coast University 77-77-73—227
6. Will Smart II, Alabama A&M 76-76-76—228
T7. Danny De Los Santos, Mississippi Gulf Coast 76-73-80—229
T7. John Hulede, Towson University 77-80-72--229
T7. Joseph Stills, University of West Florida 76-77-76--229
T7. William Wells, Texas Southern University 81-71-77--229
T11. Victor Choi, Clemson University 75-83-73--231
T11. Luther Thompson II, Meridian Community College 83-74-76--233
13. William White, Elizabeth City State University 87-74-74--235
14. William Godfrey, Francis Marion University 78-79-80--237
T15. Gavin Parker, Campbell University 78-77-84--239
T15. Martre Lind, Texas Southern University 81-81-77--239
T17. Curtis Vinson, Elizabeth City State University 79-84-82--245
T17. Josiah Brown, Texas Southern University 83-80-82--245
T19. Jahmar Seltzer, Allegany College of Maryland 85-79-82--246
T19. Matthew Dismuke, Universlty of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 82-81-83--246
21. Taylor Nelson, Virginia Union University 77-83-88--248
T22. Daniel Castano, Methodist University 88-82-85--255
T22. Robert Calvin Mason, Johnson C. Smith University 92-84-79--255
24. Brencis Stanford, Johnson C. Smith University 86-85-85--256
25. Michael Harden, Clemson University 89-88-80--257
T26. Joshua Steger, Johnson C. Smith University 89-83-86--258
T26. Luis Colon, Texas Southern University 86-80-92--258
T28. Dominique Johnson, Allegany College Of Maryland 84-84-91--259
T28. Josiah Singletary, Methodist University 88-87-84--259
30. Jordan Hall, Methodist University 88-90-83--261
31. Johanan Edmeade, Johnson C. Smith University 89-90-85--264
32. Brandon Bolling, Lewis University 89-95-85--269
33. Brandon Bailey, Virginia Union University 95-92-94--281
34. Eddie Crawford, Methodist University 105-96-91--292
Charles Griffin, Alabama State University 77-77-NC--NC
Kevin Lim, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 81-76-NC--NC
Kijontray McClay, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 86-86-NC--NC
Marquis Usher, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 85-96-NC--NC
Nivel Felicien, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 93-79-NC--NC
Patrick Harris, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 87-87-NC--NC
Phil Soo Kim, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 75-79-NC--NC

COURTESY Michael Abramowitz, The PGA of America

Marianna CB Pittman signs with FAMU

Pittman excelled in the classroom at Marianna High School with a 3.6 GPA and score of 24 on the ACT.

MARIANNA, Florida -- Shamari Pittman is staying in the Florida Panhandle for the next journey in his football career.

The Marianna High School cornerback signed his National Letter of Intent with Division 1 FCS school FAMU (Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University) on Monday afternoon in the school’s library.

When Pittman donned his orange FAMU Rattlers cap while surrounded by his schoolmates, coaches and family, he couldn’t help but reminisce.

“This is unreal. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was little,” Pittman said. “For it to finally happen is a dream come true.”

As a senior, Pittman recorded 74 tackles, nine pass deflections and two interceptions. Pittman selected FAMU, located in Tallahassee, over Webber International, Warner University, Huntingdon College, and the University of West Florida.

CONTINUE READING

XU Athletics Receives Numerous Honors at 2015 Commencement

Post-commencement photos

NEW ORLEANS — For the second consecutive year, 19 current and former student-athletes received degrees Saturday at Xavier University of Louisiana's 2015 commencement at the XU Convocation Center.
     
Also graduating were three student managers, four from spirit groups, one student trainer and two coaches employed by the athletics department.
     
Of the entire athletics-related group of 29, 14 graduated with honors.
     
Student-athletes graduating (with high schools in parentheses) were:

  •  Donyé Angelique Coleman, Snellville, Ga. (Shiloh), women's cross country and track and field, bachelor of science.
     •  Kerris Estelle Crier, Houston, Texas (Westfield), women's volleyball, bachelor of arts.
     •  Nicole Kefiloe Camille DeLoach, Fort Washington, Md. (Bishop McNamara), women's tennis, bachelor of arts.
     •  Ryan Derek DeRousselle, Marrero, La. (Archbishop Shaw), men's basketball, bachelor of arts . . . cum laude.
     •  Emmanuel Detiege, New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin), men's cross country and track and field, bachelor of science . . . cum laude, honors in computer science and English.
     •  Loic Didavi, Cotonou, Benin (Lycée Jean Dautet, La Rochelle), men's tennis, bachelor of science.
     •  Chinedu Echebelem, Dallas, Texas (Duncanville), women's volleyball, bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude, honors in chemistry.
     •  Catherine Ann Fakler, Phoenix, Ariz. (Xavier College Prep), women's cross country and track and field, bachelor of arts . . . summa cumma laude, honors in English, history and theology, Rousseve Scholar.
     •  Anthony David Goode, Baltimore, Md.(Milford Mill Academy), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Jordyn Angelle Goody, Lake Charles, La. (St. Louis Catholic), women's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . magna cum laude, honors in English, philosophy and theology.
     •  Kourtney Nicole Howell, Cypress, Texas (Cypress Woods), women's tennis, bachelor of science . . . honors in mathematics.
     •  Kwame Nadir Jackson, Kingwood, Texas (Kingwood Park), men's cross country and track and field, bachelor of science.
     •  Schyler Anne Morton, New Orleans, La. (Ursuline Academy), women's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Carmen Alyce Nelson, Jonesboro, Ga. (Faith Academy), women's tennis, bachelor of arts.
     •  Matthew Joseph Pieri, New Orleans, La. (Brother Martin), men's cross country and track and field, doctor of pharmacy . . . cum laude.
     •  Olivier Siewe, Douala, Cameroon (Piney Woods), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Viktor Svoboda, Kamenice, Czech Republic (Vitezna Plan ), men's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . honors in English.
     •  Vincent Turner, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Hali Yarmush, Houma, La. (Ellender), women's cross country and track and field, bachelor of arts.
     Student-managers graduating were:
     •  Jamie Bolden, women's basketball, bachelor of science . . . summa cum laude, honors in chemistry.
     •  Amanda Copeland, men's basketball, bachelor of science.
     •  Anthony Lotten, women's basketball and men's and women's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . magna cum laude, honors in English and history.
     Spirit group members graduating were:
     •  Chanarion Arnold, Gold Star dance team, bachelor of science.
     •  Antoinette Bell, Golden Girls pom squad, bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude, honors in biology, history and theology.
     •  Ivyanne London, Gold Star dance team, bachelor of science . . . summa cum laude, honors in business.
     •  Mia Raspberry, Golden Girls pom squad, bachelor of science.
     Also graduating were:
     •  Brittney Nicole Johnson, women's volleyball graduate assistant coach, doctor of pharmacy . . . summa cum laude.
     •  Brittney Nicole Lewis, student trainer, bachelor of arts.
     •  Lashira Marie Williams, women's volleyball volunteer assistant coach, doctor of pharmacy . . . cum laude.
     
Xavier is one of 40 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2015 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Xavier's intercollegiate teams compete in the NAIA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.
     
NOTES:  Nelson is the only 2015 graduate still competing for Xavier. She will play No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles Wednesday in the round of 16 at the NAIA National Championships in Mobile, Ala. The Gold Nuggets' opponent will be Oklahoma Baptist or SCAD Atlanta . . . Fakler will pursue her master's and doctorate in literature from the University of Arizona . . . Echebelem will begin classes in July at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and concentrate on pediatric anesthesiology . . . Arnold will pursue a master's of public health from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. . . . Bell will attend University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts . . . London will pursue a master's of accounting from Tulane University in New Orleans.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Drive for 5 Succeeds; XU Wins GCAC All-Sports Award Again

NEW ORLEANS — The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference announced Monday that Xavier University of Louisiana won the Thomas Howell Cup, the GCAC's all-sports award, for the fifth consecutive year.

The Thomas Howell Cup, named for the GCAC's longtime commissioner, is awarded annually to the school with the most points based on order of finish in various sports. Xavier was boosted by GCAC championships in men's cross country, women's cross country, women's volleyball (regular season and tournament), and women's outdoor track and field. All four XU teams successfully defended their championships of the previous year.

Xavier and Edward Waters finished 1-2 in the Thomas Howell Cup standings for the third consecutive year. Xavier scored 38 points, and Edward Waters scored 30. Following those schools were Dillard with 26 points, SUNO with 24, Talladega with 20, Philander Smith and Tougaloo with 14 apiece and Voorhees with 12.

"We are very proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes and coaching staff," XU Director of Athletics and Recreation Jason Horn said. "This is truly a team effort. Our student-athletes work daily in the classroom and in competition to be the best. We have a solid foundation, and our coaches continue to work tirelessly to build on that foundation by recruiting the best to graduate with a Xavier degree and win championships."

Xavier is No. 2 all-time in Thomas Howell Cups won with five. Former member Mobile leads with 18.

Xavier is one of 40 U.S. colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2015 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

Thomas Howell Cup 2014-15 Standings
No. School Points
1. Xavier 38
2. Edward Waters 30
3. Dillard 26
4. SUNO 24
5. Talladega 20
6. (tie) Philander Smith 14
6. (tie) Tougaloo 14
8. Voorhees 12

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/

Behind the Line: From TSU to the NFL

OL Coach Russ Ehrenfeld

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- “I don’t think I do anything different than anyone else,” Tennessee State offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld admitted when asked about his coaching philosophy. If it isn’t that, then there must be something in the water on the TSU campus to explain what happened on May 2, when a pair of former Big Blue linemen were selected in the NFL Draft.

Robert Myers was taken in the fifth round (No. 176) by the Baltimore Ravens and the Oakland Raiders drafted Anthony Morris in the seventh (No. 218) to give TSU more draft picks than any other team in the FCS including defending National Champion North Dakota State.

For Myers, being drafted was almost a foregone conclusion. He was a preseason and postseason All-American, was one of the few FCS players to participate in the Senior Bowl and was invited to the NFL Combine.

Everyone thought that Myers would be selected somewhere, but his coach knew that Baltimore would take him before everyone else saw his name scroll across the screen on draft day.

“With Robert, I knew that the Ravens had a sincere interest in him. [Baltimore Offensive Line Coach Juan] Castillo sent me a text saying he was very high on Robert. The Ravens personnel said that they were really looking into drafting Robert in the fourth or fifth round, so when the fifth was winding down on draft day I told my daughter that this is where he was going to go. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened,” Ehrenfeld said.

Those talks between the two coaches came to fruition when the Ravens used the very last draft pick of the fifth round to take Myers. It was a compensatory pick Baltimore received when Michael Oher left the franchise, and the club made good use of the pick in selecting what could be its next unit stalwart.

For Morris, his road to the NFL was paved with slightly less gold as the Memphis native entered his senior season with only a couple of spot-starts. He then battled injuries in his final year, but cobbled together enough tape to send to scouts.

In hindsight, Morris might not have needed that tape because at six-foot-seven and 320 lbs., he was going to draw interest no matter what he was doing. Still, his collegiate coach had a plan for him, too.

“Mickey Marvin, the scout that covers the Raiders really fell in love with Anthony and he told me that more than once,” Ehrenfeld said.

Despite what Ehrenfeld may have heard, a team is only given so many draft picks, so Morris’s selection was still up in the air at the opening of the seventh round. The Raiders wasted no time on acting on their “love” and snatched up Morris with the very first pick of the round, much to the delight of Ehrenfeld.

“My wife sent me to Walmart to pick up some groceries and I had to stop first at a gas station. I was sitting in my car at the station and a friend of mine who works for another NFL team told me that Anthony had been drafted. I was shouting and pumping my fists, so if anybody saw me they would have thought that I was crazy.”

We may be the crazy ones for not seeing this coming.

The selections of Myers and Morris came on the heels of former TSU offensive linemen Kadeem Edwards and Demetrius Rhaney both being drafted in 2014. And those 2014 picks were preceded by two other TSU lineman signing pro deals in Rodgers Gaines and Sherman Carter.

So how do six offensive linemen from an FCS Historically Black College get picked up by pro teams in the span of three years?

“Kadeem and Rhaney saw what Sherman and Rodgers did. Then Robert and Anthony saw what Kadeem and Rhaney did. So they have learned from the past and each year the new group wants to carry the torch and do better than the last group,” Ehrenfeld said.

While the one-up philosophy does work, something had to happen to start the trend. The players all have one thing in common – they all learned and responded to Ehrenfeld’s no-nonsense coaching style.

“If you play for me, you are going to be coached hard. I won’t elaborate too much, but you are going to be pushed and I am very demanding, but that’s how I learned to coach,” Ehrenfeld said.

A 33-year vet of the coaching ranks, Ehrenfeld has seen it all. He has developed a rapport with players, coaches and especially the NFL scouts.

“Some of the same people who come to evaluate players are the same people that have been coming for the last 20 years. The scouts will ask me ‘how does player A from 20 years ago compare to player B today?’ I always give them a straight, honest answer,” Ehrenfeld said.

It helps when you have many successful players to compare including names like Cornelius Lewis (Colts), Cecil Newton (Ravens), Bennie Anderson (Ravens), Michael Thompson (Falcons), Lawrence Smith (Bills) and Antoine McNutt (Rhein Fire). Ehrenfeld’s success at churning out a string of pro products at Tennessee State has not gone unnoticed; just go out to a practice and look over at his unit.

“It’s kind of neat when we come out for a practice and there are seven scouts looking at one position group. The players see that and it motivates them to play well.”

That “neat”-ness has paid dividends for TSU over the past two years to the tune of four draft picks. It has also helped the players make a name for themselves even as underclassmen.

“After Robert’s sophomore season, a New Orleans Saints scout called me to talk about Gaines, and we started talking. He told me that we have a bunch of athletic guys, and he asked specifically about No. 70. I laughed and told him he’s just a sophomore, but the scout told me that he would be back.”

That scout was back along with ones from the other 31 NFL teams. The exposure and teaching that the TSU players received during their time does not go unnoticed and immediately after he was drafted, Morris said: “all the credit goes to Coach Ehrenfeld”.

“On draft day, Anthony shot me a text that basically said that same thing, and I have saved it. I am a very emotional person so when I saw it, I started crying. It meant so much to me that he would say what he said. It was very kind of him, but Anthony put the work in and busted his tail every day in practice and that’s why he is where he is right now,” Ehrenfeld said.

Where Morris is right now, is across the country chasing a dream that wouldn’t have been possible were it not for Ehrenfeld and TSU.

The difficulty of producing just one draft pick – let alone two – cannot be over
stated considering that the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee State, even with all of their resources did not produce a single selection.

“Truthfully, I really don’t care about those schools. I love Tennessee State and I love working for Coach Reed. It definitely fills me with pride to see guys that I have coached reach the highest level, but the most important thing for me is are they leaving TSU good people, good husbands, good fathers.”

So if the trend continues, this story should be revisited this time next year when TSU has two more offensive linemen achieve the honor of being selected in the NFL Draft.

“Shaq Anthony and James Lewis are our two seniors this year, so we will see…”

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2015 SWAC Baseball Tournament Bracket Released

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference officially released its 2015 baseball tournament bracket Monday.  Alabama State University and Texas Southern University earned the No. 1 seeds in the east and west after finishing 18-6 and 16-7, respectively, in conference play.  The tournament is in its 62^nd year and runs May 13-17 at the MLB Urban Youth Academy’s Wesley Barrow Stadium in New Orleans, La.

Below is a list of the tournament seeds.

East Division	West Division
1. Alabama State University	1. Texas Southern University
2. Alabama A&M University	2. Southern University
3. Jackson State University	3. Grambling State University
4. Alcorn State University	4. Prairie View A&M University

Day one begins at 9 a.m. with west division No. 2 Southern vs. east division No. 3 Jackson State and continues at noon when east division No. 2 Alabama A&M takes on west division No. 3 Grambling State.  The top seeds close out the day starting with Alabama State against west division No. 4 Prairie View A&M at 3 p.m. and finishing with Texas Southern vs. east division No. 4 Alcorn State.  

Fans can keep up with the action including the full tournament schedule on the baseball tournament central page.   

Click here to view the bracket.

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Former Alcorn State head coach Davey L. Whitney Sr. dies at 85

COACH DAVEY L. WHITNEY Sr.
National Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer
Courtesy: Alcorn State University Athletics 

BILOXI, Mississippi -- Before Coppin State in 1997 and Hampton in 2001, there was the 1980 Alcorn State Braves. That team became the first from an HBCU to win a game in the Division I NCAA tournament. Sunday it was announced by the school that the man who led that team, Davey “The Wiz” Whitney, passed away at 85 at his home in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Whitney led the Braves from 1969-89 and from 1996-2003, winning 566 games and 12 SWAC title during those years. Prior to taking over at Alcorn State, he was the head coach at Texas Southern from 1964-69. In that 1980 NCAA tournament appearance, Alcorn State beat South Alabama in the first round before falling to one-seed LSU in the second round.

Whitney was at the helm for all six of the program’s NCAA tournament appearances, the last of which coming in 2002. Whitney’s best player during his time at Alcorn State was forward Larry Smith, the leading scorer on that 1980 team, and he played 13 seasons in the NBA from 1981-93.

Whitney also played shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs, a Negro League baseball franchise, in the early 1950's. Whitney replaced the late Ernie Banks as the Monarchs' starting shortstop. Whitney held the position until he left the team in 1954 to coach high school basketball at Clarksville, Tenn.

"I had great times with the Monarchs," Whitney said after Banks' death in January. "Playing baseball helped me settle down and become a good coach. In baseball, you get a lot of streaks. You can win nine straight games or you can lose nine straight."

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/10/6220362/former-alcorn-basketball-coach.html#storylink=cpy

CONTINUE READING

HILLTOPPER FOCUS: Florida A&M graduate transfer guard Ruttley receiving interest from Western Kentucky University

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky -- Florida A&M graduate transfer guard Jermaine Ruttley told the Daily News on Sunday he's received interest from Western Kentucky since decommitting from Louisiana Tech.

WKU assistant coach Shawn Forrest was in touch Saturday with Ruttley, who reopened his recruitment after Louisiana Tech coach Mike White left for Florida.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior guard will be eligible to play immediately.

Ruttley, who went to North Hardin High School in Radcliff, averaged 17.4 points and 6.7 rebounds for FAMU last season. The Rattlers went 2-27.

He played one season at FAMU after spending two years at Kaskaskia (Ill.) Community College.

CONTINUE READING

Siewe takes long journey out of Africa, earns Xavier degree

By Richard Tucker
Xavier University of Louisiana Institutional Advancement

NEW ORLEANS — As a young boy growing up in the West African nation of Cameroon, Olivier Siewe cut a deal with the owner of a local bar in his hometown of Douala, trading used soda and beer bottles in exchange for the privilege of watching U.S. college basketball on the television set there.

Oh man, what he wouldn't give to be one of those basketball players.

There were, of course, more than a few obstacles standing in the way of that American dream. First he was in Cameroon, where basketball as a sport ranked only slightly higher than tug-of-war. As a result he had received no formal training in the sport and had no immediate prospects of getting any; in fact, his "learning" of the game consisted of playing pick-up games with a soccer ball on a concrete court.

Then there were his parents, who disapproved of the sport anyway, noting — correctly — that his obsession with basketball was interfering with his education. Last but not least, he spoke no English, only some French and this tribal Batoit.

Incredibly, fate took him by the hand one day, taking him down a long, winding road and through a chain of unlikely events that not only gave him the opportunity to play his beloved basketball, but today puts him on the cusp of making his even his fearful parents proud: earning a college degree and setting up what promises to be a bright future.

He'll receive his undergraduate degree in business/management during Xavier's 2015 commencement (Saturday, May 9) at the Convocation Center.

"It's been hard for me," admits Siewe. "I've had to prove myself to many people: my parents, my teachers, my coaches, my teammates, and my classmates."

His improbable success owes much to his friendly demeanor, his unwavering determination, his unflappable enthusiasm, and his ability to overcome cultural, language, and other barriers that might have curtailed a lesser individual. That said, Siewe would be among the first to acknowledge a series of guardian angels that have helped him along the way.

The first of those was Gilles Bouwe, his physical education coach in Douala, who recognized Siewe's underdeveloped potential and brought him to the attention of Lemuel Jones, a former Northwestern State University athlete and then athletic director/head coach at Piney Woods High School in Mississippi. Jones saw hidden talent there as well and offered Siewe a chance (and a scholarship) to play on his team back in the states.

It took some doing — his parents had to be assured that his academics would remain a priority and the Cameroon Embassy had to be convinced that the offer was legitimate — but soon Siewe was on his way to a new life in America. That was 2007, and he has not seen his parents or his eight brothers and sisters since.

At Piney Woods (a small boarding school with only 230 students) — under the watchful and skillful eye of Jones — basketball came easy. He was so impressive in his three years at the school that he drew some interest from the likes of Ole Miss and Mississippi State University.

Academics came much harder — the obvious roadblock being the language barrier. Here Siewe credits Jones' then-5-year-old stepdaughter, Shelisa Sutton, who helped him learn conversational English and spent countless hours coaxing him to read from her own books. He also received lots of help from his fellow classmates and teammates — both at Piney Woods and in college.

Cognizant that he was not really ready for the rigors of major Division I competition, Jones steered Siewe to much smaller Campbell University in North Carolina. Even there he failed to make the team. No longer in school and facing deportation, he caught another break when one of the coach's colleagues recommended him to the coach at Southern University in Shreveport, La. (where he subsequently played for two years), and then again to Xavier coach Dannton Jackson.

Starting Xavier as a junior, Siewe played on two Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship teams in 2012 and 2013, starting 28 of 32 games in his senior year. He never really blossomed into the star everyone hoped he could be — averaging just under three points and three rebounds a game — but no one ever questioned his effort.

"Olivier was a joy to coach," said Jackson, who thought enough of Siewe to keep him around as an undergraduate assistant for this past year's squad. "He had a lot to overcome, but he was dedicated and hard-working. He was a real asset to the team, even as an undergraduate assistant.

"If there were ever a student who fit the mission of St. Katharine Drexel 's vision, it would be Olivier. He has really beaten the odds."

While his athletic career had sort of plateaued, his academics prospects soared to new heights at Xavier. Finding a comfortable niche in the Division of Business, the passion he had once reserved for basketball was soon focused on marketing, sales, and business management.

"He is one of the most dedicated, hard-working, loving individuals I have come across in my time at Xavier," said XU business/management professor Dr. Cary Caro. "When you consider how he came to America — not speaking English, leaving behind his family and everything he knew — you can't help but admire his maturity and courage. His is an amazing story."

It's a story that continues. Not content with just one degree, Siewe, now 25, plans to stay at Xavier after graduation Saturday. He is just 18 hours short of earning a second degree — this one in psychology — and he doesn't want to leave that additional career option on the table.

"Xavier has just been simply amazing for me," said Siewe. "I am grateful for all the support that I have received and will leave here feeling confident that I am prepared for anything that awaits me in the future, wherever that may take me."

Ultimately he hopes to find work in international trade and commerce, where he thinks he can best utilize his management skills and maximize his extrovert personality. And while he hopes to stay in America in the short term, he can see himself returning to Cameroon at some point in the future.

"I'd like to go back to Douala someday and be a role model to the young kids who are there," he said. "I would like them to see that their dreams are possible."

By Richard Tucker
Xavier University of Louisiana Institutional Advancement

SC State University Graduation Highlights Student-Athletes

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- South Carolina State University held its 119th undergraduate commencement ceremony on Friday May 8, at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, and among those graduating were 40 SCSU student-athletes who completed their degrees during the 2014-15 academic year.

SC State student-athletes traditionally rank among the best in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with ninety-six (96) named to the MEAC Commissioner's Academic team in
2014.

Thirteen out of fourteen athletic teams at South Carolina State have posted record highs and met or exceeded the 930 NCAA Academic Performance Reporting (APR) multi-year benchmark as noted in the score report for the 2012-13 academic year.

During the academic year, SC State had over 100 student-athletes recognized for academic excellence and they were named to the Athletic Directors Honor Roll for having a 3.0 (G.P.A) or higher.

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Lady Rattlers Defeat B-CU: Repeat As MEAC Champions

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

ORMOND BEACH, Florida -- The Florida A&M Women’s Softball team captured the program’s 11th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title with a gutsy 2-0 victory over archrival Bethune-Cookman in the second and deciding game in the 2015 MEAC Tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

FAMU (18-37) won their second straight league title, after dropping the first game to Bethune-Cookman, 2-0.

“I’m so proud of our young ladies,” a beaming FAMU head coach Veronica Wiggins said after the game. “I told them after the first game to settle down and relax, because they seemed to be intimidated going into the first game.”

The only FAMU seeming not intimidated by the tension and high drama was sophomore pitcher Kenya Pereira (15-14), who turned in two complete games Saturday in her duel with Bethune-Cookman’s Sabrina Anguiano (18-25).

Pereira, who captured her second consecutive MEAC Tournament Outstanding Performer award, pitched out of several jams during both games, but particularly in the middle and late innings of Game Two, when the Wildcats got runners aboard and into scoring position.

FAMU took 1-0 lead in bottom of the second inning of Game Two, when Alyssa Weaver’s two out single drove in Miesha McBride, who reached on a leadoff single.

In the third, FAMU made it 2-0 when Denise Anderson lofted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Jessica Nathan, who reached on an error and advanced to third on a second B-CU miscue.

Pereira worked 14 complete innings Saturday, tossing a three-hitter in Game One, while scattering five hits in Game Two, running her career record in MEAC Tournament play to 8-1.

With Saturday’s title win, FAMU also lays claim to the MEAC’s NCAA Tournament bid, their sixth automatic appearance since 1999.

The NCAA will announce first and second round pairings during their Selection Show Sunday night at 10 p.m. on ESPN.

FAMU will host a viewing party at Buffalo Wild Wings on Magnolia Street starting at 9 p.m.

TOURNAMENT NOTES: FAMU’s Veronica Wiggins was named Outstanding Tournament coach for the ninth time Saturday, and four FAMU players were named All-Tournament including Pereira, Jessica Nathan, Alexsis Sandage and Miesha McBride.

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

OHS track standouts sign at Grambling State

OPELOUSAS, Alabama -- As Opelousas High track standouts Collins Roberts and Darrius Berard began examining options for college athletic careers, they sought programs with tradition and opportunity.

The two athletes found both at Grambling State University, where they recently signed scholarships they hope will prolong their track careers.

Roberts and Berard could also remain close as Tigers teammates as part of Grambling’s relay team.

The two on Thursday participated at a signing program in the Opelousas High gym along with head track coach Kenneth Winfrey and family members and friends.

CONTINUE READING

Ravens strike $2.625 million deal with fourth-round CB Tray Walker, sources say

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- The Ravens have struck a four-year, $2.625 million deal with cornerback Tray Walker, their fourth-round NFL draft pick, according to league sources.

The deal includes a $345,692 signing bonus. Walker is the first of the Ravens' nine draft picks to agree to terms.

Walker was regarded as an emerging draft prospect after not being invited to the NFL scouting combine, but performed well at the NFL super regional combine. He visited the Ravens before the draft.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound press corner also visited the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, according to sources. Walker had private workouts with the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans.



CONTINUE READING