Monday, September 19, 2016

Rush win 2 doubles titles, repeat as HBCU team champ



COLLEGE PARK, Georgia — Xavier University of Louisiana won a pair of doubles titles Saturday to help the Gold Rush repeat as men's team champion in the 16th annual HBCU National Tennis Championships.
     
The four-man XULA squad finished two points ahead of Florida A&M. XULA was the only NAIA member in the 17-school event. Thirteen teams were from NCAA Division I, and three were from NCAA Division II.
     
"We obviously did not have the deepest lineup here," said 14th-year XULA coach Alan Green, whose Gold Rush were the NAIA national runner-up in May, "but our four guys competed hard for three straight days and found a way to get it done. I could not be prouder of the effort they gave."
     
Thomas Setodji and Karan Salwan defeated Bluefield State's Anthony Braem and Alexander Rudeco 8-3 in the A-bracket doubles final. Tushar Mandlekar and Adam Albrecht won the B-bracket in an 8-6 decision against North Carolina Central's Sebastian Bromley and Brooks Campbell.
     
Salwan, Mandlekar and Albrecht repeated as HBCU doubles champions. A year ago Salwan won the A-bracket with Mandlekar, and Albrecht and then-senior Manav Chakmawon the B-bracket.
     
Also winning an individual title was senior Sha'Nel Bruins, who prevailed in the women's singles consolation B-bracket in an 8-6 decision against Bethune-Cookman's Phatsimo Ruele.
     
The Gold Rush produced a pair of singles runner-ups. Setodji lost 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4 to NC Central's Gabriel Cucalon in the A-bracket final, and Mandlekar lost 6-0, 6-1 to FAMU's Courage Okungbowa in the B-bracket final. Cucalon ended Salwan's bid for a second consecutive A-bracket title with a 6-3, 6-1 decision in the semifinals.
    
"When you look back on how our guys scored their points, a huge match was when Adam and Tush won in the doubles quarterfinals," Green said. "They saved two match points and came back and won in a tiebreaker. If we don't win that match, we don't repeat as team champion."
     
XULA will return to Georgia next week for its second fall event, the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional Chamoionships at Lawrenceville. That tournament will begin Friday.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold

www.facebook.com/xulagold 
 

Aggies, Golden Tigers Remain On Top in Week 3 of HSRN Polls


HARTLY, Delaware – Despite a loss to Tulsa, North Carolina A&T maintained its top spot in the HSRN FCS Football Poll. Tuskegee University remained on top in the Division II/NAIA Poll thanks to a come-from-behind win over Florida A&M in the 5th Quarter Classic in Mobile, AL.

In the Division I FCS poll, Tennessee State jumped from 4th to 2nd and picked up three first place votes. Grambling State, Prairie View A&M and Alcorn State completed the top five. Hampton and Arkansas-Pine Bluff entered the top ten for the first time this season. The Pirates claimed the moniker of “The Real HU” by knocking off Howard, 34-7, in the Nation’s Football Classic. UAPB edged Alcorn State, 45-43, in three overtimes before a national television audience on ESPNU.

In Division II, Tuskegee’s 20-17 win over Florida A&M left no doubt about their strength in the division. The Golden Tigers are undefeated and captured 11 of 12 first place votes of the HSRN pollsters.

Virginia State held on to second place leading a strong representation for the CIAA. Virginia Union, Lane and Bowie State complete the top five. VUU (8th to 3rd) and Albany State (9th to 6th) made the biggest jumps this week. Chowan returned to the top ten following a 35-28 win over West Florida.


Week 3 – Rankings
Division I FCS
School (First Place Votes)
Record
Pts
Last Week
1
North Carolina A&T (10)
2-1
125
1
2
Tennessee State (3)
3-0
111
4
3
Grambling State
1-1
108
3
4
Prairie View A&M
2-1
81
5
5
Alcorn State
1-1
73
2
6
Southern
1-2
64
6
7
Bethune-Cookman
0-2
51
5
8
North Carolina Central
1-2
33
 9T
9
Hampton
1-2
25
NR
10
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
1-2
13
NR
Others receiving votes
S.C. State, Alabama A&M, Texas Southern
 
Alabama State, Morgan State

Division II/NAIA
School (First Place Votes)
Record
Pts
Last Week
1
Tuskegee (11)
3-0
116
1
2
Virginia State
3-0
101
2
3
Virginia Union
1-2
63
8
4
Lane
3-0
62
5
5
Bowie State
1-2
61
3
6
Albany State
1-2
44
9
7
Winston-Salem State
1-2
31
4
8
Miles
1-1
26
7
9
Chowan
2-1
25
NR
10
Morehouse
2-1
23
6
Others receiving votes
Langston (1), Fort Valley St., Elizabeth City St.,Benedict,
Johnson C. Smith, Shaw, Fayetteville St.

Mizzou Football Looks For Rebound vs. Delaware State

GAME 4: Mizzou (1-4) vs. Delaware State (0-2) | GAME NOTES | DEPTH CHART
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24
TV
SEC Network
Dave Neal, Matt Stinchcomb
Olivia Harlan
Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
City: Columbia, Mo.
Radio
Tiger Network
(Sirius 93 / XM 192)
Mike Kelly, Howard Richards,
Chris Gervino
Site: Faurot Field / Memorial Stadium (71,168)
COLUMBIA, Missouri -- Mizzou Football and head coach Barry Odom will look for a bounce-back win as they welcome Delaware State of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to The Zou on Saturday (Sept. 24) for a 3 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network. Mizzou is 15-0 all-time against teams from the FCS, including a 34-3 win over Southeast Missouri in last year's season-opener.

Coach Odom's team suffered a 28-27 setback at the hands of Georgia last weekend as the Bulldogs scored the go-ahead score with 1:29 remaining on a 20-yard TD pass from Jacob Eason to WR Isaiah McKenzie on 4th-and-10 to stun the Tigers, who led for much of the game. Mizzou nearly got into field goal range after WR J'Mon Moore took his eighth catch into Bulldog territory on the first play of the ensuing drive, but a fumble gave the ball to Georgia to seal the win for the Bulldogs. Despite the fumble, Moore was outstanding in the game, totaling 196 yards on eight catches with a pair of scores. It was the ninth-best performance ever by a Mizzou wideout.

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Sunday, September 18, 2016

Historically Black Schools Pay the Price for a Football Paycheck



CLEMSON, South Carolina — Clemson played South Carolina State in college football on Saturday. Both universities field Division I teams, and that is pretty much where the similarities end in terms of athletics.

The No. 5 Tigers have an $83.5 million athletic budget, which includes six strength and conditioning coaches, and chartered jets for some road games. South Carolina State, a historically black school, has an athletic budget of a little more than $9 million and just one strength coach. It travels to games on a bus.

As part of the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference, Clemson is a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the top level of college football. The Bulldogs play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which is made up of small historically black colleges and universities (known as H.B.C.U. teams). Under N.C.A.A. rules, big-time schools like Clemson can hand out 85 football scholarships, while the lower-tier Football Championship Subdivision schools like South Carolina State can offer only 63. You get the picture.

Is there anyone who thought that the Bulldogs had a chance at an upset, like that time in 2007 when Appalachian State beat Michigan? Or like that time (Saturday) when North Dakota State knocked of No. 13 Iowa? No. The last time Clemson and South Carolina State played, the Tigers won, 73-7.

Buddy Pough, the Bulldogs’ coach, acknowledged last week that his team’s task was hopeless.



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HBCU Football Judgment Day Scoreboard Week 3



Saturday, September 17, 2016

SIAC
Tuskegee 20, Florida A&M 17
Albany State 24, Southeastern U. 2
Fort Valley State 37, Clark Atlanta 31
Elizabeth City State 35, Morehouse 30
Lane 46, Langston 0
Benedict 42, Central State 6

OVC
Tennessee State 31, Bethune-Cookman 24



Other HBCUs
Jacksonville 41, Edward Waters 7
West Virginia Wesleyan 35, West Virginia State 14
Indiana (PA) 55, Cheyney 0
McMurry 63, Texas College 6
Quincy 40, Lincoln (Mo.) 14

CIAA
Chowan 35, West Florida 28
Virginia State 20, Kentucky State 7
Virginia Union 37. Winston-Salem State 14
Davidson 38, Livingstone 12
Morehead State 56, Lincoln (Pa.) 6
Elon 26, Fayetteville State 3
Central Connecticut 44, Bowie State 35
Wofford 59, Johnson C. Smith 0
UNC Pembroke 38, Shaw 19



SWAC
Arkansas Pine Bluff 45, Alcorn State 43
Grambling State 35, Jackson State 14
Prairie View A&M 41, Alabama A&M 20
Southern 64, Alabama State 6
Texas Southern 31, Mississippi Valley 0

MEAC
Hampton 34, Howard 7
North Carolina Central 65, Saint Augustine's 7
Tulsa 58, North Carolina A&T 21
William & Mary 35, Norfolk State 10
Clemson 59, South Carolina State 0

Johnson: Southern put the SWAC on notice with dominant performance against Alabama State



BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The topic of conversation among us media folks in the immediate aftermath of Southern’s 64-6 dismantling of Alabama State was the last time Southern had beaten someone that badly.

I couldn’t chip in on that conversation, since this was the fourth time I’d ever seen Southern play and the first time I’d seen it win. But I was still listening intently.

Even without the memory of Southern games gone by, I was thinking the same thing most people were after the game: When was the last time I saw someone beat someone else that badly, regardless of who was doing the beating?

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it that bad, not live at least. From start to finish, in all three phases of the game, the Jaguars gave Alabama State a good ol’ fashioned whupping.

hat performance should’ve put the rest of the SWAC on notice.

Alabama State, despite the conclusion at which most people quickly arrived on Twitter, is a good SWAC team. Even after their 0-3 start, the Hornets should contend in the SWAC’s eastern division this season.



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Tribe Football 2016: Norfolk State Game Highlights


NCCU Cruises to 65-7 Win over St. Augustine's

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University scored nine touchdowns during a 65-7 home-opening victory over Saint Augustine's University on Saturday inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium. But it was a 2-yard rumble into the end zone by senior center Carl Jones, who lined up in the backfield for his first career score, that highlighted the night.

NCCU's offensive output against the Falcons broke one school record and came close to a few others. The Eagles tallied 32 first downs, the most in school history. NCCU's 676 yards of total offense ranks second only to the 684 total yards amassed by the 1982 Eagles against Bowie State. The 414 passing yards on Saturday places fourth in the NCCU record books and are the most by the Eagles since 1988.

NCCU senior quarterback Malcolm Bell accounted for 270 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air, while he also rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown.



Bell spread the wealth in the passing attack, connecting with nine different receivers. His favorite target was senior receiver Quentin Atkinson, who finished with six catches for 95 yards, followed by David Miller with four receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Jalen Wilkes made the most of his two catches, finding the end zone both times on plays of 27 and 32 yards. True freshman tight end Maleek Henderson caught three passes for 28 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown, the first of his career.

NCCU enjoyed a steady ground game as well, accumulating 262 rushing yards for an average of 6.4 yards per carry. Sophomore Dorrel McClain recorded 130 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns, while back-up quarterback Naiil Ramadan also scored on a 7-yard scamper. The redshirt freshman also passed for 144 yards and a touchdown.

NCCU junior punter Nathaniel Tilque almost had the night off, but he made the most of his one punt… a 58-yard boot that pinned the Falcons at their own 2-yard line.

Sophomore safety Alden McClellon topped the NCCU defensive effort with 10 tackles, including one of the Eagles 10 stops for a loss. The unit's three sacks were posted by linebacker Reggie Hunter (6 tackles), and defensive ends Kawuan Cox (4 tackles) and Antonio Brown (4 tackles). Cox also contributed another hit for a loss and a forced fumble, which he recovered.

Saint Augustine's (0-3) finished with 246 yards of total offense, most coming by way of sophomore quarterback D.J. Johnson with 193 yards passing and 26 yards rushing. Johnson connected with Sam Boyd on a 40-yard touchdown in the second quarter for the Falcons lone score.

NCCU (1-2) now prepares for conference play as the Eagles visit MEAC foe Norfolk State University on Sept. 24 in Virginia.

BOX SCORE

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Albany State Golden Rams earn first win after weather delays cause game to end

LAKELAND, Florida -- In only two and a half quarters, Caleb Edmonds completed 14-of-24 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns to lead Albany State to a 24-2 win over Southeastern University. The contest experienced two weather delays and was called after the second thunderstorm with a little over eight minutes left in the third quarter.

With the victory, the Golden Rams gain their first win of the season and improve to 1-2. SEU, an NAIA member, falls to 1-1 overall.

After the Albany State special team provided the host team with a safety in the first quarter, ASU began their scoring barrage in the second. At the 11:09 mark, Edmonds found Ta'Keevian Harris, who sparked the drive with a 43-yard catch two plays before, for a 17-yard touchdown. The drive went eight plays for 78 yards in 3:38. The Golden led 7-2 after Emilio Maldonado made the PAT.

The Golden Rams defense also provided the team with some unexpected points in the latter part of the stanza. Ra'shaan Johnson sacked Southeastern quarterback Jonathan Pearce to force a fumble. Monte Taylor recovered the loose ball and returned it 53 yards for the score. Maldonado was good on the PAT, and Albany State led 14-2 with 1:39 remaining in the half.

Less than 20 seconds later, Nick Scott recorded his second interception of the game to set up the Gold Rush's final score of the half. Maldonado connected on a 33-yard field goal to send ASU into intermission with a 17-2 advantage. The drive used five plays and 39 yards in 30 seconds.

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