ASU Wideout Williams returns in a big way

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State redshirt freshman wide receiver Joe Williams IV said his coaches wanted to make sure he was completely healthy before he returned to the field this spring.

Williams, who was hampered by a hamstring injury last season, looked pretty healthy on Saturday.

Williams caught three touchdown passes for 74 yards during Alabama State’s Black and Gold spring game at ASU Stadium.

“The coaches stayed on me about going to rehab and it paid off,” Williams said. “I feel very good now and it was very fun out there today.”

Williams caught touchdown passes of 17 and 27 yards from junior college transfer Jujuan Young-Battle in the first half.

“Joe’s a very good player,” Young-Battle said. “He’s been in the system and he’s a great asset to me. He knows where he needs to be and he knows where I’m looking for him to be.”

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Gold Nuggets win 4 events at GCAC Championships

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Chatters and Terri Cunningham repeated as champions, andDionysia Love won a pair of titles to lead Xavier University of Louisiana's women Saturday in the seventh annual Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Tad Gormley Stadium.
     
The Gold Nuggets, winner of the past three GCAC team titles and five of the previous six, finished third with 131 points. Dillard won the women's title with 176 points, and Edward Waters was second with 159.
     
In men's team scoring, Xavier placed fifth with 30 points. Edward Waters repeated as team champion with 200 points.
     
Chatters won the javelin on her final throw, 32.81 meters (107 feet, 8 inches). Cunningham won the high jump in 1.51 meters (4-11 1/2), a half-inch better than her 2015 mark. Love, one of six freshmen to score for the Gold Nuggets, won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the morning in 12 minutes, 44.70 seconds, then won the 5,000 late in the afternoon in 22:28.57.
     
Two XU freshmen finished second — Maliya Vaughan in the 1,500 (5:18.03) andBrianna Pace in the 5,000 (22.32.34).
     
The Gold Nuggets placed second in two relays (400 and 3,200) and third in the other (1,600). At 400 meters, Chelsea James, Destini Thomas, Alexis Milton and Martina Wrightproduced a school-record 47.04 seconds that met the A-qualifying standard for next month's NAIA National Championships. At 3,200 meters, an all-freshman quartet of Love,Chinyere Jones, Pace and Vaughan finished in 10:24.59. In the 1,600, Kailey Williams, Clarke Allen, Jones and Kayla Quincy produced a season-best 3:58.07.
     
Nuggets newcomers accounted for 80 points, nearly two-thirds of their team total. XU freshmen scored 70 1/2 points. Love (23 points), Vaughan (20) and Cunningham (15) were the Nuggets' leading scorers.
     
The Xavier men did not win any events but got a runner-up finish from freshmanKeairez Coleman in the triple jump (13.68 meters/44-10 3/4) and thirds from Christopher Kennie in the long jump (6.83/22-5) and Christopher August in the 1,500 (4:19.03). Coleman's mark is the best by a Gold Rush jumper in the last four seasons. Kennie's long jump was his best since 2013.
     
Coleman, the leading Gold Rush scorer with 10 points, placed sixth in the long jump (6.31/20-8 1/2) and shot put (10.20/33-5 3/4).
     
Xavier and SUNO were co-hosts of the GCAC Championships. Next competition for Xavier will be the HBCU National Classic May 13-14 at Huntsville, Ala.

SCSU Men's Tennis Claims 2016 MEAC Title

NORFOLK, Virginia --  The South Carolina State Bulldogs made it a clean sweep on Saturday as the men's tennis team captured the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men's Championship with a 4-0 victory over Florida A&M University at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

Earlier in the day South Carolina State's women's team won the championship also with a 4-0 sweep of Florida A&M.

"We've battled so many injuries this year," South Carolina State Head Coach Hardeep Judge said. "Everybody stepped up all year long. We played FAMU and it was a tough match in Tallahasse earlier in the year. We worked on a lot of things we needed to work on and I think that was the difference."

In doubles, the Bulldogs took victories at the top two lines to take the team point.   At number one, Jakub Vitek and Martin Figura defeated C. Agustin Waitman and Walner Espinoza 7-6 (7-5).  The number two line saw Vladyslav Yanchenko and Salih Gilmutdinovtook a 6-3 win over Courage Okungbowa and Illya Skoromnyy.  

South Carolina State scored wins at numbers one, two and five singles to finish off the sweep.  Yanchenko defeated Karlyn Small 6-3, 6-0 at number two and Aleksander Stuparknocked off Jalen Evans 6-4, 6-2 at number five.  Figura scored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Okungbowa at the top line for the clinching point.

The championship for the Bulldogs was the eighth in a row, 11^th in the last 12 completed tournaments and 14^thoverall.

With the win, South Carolina State (12-8) earned the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships.  The NCAA selection show will air on May 3 at 5:30 p.m. online at www.ncaa.com.

For more information about men's tennis, please visit www.meacsports.com.


Men's All-Tournament
Outstanding Performer: Jakub Vitek, South Carolina State
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge, South Carolina State

Doubles

#3	Alvaro Barrera/Pablo Lopez	Bethune-Cookman
#2	Salih Gilmutdinov/Vladyslav Yanchenko	South Carolina State
#1	Martin Figura/Jakub Vitek	South Carolina State

Singles

#6	Illya Skoromnyy	Florida A&M
#5	Alexander Stupar	South Carolina State
#4	Evan Ward	Morgan State
#3	Jakub Vitek	South Carolina State
#2	Vladyslav Yanchenko	South Carolina State
#1	Courage Okungbowa	Florida A&M

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SC State Captures 2016 MEAC Women's Tennis Title

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  The South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs clinched the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Women's Tennis Championship on Saturday morning with a 4-0 win over Florida A&M  at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of Old Dominion University.

South Carolina State Head Coach Hardeep Judge, the tournament's outstanding coach, was extremely proud of the championship effort put on by his squad.

"We knew we had to play hard," Judge said. "The last time we played them, it was a tough match, a 4-3 contest so we knew we had to jump on top them early. This championship was very special. I didn't coach the team last year and this year we started out 1-9. I kept telling the girls that I believe in you. They responded this weekend."

In doubles, South Carolina State won at number one and number three slots to earn the team point.  Intissar Rassif and Dakota Brown defeated Shantel Blackwood and Arrice Robinson 6-2 at the number one slot, while Andjela Vasic and Marketa Marcanikova won at number three over Elizabeth Clayton and Alexis Dean 6-4 for the team point.

The singles matches were highlighted by Rassif, who was named the Outstanding Performer of the tournament, winning at number one over Alexis Dean 6-0, 6-2.  Vasic defeated Olivia Rolle 6-3, 6-1 at number three singles to get the Lady Bulldogs to within a point of the championship.   Carla Petreanu won the tournament-clinching match defeating Clayton at number six singles 6-0, 6-4.

The tournament title was the first for South Carolina State since 2014 and they have now won 11 of the last 12 MEAC Championships and 12^th overall.

With the win, South Carolina State (8-10) earned the conference's automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships.  The NCAA selection show will air on May 3 at 5 p.m. online at www.ncaa.com.

For more information about women's tennis, please visit www.meacsports.com.

Women's All-Tournament Team
Outstanding Coach: Hardeep Judge                      South Carolina State
Outstanding Performer: Intissar Rassif                   South Carolina State

Doubles

#3	Marketa Marcanikova/Andjela Vasic	South Carolina State
#2	Dominique Henry/Olivia Rolle	Florida A&M
#1	Dakota Brown/Intissar Rassif	South Carolina State

Singles

#6	Elizabeth Clayton	Florida A&M
#5	Dakota Brown	South Carolina State
#4	Dominique Henry	Florida A&M
#3	Andjela Vasic	South Carolina State
#2	Matea Roki	Bethune-Cookman
#1	Intissar Rassif	South Carolina State

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Alabama State clinches East Division

ITTA BENA, Mississippi – The Alabama State Hornets captured the program’s third-straight SWAC East title on Saturday, with a 10-0 victory over Mississippi Valley State at Magnolia Field.

The Hornets improve to 17-0 in SWAC East action and 25-14 on the year while the Delta Devils fall to 6-29 for the season and 4-16 in conference play.

Hornet starter Tyler Howe (7-3) threw a complete game one hitter and only allowed two other Delta Devils to reach base, (one walk and hit batter), while matching a season-high 10 strike outs in the win.

The Alabama State offense exploded for 14 hits, as Yamil Pagan and Carlos Ocasio both collected three hits, including a double each. Pagan also added a triple as Ocasio batted in three runs. Dillon Cooper chipped in two hits and two RBI as well.

MVSU’s Drew Wheeler collected his base hit in the first inning, while Arrington Smith was hit by a pitch in the fourth. Marcus Jones drew a walk in the fifth inning for the Delta Devils.

On the hill, Smith (3-8) gave up eight runs (seven earned) on 12 hits, striking out two, walking one and hitting three batters to take the loss.

The final game of the weekend series is Sunday at Magnolia Field, with first pitch set for 1 PM.
SWAC Baseball.

Box Score

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UAPB Releases 2016 Football Schedule

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  --- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Department of Athletics has announced its 2016 football schedule, an 11-game schedule with five games in the state of Arkansas, including four in Pine Bluff and one game potentially in Little Rock.
 
The month of September will feature two home contests and two road contests for the Golden Lions.
 
UAPB will open its 2016 campaign against Tennessee State on Saturday, Sept. 3 in the annual Big John Merritt Classic in Nashville, Tenn. at Nissan Stadium, the home the NFL's Tennessee Titans.  The last time the Golden Lions and Tigers squared off against each other was in 2012, UAPB's championship season.
 
The following week, on Saturday, Sept. 10, UAPB will welcome Oklahoma Panhandle State to Golden Lion Stadium in a 6 p.m. kickoff for its home opener.  This will be the first-ever meeting between the Golden Lions and the Aggies on the gridiron.    
 
In its second road trip in the month of September, UAPB will travel to Alcorn State, Miss. to take on Alcorn State at Jack Spinks/Marino Casem Stadium on Sept. 15 in a Thursday night special contest.
 
The Golden Lions will close out the month of September against Jackson State, tentatively at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. on Saturday, Sept. 24. 
 
For the month of October, UAPB will make trips to Alabama and Louisiana and host its annual homecoming game during the month as well.
 
The Golden Lions will kick off the month with a trip to Montgomery, Ala. for a Saturday, October 1 matchup against Alabama State at New Hornet Stadium.  This is the first time in two seasons that UAPB will not face ASU on a Thursday night.
 
Two weeks later, the Golden Lions will take on Alabama A&M on Saturday, Oct. 15 in its annual homecoming game at Golden Lion Stadium with a 2:30 p.m. start.   
 
UAPB will make back-to-back trips to Louisiana with the Golden Lions facing Southern on Oct. 22 at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge and Grambling State on Oct. 29 at Eddie Robinson Stadium in Grambling.
 
The Golden Lions will close out the 2016 regular-season with three games in the month of November.  UAPB will face Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 5 at Golden Lion Stadium in Pine Bluff at 2:30 p.m. before traveling to Houston to take on Texas Southern on Nov. 12 at BBVA Compass Stadium at 2 p.m.  The regular-season ends against Prairie View A&M in the Golden Lions' annual Senior and Church Day game in Pine Bluff at 2:30 p.m.
 

Date	Opponent	Stadium	Location	Time
Sept. 3	at Tennessee State	Nissan	Nashville, Tenn.	6 p.m.
Sept. 10	Oklahoma Panhandle State	Golden Lion	Pine Bluff, Ark.	6 p.m.
Sept. 15	at Alcorn State*	Jack Spinks/Marino Casem	Alcorn State, Miss.	TBA
Sept. 24	vs. Jackson State*	War Memorial+	Little Rock, Ark.+	4 p.m.
Oct. 1	at Alabama State*	New Hornet	Montgomery, Ala.	2 p.m.
Oct. 15	Alabama A&M* (Homecoming)	Golden Lion	Pine Bluff, Ark.	2:30 p.m.
Oct. 22	at Southern*	A.W. Mumford	Baton Rouge, La.	4 p.m.
Oct. 29	at Grambling State*	Eddie Robinson	Grambling, La.	TBA
Nov. 5	Miss. Valley State*	Golden Lion	Pine Bluff, Ark.	2:30 p.m.
Nov. 12	at Texas Southern*	BBVA Compass	Houston, Texas	2 p.m.
Nov. 19	Prairie View A&M*	Golden Lion	Pine Bluff, Ark.	2:30 p.m.

 
 *Denotes Southwestern Athletic Conference games
+Tentative Site for this game
All home games at Golden Lion Stadium are in bold 
All times and dates are subject to change
HC-Homecoming


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Augusta Wins MEAC Championship, Robin Petersson Wins Back-to-Back Title

SAVANNAH, Georgia  --  The No. 30 Augusta Jaguars claimed the top five spots individually to win their second consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship with a commanding 30-under par performance on Saturday at Crosswinds Golf Club in Savannah, Ga. With the win, Augusta earns an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament and awaits the regional selection show.

On the par-72, 6,748-yard course, the Jaguars slowly built their lead across each round and finished 30-under par to claim the title. Bethune-Cookman took second (+3), Florida A&M third (+42), Savannah State fourth (+60), North Carolina Central fifth (+63), Maryland Eastern Shore sixth (+95), and Hampton seventh (+137).

The Jaguars combined for 29 birdies in round three and improved by 10 shots from one round two to round three with a 270 (-18). For the second straight year, Jags senior Robin Petersson was named the Most Outstanding Player for winning the MEAC Championship in back-to-back years.

Petersson shot his second 69 (-3) of the event to finish 11-under par.

Sophomore Broc Everett tied the low round school record for Augusta University since 1993-94 with a 64 (-8) in round three. Everett had nine birdies in round two and took second overall seven below par.

Junior Jake Marriott finished sixth under to take third in the 32-man field with a round-three 71 (-1) and senior Maverick Antcliff came on strong in the final round and dropped six strokes for a 66 (-6) to card fourth.

Rounding out the Jags and taking a tie for fifth was junior Emmanuel Kountakis who posted a 71 for his low round across the event to end up even par for 54 holes.

MEAC (Final Scores – JAGUARS)

• RESULTS & SCORING 
• DAY ONE RECAP
• DAY TWO RECAP

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