Boulware excited about future of football program

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There’s a feeling you get when talking to Kienus Boulware of Winston-Salem State that his work is not done even though he’s been successful through his first three seasons as a head coach.

Boulware was taking a big leap following in the footsteps of Connell Maynor after the 2013 season. It was Maynor who helped deliver promise after promise about just how good the Rams’ program could be.

When Boulware was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach, there were skeptics. Boulware is understated, but it’s obvious the right choice was made, and the Rams appear to be trending upward again.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the Division-II Top 25 next season. They are coming off a 9-3 season in which they won another CIAA title and received a berth to the Division II playoffs, the first for Boulware as a head coach. Boulware also landed a three-year contract extension that will keep him here through the 2020 season.

With a comforting fact that the administration loves what Boulware is doing, it gives the program an even bigger boost of confidence.

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Trump inaugural parade to spotlight military, police units and Talladega College Marching Band

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump will include a parade composed of 8,000 marchers from 40 organizations including the military, veterans groups and law enforcement, as well as the Boy Scouts of America.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced in a release Friday the list of groups that will march in the parade following the Jan. 20 inauguration of the 45th president. All branches of the military will be represented, as will a number of high school and college marching bands.

According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, participants include:

Talladega College Band - Talladega, Alabama



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Derrick Griffin leaves TSU to prepare for NFL draft

HOUSTON, Texas -- The writing on the wall was too much to ignore for Texas Southern's Derrick Griffin. The dual-sport phenom announced his next step by leaving the Texas Southern men's basketball team to declare for the NFL Draft.

Griffin was a member of the TSU football team before being dismissed in September for breaking team rules, but he was still eligible to play basketball this season.

He signed with veteran NFL agent James "Bus" Cook, who has had notable clients like Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Jay Cutler and Russell Wilson. Griffin plans to continue taking classes in addition to training for a Pro Day and a hopeful invite to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

"It was time for me to go," Griffin said. "Too many signs. I've been waiting on it."

Griffin, a 6-7, 240-pound wide receiver for the Tigers, caught seven passes for 115 yards a touchdown in two games this season. In 2015, he caught 36 passes for 713 yards and 11 touchdowns – all team-highs.

In basketball, Griffin was the SWAC Player of the Year last year as the only player in the SWAC to average a double-double in conference play with 13 points and 11 rebounds per game.

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Gold Rush fall 50-47 at Paul Quinn to open 4-game trip

DALLAS, Texas — Xavier University of Louisiana opened a four-game men's basketball trip Thursday with a 50-47 loss to Paul Quinn.

Freshmen Donovan Armstrong and Mike Williams, playing in their home state, scored seven points apiece to lead the Gold Rush (3-8). Chris Ward grabbed a game- and career-high 10 rebounds, and Wesley Pluviose-Philip had a season-best nine rebounds.

Jalen Johnson scored 11 points for the Tigers (2-12), and SirPatrick Reynolds and Jesse Williams scored 10 apiece. Williams grabbed nine rebounds.

XULA led 21-20 at halftime. There were 10 ties and 14 lead changes. XULA missed a 3-pointer on its final possession.

Both defenses were effective. Paul Quinn shot 28.1 percent from the floor — the lowest by a XULA opponent this season — but the Tigers also allowed their fewest points in a game in the last 14 seasons.

XULA shot 37.8 percent from the floor and a season-low 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from the line. The Gold Rush committed 26 turnovers, and XULA's minus-17 turnover margin was its widest since February 2011.

Paul Quinn beat XULA for the first time in their last 13 meetings. The Gold Rush lead the series 17-4, including a 92-73 victory Dec. 1 at XULA.

XULA will play its next three games in Florida. The Gold Rush will play Barry — ranked 10th and 12th in the NCAA Division II polls — at 4 p.m. EST Saturday. Then the Rush will play a pair of games in Keiser's Chuck Daly Classic: 5 p.m. Monday against Concordia (Canada) and 7 p.m. Tuesday against Keiser, No. 23 in NAIA Division II. The next XULA home game will start at 5 p.m. Jan. 7 against Tougaloo.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Top 10 Stories of 2016 — No. 4: ECSU's Earnest Wilson makes impact in first season

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- When Earnest Wilson was tabbed as the new football coach at Elizabeth City State back in February, there was some skepticism.

Wilson, who had spent the previous three season at FCS program Savannah State, was only able to produce a 2-32 record in his first head coaching job.



The coach was able to make his mark in his first season leading the Vikings as ECSU fell a game short of playing for a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in November.

ECSU’s success on the gridiron led to Wilson to be named the CIAA Coach of the Year.

The process to hire Wilson took months following the dismissal of former football coach Waverly Tillar in November 2015.

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Focus on recruitment paying off for Florida A&M University

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Florida A&M University is realizing a 30-percent increase in admitted freshmen as of mid-December over this time last year.

William Hudson, vice president for student affairs, also said FAMU has received about an 18 percent increase in freshmen applications compared to last fall.

“For summer 2017 applications, we are seeing approximately a 28 percent increase in freshman applications over last year, and an approximate 29 percent increase in admitted freshman students over last year,” he added.

Hudson said the university expects to continue to see an increase this spring, as students work to meet the May 1 deadline.

“We continue to recruit with a laser focus and have had strong turnouts at our recent recruitment events, such as those held in Atlanta last week and Orlando last month,” Hudson said. “The Orlando recruitment fair attracted thousands of students, and we had a full house at our Atlanta recruitment program.”

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FAMU athletics deficit above $7 million, repayment plan in place

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- There’s a plan in place for Florida A&M’s athletic department to repay its $7 million deficit, but there are already a few bumps in what’s expected to be a long road.

According to a preliminary chart shown to Board of Trustees members in September, the plan is for the FAMU Foundation to pay $681,833.29 over three years toward the deficit. After that, the Foundation will make yearly payments of $269,593.54 with FAMU’s athletic department making increasing yearly payments until the deficit is paid in full.

In total, the repayment will take 12 years.

The plan calls for some prudent spending by FAMU athletics. Part of Athletic Director Milton Overton Jr.’s corrective action plan to ensure FAMU doesn’t fall further into debt is to use just 75 percent of the department’s annual budget.

In that regard, the FAMU has already hit a snag. As of Dec. 1, the department has a projected $6,981,759 in encumbrances and expenses, which represents 78.12 percent of the $8,937,500 budget. Plus, the athletic department's revenue is projected to fall $651,724 short of that number.

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