Tuskegee’s Julian Morgan tabbed SIAC’s Defensive Player of the Year

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) released its preseason awards at their annual Media Day at the Doubletree by Hilton Wednesday morning.

Senior defensive end Julian Morgan was on the receiving end of those awards, chosen the Preseason SIAC Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Despite missing three games, Morgan was named second team All-Conference last season with 56 total tackles. The senior led the team with 15.5 tackles for loss and was among the nation’s leaders with 9.5 sacks per game in 2015. He was also second on the team in quarterback hurries with nine.

His best game last season came against Stillman in which he was named the SIAC Player of the Week. The senior finished with 11 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

He also recorded 12 tackles in a second round playoff victory over North Alabama on the road. In that game, he finished with three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

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Alcorn State's Gatewood Signs With Green Bay Packers

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Former Alcorn State Cornerback Warren Gatewood has signed with The Green Bay Packers. The transaction was announced Wednesday by Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.

Gatewood saw action in 42 games over four seasons at Alcorn State, recording 117 tackles, 33 passes defensed, eight interceptions and one blocked kick.



As a senior, he was named the 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference Football Championship Defensive MVP after intercepting three passes including one returned 25 yards for a touchdown. He and leading his team to back to back football championships.

Gatewood set career highs with 47 tackles and four interceptions last season leading his team to back to back football championships in 2014 and 2015.

The Baltimore, Maryland native recorded a game high eight tackles and one pass breakup in the Inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl last December against North Carolina A&T.

Gatewood is the first player from Alcorn State to play for the Packers since receiver Donald Driver.

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Julian Morgan named SIAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) released its preseason awards at their annual Media Day at the Doubletree by Hilton Wednesday morning.

Senior defensive end Julian Morgan was on the receiving end of those awards, chosen the Preseason SIAC Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Despite missing three games, Morgan was named second team All-Conference last season with 56 total tackles. The senior led the team with 15.5 tackles for loss and was among the nation's leaders with 9.5 sacks per game in 2015. He was also second on the team in quarterback hurries with nine.

His best game last season came against Stillman in which he was named the SIAC Player of the Week. The senior finished with 11 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.



He also recorded 12 tackles in a second round playoff victory over North Alabama on the road. In that game, he finished with three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

It is the second consecutive such award for the Golden Tigers as Jewell Ratliff was named the SIAC Defensive Player of the Year at the conclusion of last season, on his way to 10 All-American team selections.

The Golden Tigers open the season September 3 on the road against Clark Atlanta, a game which be carried as the NCAA Division II Game of the Week on the American Sports Network.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on social media by searching for @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

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SIAC Announces 2016 Preseason Football All-Conference Awards

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Albany State running back Jarvis Small was named the 2016 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Tuskegee defensive lineman Julian Morgan was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, announced by the league on Wednesday.

All votes are submitted by SIAC head football coaches and sports information directors.

Small, who was the 2015 SIAC Offensive Player of the Year, led the SIAC in rushing averaging 103.7 yards per game. Small recorded 1,037 yards in 2015 and scored a conference-high 11 touchdowns. He recorded six games last year where he rushed for over 100 yards, including a season-best 173 yards against Morehouse.

Morgan recorded 54 tackles in 2015 and led the Golden Tigers in sacks (9.5). He tallied nine quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Morgan also finished the 2015 campaign with 15.5 tackles for loss.

In addition to the individual awards, the league also announced the predicted order of finish for the 2016 season. Albany State garnered 14 first place votes and 78 points to lead the east division. Morehouse was second (52) followed by Fort Valley State (49), Clark Atlanta (29), and Benedict (22).

In the west division, Miles was picked to finish first with eight first place votes and 72 points. Tuskegee was voted second with seven first place votes and 69 points. Central State followed in third (34), ahead of Lane (27) and Kentucky State (25).

2016 SIAC Football Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
 (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
 
East Division                                   Points
 Albany State (14)                 78

1. Morehouse (2)                     52
2. Fort Valley State (1)             49
3. Clark Atlanta                        29
4. Benedict                               22

 
West Division                                  Points
 Miles (8)                                72

1. Tuskegee (7)                         69
2. Central State                         34
3. Lane (1)                                 27
4. Kentucky State                      25

Offensive Player of the Year: Jarvis Small, Albany State
Defensive Player of the Year: Julian Morgan, Tuskegee
 
2016 SIAC Preseason Football First Team

QB	David Whipple		Miles	Senior	Gordon, Ga.
TE	Leo Gilbert		Tuskegee	Senior	Miami, Fla.
WR	Desmond Reece		Tuskegee	R-Senior	Valley, Ala.
WR	Quadrey Simmons		Albany State	Junior	Cope, S.C.
RB	Jamarcus Nance		Miles	Senior	Muscle Shoals, Ala.
RB	Jarvis Small		Albany State	Senior	Brunswick, Ga.
OL	Chris Ruffin		Miles	Junior	Bessemer, Ala.
OL	Leeward Brown		Tuskegee	Junior	Miami, Fla.
OL	Javoris Wilburn		Albany State	Senior	Warrenton, Ga.
OL	Marcus Campbell		Kentucky St.	Sophomore	Radcliff, Ky.
OL	Tedrick Cofield		Albany State	Junior	Atlanta, Ga.
DL	Grover Stewart		Albany State	Senior	Camillia, Ga.
DL	Julian Morgan		Tuskegee	Senior	Lithia Springs, Ga.
DL	Daryl George		Tuskegee	Senior	Douglasville, Ga.
DL	Bretton Ervin		Kentucky St.	Sophomore	Louisville, Ky.
LB	Deonate Gary		Central State	Senior	Lakeland, Fla.
LB	Javonte Kelly		Lane	Senior	Memphis, Tenn.
LB	Osband Thompson		Tuskegee	Junior	Miami, Fla.
DB	Clim Robbins		Central State	Senior	West Orlando, Fla.
DB	Jonah McCutcheon		Tuskegee	R-Junior	Mobile, Ala.
DB		Nick Scott	Albany State	Senior	Ellabell,Ga.
DB		Nehemiah Coward	Central State	Senior	Clermont, Fla.
K	Nick Christiansen		Miles	Junior	Clayton, N.C.
P	Juan Serna		Fort Valley	Junior	Douglasville, Ga.
KR	Amyr Smith		Morehouse	Sophomore	Atlanta, Ga.
PR	Amyr Smith		Morehouse	Sophomore	Atlanta, Ga.

 
2016 SIAC Preseason Football Second Team

QB	Caleb Edmonds	Albany State	Senior	Smyrna, Ga.
TE	Ryan Edwards	Morehouse	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.
WR	Charles Johnson	Kentucky St.	Junior	Erlanger, Ky.
WR	Brenton Martin	Clark Atlanta	Sophomore	Marietta, Ga.
RB	Reginal Harris	Kentucky St.	Sophomore	Miami, Fla.
RB	Jaha McCray	Clark Atlanta	Junior	Jacksonville, Fla.
OL	Trey Wilson	Morehouse	Sophomore	Lawrenceville, Ga.
OL	Howard Bush	Lane	Junior	Mobile, Ala.
OL	Michael Moaga	Kentucky St.	Senior	Lexington, Ky.
OL	Aliou Diouf	Central State	Junior	Cincinnati, Ohio
OL	Darryl Carr	Lane	Junior	Sauk Village, Ill.
DL	Devonta Ramseur	Tuskegee	Junior	Shelby, N.C.
DL	Ray Taylor	Lane	Sophomore	Memphis, Tenn.
DL	Voris Bryant	Morehouse	Junior	Gray, Ga.
DL	Darion Hall	Tuskegee	Senior	Wetumpka, Ala.
LB	Trevon Spencer	Kentucky St.	Senior	Louisville, Ky.
LB	Stephen Williams	Benedict	Senior	Williamston, S.C.
LB	Zavondric Shingleton	Albany State	Senior	Millen, Ga.
DB	Darius Holmes	Tuskegee	R-Sophomore	Warner Robins, Ga.
DB	Cedric Poole	Miles	Senior	Birmingham, Ala.
DB	Jaquatin Victrum	Clark Atlanta	Junior	Miami, Fla.
DB	Emmauel Parks	Morehouse	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.
K	Bill Rose	Kentucky St.	Senior	Lawrenceburg, Ky.
P	Terry Wiley	Albany State	Junior	Douglas, Ga.
KR	George Myers, Jr.	Benedict	Junior	Hephzibah, Ga.
PR	Clim Robbins	Central State	Senior	West Orlando, Fla.

 
 COURTESY SIAC MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU President Mangum provides performance bonuses for successful coaches

FAMU President Elmira Mangum. Ph.D.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. isn’t the only one making quality-of-life changes in the university’s athletic department.

FAMU President Elmira Mangum, using a discretionary fund from the FAMU Foundation, is doing what she can to ensure FAMU’s coaches are motivated to win and eager to stay with the Rattlers.

During a recent reception for the school’s coaches, Mangum honored track and field coach Darlene Moore, cheerleading coach Brandi Tatum and softball coach Veronica Wiggins. The coaches were given performances bonus of $2,000 for their conference titles, plus an extra $1,000 if they earned Most Outstanding Coach honors.

Moore and Wiggins were both named Most Outstanding Coach in their conference tournaments. The three coaches' assistants were also given performance bonuses.

Moore, who last week was named director of FAMU’s track and field program, won conference titles in both cross country and women’s outdoor track and field. Wiggins won her third-straight conference title in softball. Tatum's co-ed squad won its second conference championship in a row.

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Former PVAMU Lady Panther signs professional contract with Romanian club

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Former Prairie View A&M basketball player Jeanette Jackson has signed a professional contract with Phoenix Galati in Romania, the JP Sports Agency reported Tuesday.

Jackson, a four-year letterwinner with the Lady Panthers, concluded her collegiate career in 2015, and was part of three Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament teams. She scored 1,689 points during her PVAMU career, good for an average of 13.1 points per game over 129 career contests.

During her final two seasons with the Lady Panthers, Jackson averaged 17.8 points and 3.7 assists per game. She started in all 64 of the team's games during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

A 5-7 guard out from Las Vegas, Nev., Jackson concluded her collegiate career by being named the SWAC's Player of the Year in 2015.

CS Phoenix Galati has competed in Liga Nationala, the top-flight women's basketball league in Romania, for the past three seasons after being promoted from Liga I in 2013. The team's profile on EuroBasket.com lists three Americans on the roster; Jackson will be the fourth.

The city of Galati is the capital city of Romania's Galati County, and is the nation's largest port city on the Danube River. It is in the historic region of Moldavia, and situated on Romania's border with the nation of Moldova.

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5 most intriguing SWAC games in 2016

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs was quick to promote parity in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at last week's media day.

Judging by the landscape of the league the past few years, that parity may be a parody.

While generally competitive, the SWAC has become a three- or four-team race of late with the likes of Alcorn State, Grambling and Southern battling it out for conference supremacy. This year, Prairie View A&M, the preseason favorite to upend Grambling as the SWAC West Division champs, joins the mix.

Fobbs said last Friday a league that was once top heavy now boasts competitive balance with the emergence of programs like Prairie View, the staying power of Alabama State and the potential emergence of schools like Texas Southern and the re-emergence of programs like Jackson State.

Still, some of the top games in the league this year revolve around the usual powers. Here are the five most intriguing SWAC games for 2016.

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Penn State Men’s Basketball To Host Morgan State On Dec. 21

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania -- Penn State men’s basketball added another opponent to its non-conference schedule, and no, it’s not Kentucky.

The Lions will host Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference resident Morgan State on Dec. 21 at the Bryce Jordan Center just two weeks after trekking to Newark, N.J. to face Pitt. Morgan State’s 2015-16 campaign was less than stellar after the Bears compiled a lowly 9-22 record, finishing 6-10 in the MEAC. Their 2015-16 non-conference slate included trips to Virginia and Cincinnati — both of which resulted in double-digit losses.

The Lions last played Morgan State in 2014, where they won 61-48 behind 17 points from star guard D.J. Newbill and 14 from then-freshman Shep Garner.

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Playing 11 questions and 11 answers with Jarrett Payton, son of Walter Payton

CHICAGO, Illinois -- Jarrett Payton, who is now 35 and a sportscaster in Chicago, learned his father, Walter, was an extraordinary guy at the age of 4 when Walter broke Jim Brown’s all-time rushing record in 1984 at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears’ home stadium.

And Payton was just 12 when he introduced his father, who went to Jackson State University, on the dais for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Walter Payton died in 1999 of bile duct cancer at age 45.

On Sept. 4, Bethune-Cookman University will play Alcorn State University in the 2016 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)/Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Challenge in Daytona Beach, Florida. The game will be played at 1 p.m. EST at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium and be televised on ESPN. There, the Walter Payton Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in academics and football, will be given to one member from each of the two teams.

Voting for the 2016 Walter Payton Achievement Award has already begun and closes Aug. 19. The final two winners will be announced at the game’s welcome banquet on Sept. 2.

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NC Central Coach Jerry Mack and players eye Celebration Bowl

CARY, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central Coach Jerry Mack begins only his fourth season, but he has the Eagles seeking a third conference title in a row at the same time they enjoy the best of two national championship worlds.

That takes some clarification.

NC Central is a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member that is playing first and foremost for a bid to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.

The Celebration Bowl in Atlanta made its debut last year, with the backing of ESPN money and exposure. The national championship game matches champions from the MEAC and Southwestern Athletic Conference, two long-standing leagues among Historically Black College and Universities

But Mack also tells his team if it comes up short of the Celebration Bowl, they need to compile a MEAC runner-up season worthy of earning one of the 16 bids into the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

“We like that the MEAC and SWAC have a chance to play in a bowl game in Atlanta,” said Mack, “and our guys also have a chance to compete in the FBS playoffs.”

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Florida A&M Men's Basketball Gearing Up For Exciting Season

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The Florida A&M men's basketball program quadrupled it's win total last season from the year before, going 8-21. This year, the Rattlers hoping for even bigger results, as for the first time since 2014, they can participate in postseason play.

FAMU's APR related sanctions were lifted back in February, so that means head coach Byron Samuels is working with a full scholarship amount. He said there's a buzz in the air, and just about the entire team is here this summer working out and building team chemistry.

Come August 1st, the Rattlers hit the court to prepare for a week long trip to Canada for a tournament, and Samuels said he can't wait to get started.

"I'm excited about it, the kids are excited about it, their parents are excited about it, and we just feel like it's a blessing," he said. "It's another one of those steps. A lot of teams take these trips to get an eyeball on their team. It'll give us a chance to see what we have, to tweak some things and just maybe one step ahead of where we were in the previous two years."

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Former Jags/FAMU QB Quinn Gray making strides at Jacksonville Mandarin

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- It didn't take long for former Jaguars quarterback Quinn Gray to start having an impact at Jacksonville Mandarin High, where he was hired as head football coach in April.

Gray coached the Mustangs to the New Smyrna Beach 7on7 title this past weekend, upending Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer in the championship game. Gray did no take over an empty cupboard at Mandarin, which went 12-1 last season and made it to the Class 8A region finals, losing to Winter Garden West Orange.



Former coach Brian Braddock left to take the same position at his alma mater St. Augustine, opening the door for Gray, who attended FAMU, to return to the area. Gray was last the head coach at Mableton (Ga.) Whitefield Academy near Atlanta.

"It feels great. We had a long week and our kids have really shown some grit and some intestinal fortitude," Gray said. "I'm proud of these guys, man .. they were challenged and they stepped up to the plate."

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Xavier lands FAMU transfer Bernard

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Guard Malcolm Bernard announced on Twitter that he will play his final season for Xavier.

The 6-foot-6, 195-pounder will be eligible to play immediately for the Musketeers as a graduate transfer from Florida A&M. Bernard, 22, played two years at Charleston Southern before transfering to FAMU and sitting out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. He then led the Rattlers in points (14.4 ppg) and rebounds (7.1 rpg) last season.

"I'm happy to be a Musketeer and I'm glad I'm getting to spend my last year at Xavier," Bernard told Enquirer.com late Monday. "I'm coming to work with the best and play with the best and win with the best.

"I'm stat stuffer. I like to stuff stats all over. I think that's why Xavier chose me because of how versatile I can be and all the things I can bring to the table."

Bernard told the Tallahassee Democrat in April that he had committed to Richmond, then reportedly rescinded his committment earlier this month. The Miami native then considered Fordham, Miami, Missouri, VCU and Virginia before landing at Xavier.

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FAMU AD: Football season opener still scheduled for Miami

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr. on Tuesday said the Rattlers' Sept. 3 season opener against Miami is still scheduled to be played in Miami.

Overton said he spoke with Miami officials early in the day. Those officials confirmed the game is still going to be played at New Miami Stadium, he said. He added the officials said there are "contingency plans" in place and he's expecting to speak with Miami officials again.

New Miami Stadium is undergoing renovations, which has led to fears that the stadium will not be ready by Sept. 1. On July 6, Miami Athletic Director Blake James released a statement via Twitter.

"It's a very complex project and I know the Dolphins are doing everything possible to get it ready in time to play football," he said in the statement. "We are very excited about what these improvements will mean for our fans and gameday atmosphere. We still expect to play all of our games at the stadium. However, we're aware that things could change and if they do we have a contingency plan in place if needed."

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Southern football notebook: Dawson Odums opens up on why he hired Trei Oliver

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern football coach Dawson Odums has had his eyes on his new defensive coordinator, Trei Oliver, for a while.

“When I first got the job, I reached out to him,” Odums said.

That was back in 2012, but their relationship goes back farther than that.

The two were former college teammates and have spent time on the same coaching staff at North Carolina A&T, where Odums plucked Oliver from in January to take over the defense.

How was he able to do that?

“Money, money, money,” Odums quipped at last week’s SWAC media day.

Previously, Odums wore two hats as both the coach and the defensive coordinator, and it wasn’t working.

The Jaguars fired three defensive coaches in December, which Odums said helped create some financial wiggle room to hire Oliver.

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Hollins named new Golden Tigers baseball coach

Hollins, a Tuskegee alum, has been with the program as an assistant since 2010

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Tuskegee University athletic director Curtis Campbell announced the hiring of Reginald Hollins as the new head baseball coach for the Golden Tigers, replacing Montressa Kirby who's sole focus will now be on coaching quarterbacks for the Golden Tigers football program.

"Coach (Reginald) Hollins has been a part of the resurgence of baseball at Tuskegee University both as a player and a coach," Campbell said. "He has played an integral part of the success that the baseball program has had in the past several years, and I trust he will continue to do that as I know he will. He will also bring in good men of character and continue the tradition of Tuskegee baseball."

Hollins has been with the baseball program as an assistant coach since the 2010 season, helping the team to their first winning record in 13 years. The following year, the Golden Tigers claimed the NCAA Division II statistical championship for triples as they averaged 0.8 per game.

"I am just excited to fill such large shoes and embark on a journey with history already being set for the program," Hollins said. "I just want to continue and build on that; baseball was the first program on campus, and the pedigree that was built from all of the former players and coaches is history in itself."

After a sub-par 2012, the Golden Tigers rebounded by playing for the SIAC Championship for the first time in 24 years. The team made a second appearance in the championship game the following year, 2013.

During his run as assistant coach, the Golden Tigers had 11 players selected either to the all-conference, all-tournament or all-academic teams.

Hollins has served in multiple roles during his tenure with the baseball program.

No stranger to Tuskegee, Hollins was a pitcher and infielder for the Golden Tigers for four years. During his junior season of 2009, he led the team in batting average (.364), and finished second in hitting (.321) during his senior season. Hollins finished third in the nation as the toughest hitter to strikeout, 60th in triples and 14th in walks allowed by a pitcher per nine innings.

Hollins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Tuskegee University in 2010.

"Being an alum and coming through the program, I have a sense of where the program is and was," Hollins said. "Just knowing what it takes to build a successful program, I am just excited for the opportunity to lead Tuskegee baseball."

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on your favorite social media platform @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

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CIAA football shifting power

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Change has arrived for CIAA football.

The league has five new coaches and undergoing a shift in power from the South Division to the North, where Bowie State and Virginia Union both earned berths in the Division II playoffs last year. Three Southern Division schools are undergoing dramatic changes as cross-town rivals Shaw and St. Augustine’s reboot with new coaches and Fayetteville State turned to rival Winston-Salem for its new coach, Richard Hayes.

Here’s some of the storylines for 2016:

• Johnson C. Smith’s second year under coach Kermit Blount. The Golden Bulls (4-6) overcame a slow start with a three-game win streak that put them within a game of .500. The key to moving up the pecking order is more consistency on offense, which JCSU lacked last year with freshman quarterbacks Jordan Lane and Harold Herbin sharing the duties. Lane emerged from spring drills as the starter with a full practice period under offensive coordinator Tory Woodbury.

“The order is much quicker, much smoother,” sophomore center Jordan Shaw said during spring drills. “People know their assignment a whole lot more, studying the film. Everything is put together a lot better.”

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Green is Sugar Bowl's Louisiana college Coach of Year

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Alan Green earned another award Monday when he was named Outstanding College Coach in Louisiana for 2015-16 by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl-sponsored Greater New Orleans Sports Awards Committee selected Green, who led XU men's tennis in May to second place at the NAIA's national tournament in Mobile, Ala. It was the first XU team in any sport to reach the championship round of an NAIA national tournament and the first XU men's team to advance past the quarterfinals. The Gold Rush were voted No. 2 in the postseason NAIA coaches poll.

"It's truly an honor to win this award considering the candidates and the sports," Green said. "I could not have done this without the help of my assistant and players on the team. My athletics director, SID and administration also played a key support role in all of our accomplishments this year. This is an award for Xavier."

On Friday the Gold Rush were named an NAIA Scholar-Team for producing a collective 3.03 GPA during the 2015-16 academic year.

Green and other recipients — including the winners of the Corbett Awards, which recognize the top male and female amateur athletes in the state — will be honored at the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Banquet Aug. 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

According to Sugar Bowl records, Green is the first from Xavier to win one of the annual awards.

"I am so glad to hear that news," said three-year XU letterman Tushar Mandlekar. "This season was really special and I would like to thank coach Green for all his help and support. He deserves this award because of the hard work he has put in on and off the court during all these years. Congratulations, coach!"

The Sugar Bowl award is Green's third this year. In May he was named ITA/NAIA Region IV Coach of the Year and ITA/NAIA National Coach of the Year. Green, who will enter his 14th season at Xavier in 2016-17, has received 12 awards for coaching XU's men and 10 for his work with the XU women's team.

Previous winners of Outstanding College Coach in Louisiana include five NCAA-champion coaches, including LSU's Les Miles and Paul Mainieri, and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame members such as Dale Brown of LSU and Eddie Robinson of Grambling.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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UMES wins appeal; Subritzky eligible for play in 16-17

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -- Moengaroa Subritzky was supposed to get several awards at a banquet hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

During the 2015-16 season, Subritzky, 23, led the Hawks' women's basketball team in three-point percentage, three-pointer's made, steals and was an All-MEAC First Team selection. She was instrumental to the Hawks' success as a redshirt sophomore.

But when Subritzky stood up to collect her honors, her teammates told her no. They wouldn’t let Subritzky go up to accept her senior awards at The Harry’s, an annual awards event for all student-athletes at UMES.



“They were like, ‘What are you doing? Sit down,’ so I just sat down,” Subritzky recalled with a laugh.

Although Subritzky had just finished her second season in maroon and gray, the NCAA viewed her as a senior. But her teammates were optimistic. Subritzky and the school had submitted an appeal to the NCAA in an attempt to get her back one year of her eligibility.

The Hawks’ confidence paid off earlier this month.

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Fallen Baton Rouge officer was nephew of JSU QB great

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Fred Jackson, whose name is known by many football fans in Jackson, tweeted something Sunday that echoed in the hearts of many people.

"Montrell Jackson was a great young man, my nephew. A great father and husband. He will be missed by so many," the former Jackson State University standout wrote.

Fred Jackson, a native of Baton Rouge, played quarterback at Jackson State from 1968-1971, earning All-SWAC honors. He led the conference in passing his senior season.



Fred Jackson's son, Jeremy, played wide receiver at Michigan from 2010-13. His youngest son, Josh, plays quarterback at Virginia Tech. Josh Jackson's Tweet was one of the first to identify Montrell Jackson as one of the fallen.

Montrell Jackson was one of the Baton Rouge officers who was killed in the attack on police Sunday morning. He was 32, a new father, and someone who loved his community and took his 10 years with the Baton Rouge Police Department seriously. He was killed alongside fellow BRPD officer Matthew Gerald and East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Deputy Brad Garafola.

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Searching for a championship, Southern QB Austin Howard "poised for a major breakout year"

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern coach Dawson Odums did not mince any words when asked about the importance of junior quarterback Austin Howard, who was named to the preseason All-SWAC first team at last week’s media day.

“He’s the best in the conference,” Odums said. “Look at the numbers.”

The numbers present a pretty compelling case. Howard finished with the best passer efficiency in the league last season, at 155.8, while completing a SWAC-high 65.4 percent of his passes.

He finished the season with 16 touchdowns against four interceptions through the air and added another eight scores on the ground.

It was an impressive season, especially for a sophomore who has never benefited from spring practice as a college football player.

But there’s still one number that is missing when Odums looks at Howard’s résumé.

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Football Gameplan's FCS Kickoff 2016 MEAC Season Preview

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Simmons has Prairie View A&M on rise

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Better sooner than later.

Willie Simmons didn’t put a time frame when he’d turn Prairie View A&M into a serious SWAC contender, but did so in his first season as head coach as he led the Panthers to an 8-2 record.

“The thing I told the team in our first-team meeting was that we’ll be successful when everyone buys in,” Simmons said Friday at SWAC media day. “I said, ‘I don’t know when that will be. It might this year. It might be next year. It might be five years down the road,’ but I said when everyone in this room buys in to what we’re trying to build here, we’ll be successful. They bought in last year.”

Now the former Clemson quarterback looks to lead Prairie View to its first conference title since 2009. Riding a six-game winning streak that includes a win over two-time defending SWAC champion Alcorn State, the Panthers have been picked to win the SWAC West this season.

Prairie View was picked to finish fourth last year, but went 8-1 in conference play with loss coming to SWAC West champion Grambling. The Panthers haven’t lost since under the 35-year old Simmons.

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SWAC coaches, players call for change after recent shootings

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Brian Jenkins didn’t hesitate to say how his players have been affected by the recent fatal shootings involving black men and police in Louisiana, Minnesota and Dallas.

“You’d be surprised how many of our young people are actually scared,” the second-year Alabama State coach said at SWAC Media Day last week. “They’re actually scared. No one should have to live in fear.”

Jenkins is one of many in the Southwestern Athletic Conference who expressed concern about the recent events that have provided a serious reality check about what has always been an issue in America.

“To have to drive around and immediately become frightened if you see blue lights, that’s a hard way to live, but that’s happening in this day and time,” Jenkins said. “Why is it happening? We don’t know. How do we stop it should be our main thing.”

Grambling senior safety Guy Stallworth’s outlook on the situation is simple, yet heartfelt and poignant.

“First the world needs to understand no matter what color you are, you’re still a human,” he said. “White, black or blue. Everyone is still a human.”

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WTXL Road Trip: Florida A&M Is Lifting Big Weights And Hoping For Big Results

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Milton Overton, Jr's accomplished quite a bit in first year as Athletic Director at Florida A&M University. The men's basketball team's postseason ban was lifted, and football can participate in spring practice starting in 2017.

Overton also brought several ideas from where he came from- the University of Alabama. One of those ideas? Parker Brooks, the new Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Rattlers, and Brooks has big goals when it comes to lifting big weights.

"I don't have to wear a suit," laughed Brooks as to the biggest perk to his job. "I can wear sweatpants and a gym shirt. I get to work out with the strongest dudes in Tallahassee. It doesn't get much better than that!"



Coming from where Brooks has been, that's saying a lot. He arrived in January from Alabama, where he spent six seasons grooming the Crimson Tide, and he's taken that elite level of play and brought it to Tallahassee.

"Speed is king," he said. "We do a lot of Olympic lifting, so we're running the same program and the strength and conditioning that Alabama does. They trust in the process because they've seen the results."

The Rattlers are hoping those results, transfer to the football field. FAMU's coming off a 1-10 2015 campaign, one they're ready to avenge, and it all starts in the weightroom.

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