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CHENEY, Washington -- EWU football finished with an overall record of 12-2 on the year they advanced to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs and had two finalists for the Walter Payton award, along with six All-Americans.
With the accolades and three extra home games in the playoffs, one would think that the athletic department would make a little extra money. But, believe it or not, they do not.
When a team hosts a playoff game in the FCS, they have to go through a bid process in order to play the game at their venue. In order for the NCAA to keep the game as neutral as possible, it is not considered a home game but an NCAA event.
In the three playoff games at Roos Field, EWU could only use the NCAA game day graphics. They were not allowed to do the first down ‘caw’ or even the team’s pregame video.
“All the things that we put up on the video board are done through the NCAA in conjunction with our office,” said Chad Karthauser, associate athletic director for Business and Finance. “So, it really is about as neutral sided game as you can make it, it just happens to be on our home turf which is our home field advantage.”
TALLAHASSEE, Florida – Florida A&M University (FAMU) released their 2017 Football Schedule Wednesday, a lineup of games which features a season-opening home game for the first time since 2010.
The Rattlers, will open their third season under head coach Alex Wood on Saturday, Aug. 26 against an old rival from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), the Tigers of Texas Southern University, in the inaugural Jake Gaither Classic in Bragg Memorial Stadium.
A portion of proceeds from that game will go towards the Jake Gaither House, to assist in the preservation of the home of the Hall of Fame coach, located just off the FAMU campus.
Bragg Stadium will also be the scene for three other home games: against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion Eagles of North Carolina Central (Sept. 30), the Aggies of North Carolina A&T for the 2017 Homecoming Game (Oct. 14), and the Bison of Howard University (Nov. 4), in the home finale.
Homecoming 2017 at FAMU will also feature the second annual Funkfest, the all-day music extravaganza, set for Homecoming Eve, Friday, Oct. 13 on the South campus.
The 2017 Rattler Road Tour features a seven-game slate opening Sept. 2 against the Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Other whistle stops on the Rattler Tour will feature face offs against the Tigers of Savannah (Ga.) State in the MEAC opener (Sept. 23) at Savannah, Ga.; the Spartans of Norfolk (Va.) State (Oct. 7, Norfolk, Va.); the Pirates of Hampton (Va.) University (Oct. 21) at Hampton, Va., and the Bears of Morgan State at Baltimore, Md. (Oct. 28).
The Tigers of Tennessee State make a return to the FAMU schedule on Sept. 16, at a site to be announced shortly.
FAMU closes out the regular season with the annual Florida Blue Florida Classic against archrival Bethune-Cookman University, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Nov. 18.
Start times for all games will be announced in the coming weeks.
2017 FAMU Football Schedule
AUG. 26 TEXAS SOUTHERN Jake Gaither Classic/HOME
Sept. 2 at University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.
Sept. 16 Tennessee State Site TBD
Sept. 23 at Savannah State* Savannah, Ga.
Sept. 30 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL* HOME
Oct. 7 at Norfolk State* ` Norfolk, Va. OCT. 14 NORTH CAROLINA A&T* HOMECOMING
Oct. 21 at Hampton University* Hampton, Va.
Oct. 28 at Morgan State* Baltimore, Md. NOV. 4 HOWARD UNIVERSITY* HOME
Nov. 18 Bethune-Cookman*# Orlando, Fla.
*MEAC Games. #Florida Blue Florida Classic/Orlando, Fla.
NEW ORLEANS -- Steve McNair, Doug Williams, Michael Strahan, Jerry Rice, and Walter Payton have all come from historically black colleges. Those are just a few. Many of these players have come from the SWAC Conference. Wide receiver Chad Williams is just trying to get the chance to make his mark in the NFL.
Chad Williams comes from Grambling University. The university used to send a lot of guys onto the NFL when Eddie Robinson was still coaching. Things have changed quite a bit since then. For instance, Williams is trying to be the first player from Grambling to be drafted since 2006 11 years ago.
Williams is very fortunate to even get this far.
“It’s an overwhelming experience. I’m just soaking in everything and trying to take in as much as I can from these guys.”
Former Rams WR standout Torry Holt is trying to to help Williams to get to that next level. Holt was one of the receivers that was on the “greatest show on turf” team with Kurt Warner. Williams caught 90 balls for 1,337 yards with 11 touchdowns. All were the best in the SWAC this past year.
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State athletic director Melvin Hines remains in full support of his head football coach – Brian Jenkins.
In a letter posted last week on ASU’s athletic website, Hines spoke highly of Jenkins, saying he and the “university leadership stand firmly behind Coach Jenkins and all of his staff with enthusiastic solidarity and support as they gear up for the 2017 season.”
The Hornets are 10-12 in their two seasons under Jenkins since he replaced Reggie Barlow. Jenkins suffered his first losing season ever as ASU went 4-7 last season, but Hines is optimistic about the football program’s future under the coach he lured from Bethune-Cookman to lead the Hornets.
ASU will renew its rivalry with Tuskegee to open the 2017 season Sept. 2 at ASU Stadium.
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is 19th in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. It's the Gold Nuggets' same position as in the 2016 postseason rankings.
The top-25 ranking is the 40th in a row for the XULA women and their 85th in the last 95 polls dating to Feb. 25, 2004.
XULA, 8-14 a year ago, will play its first dual match of the spring semester at noon Sunday against city rival Loyola at XULA Tennis Center. The Gold Nuggets' first duals against ranked teams will be Feb. 17 against No. 11 Keiser and No. 24 Cumberlands in the Grizzly Invitational at Lawrenceville, Ga.
Defending champion Georgia Gwinnett received all 13 first-place votes.
The next top 25 will be announced Feb. 14.
NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from previous season) Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Georgia Gwinnett (13) 18-2 343 1
2 Lindsey Wilson 21-5 332 2
3 SCAD Savannah 18-2 321 4
4 Brenau 17-7 310 5
5 Cardinal Stritch 19-2 297 6
6 William Woods 19-3 289 7
7 Indiana Wesleyan 33-7 276 8
8 Middle Georgia 15-8 263 10
9 Davenport 25-6 244 11
10 Northwestern Ohio 14-10 230 13
11 Keiser 11-9 224 17
12 William Carey 12-12 223 12
13 Arizona Christian 17-5 209 18
14 LSU-Alexandria 12-7 202 14
15 Olivet Nazarene 13-10 201 15
16 Mobile 12-7 171 16
17 Cumberland 12-9 165 20
18 San Diego Christian 4-9 150 RV 19 Xavier 8-14 147 19
20 McPherson 13-5 122 22
21 Westmont 10-8 119 9
22 St. Thomas (Fla.) 8-8 107 23
23 Reinhardt 12-5 102 24
24 Cumberlands 12-10 80 NR
25 Marian (Ind.) 14-8 73 RV
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 2 in the NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday.
It's the highest-ever preseason ranking by a XULA tennis team, male or female. The Gold Rush, 17-8 a year ago, were No. 2 in the 2016 postseason poll after becoming the first XULA team in any sport to reach the championship round of an NAIA national tournament. The Gold Rush lost the final 5-2 to Georgia Gwinnett at Mobile, Ala.
XULA has the longest active streak of NAIA men's tennis top-25 appearances, 78. The streak began April 4, 2007. The Gold Rush ascended to the top of the active-streak list after Auburn Montgomery departed the NAIA this past summer.
Georgia Gwinnett, winner of the last three NAIA team titles, is a unanimous choice for No. 1. The Gold Rush and the Grizzlies will meet Feb. 19 at GGC's Grizzly Invitational.
The XULA men will play their first dual matches of the spring semester Saturday at NCAA Division I Louisiana-Lafayette. The Gold Rush and Ragin' Cajuns will play at 10 a.m. and a second time at 2 p.m. The home opener will start at noon Sunday at XULA Tennis Center against city rival Loyola, which received poll votes.
The next top 25 will be announced Feb. 14. NAIA Men's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from previous season)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Georgia Gwinnett (13) 26-0 343 1 2 Xavier 17-8 332 2
3 Lindsey Wilson 17-4 321 3
4 Keiser 20-4 305 7
5 Northwestern Ohio 16-4 304 tie-5
6 Coastal Georgia 13-4 287 8
7 William Carey 13-8 275 9
8 Westmont 10-9 261 13
9 Cardinal Stritch 17-8 242 12
10 San Diego Christian 9-3 234 NR
11 Aquinas 23-8 226 10
12 Cumberlands 13-8 216 14
13 Lewis-Clark State 12-10 206 11
14 Olivet Nazarene 15-9 195 16
15 Warner 16-5 189 15
16 Reinhardt 14-4 172 18
17 McPherson 13-6 165 17
18 William Woods 8-8 162 NR
19 Mobile 11-8 146 19
20 Campbellsville 14-11 135 23
21 Bethany (Kan.) 13-4 114 20
22 Middle Georgia 11-9 111 21
23 Marian (Ind.) 16-10 92 RV
24 Tennessee Wesleyan 18-5 85 24
25 Cumberland 8-9 76 RV
Dropped from rankings: No. 4 Dalton State, No. 5 (tie) Auburn Montgomery, No. 22 Pikeville, No. 25 IU Southeast
NORFOLK, Virginia – Norfolk State head football coach Latrell Scott announced his team's 2017 football schedule on Wednesday, a slate that includes six home games for the first time since 2013 and a road game at defending FCS national champion James Madison.
In addition to four MEAC home games, the Spartans also have home dates with Virginia State in the Labor Day Classic and a return game against in-state foe the College of William & Mary. Those two non-conference games kick off NSU's 2017 slate. VSU returns to the Spartans' schedule as the teams renew their Labor Day Classic rivalry at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2. The old CIAA rivals played every Labor Day weekend from 1991-2009, then again from 2011-12. The game will also be Scott's first against a VSU program which he led from 2013-14, and the 51st meeting all-time between the programs.
The matchup with William & Mary kicks off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9. The teams played on Sept. 17 of last season in Williamsburg, with the Tribe coming away with a 35-10 victory. The 2017 meeting is the seventh all-time between the two schools. 2017 NSU Football Schedule
Date
Opponent
Location
Time/Result
9/2/2017
Virginia State (Labor Day Classic)
Norfolk, Va.
6 p.m.
9/9/2017
William & Mary
Norfolk, Va.
6 p.m.
9/16/2017
James Madison
Harrisonburg, Va.
TBA
9/23/2017
*
Delaware State
Dover, Del.
TBA
10/7/2017
*
Florida A&M
Norfolk, Va.
2 p.m.
10/14/2017
*
Hampton (Battle of the Bay)
Norfolk, Va.
2 p.m.
10/21/2017
*
North Carolina Central
Durham, N.C.
TBA
10/28/2017
*
Savannah State (Homecoming)
Norfolk, Va.
2 p.m.
11/4/2017
*
North Carolina A&T (Senior Day)
Norfolk, Va.
1 p.m.
11/11/2017
*
Howard
Washington, D.C.
TBA
11/18/2017
*
Morgan State
Baltimore, Md.
TBA
NSU concludes its non-conference schedule with the program's first-ever meeting with James Madison. The game will be played in Harrisonburg on Sept. 16. The Dukes went 14-1 en route to the Division I FCS national championship this past season. Scott served as an assistant coach at JMU in 2012.
"We are excited about our non-conference schedule," Scott said. "Bringing back our old rival for the Labor Day Classic is a great way for our team and our fans to start the season. Then playing one of the top CAA programs in William & Mary, and the defending national champion in JMU, should be great tests for our team and will prepare us for our conference season."
NSU and Delaware State open their respective MEAC schedules on Sept. 23 in Dover. The Hornets return to the Spartans' schedule this season after two years off in the league's unbalanced schedule.
After a bye week on Sept. 30, NSU begins October with two consecutive home games. NSU hosts Florida A&M – which also returns to the Spartans' schedule after two years off – on Oct. 7 at Dick Price Stadium. The following week, the Spartans host Hampton in the Battle of the Bay on Saturday, Oct. 14. Both games kick off at 2 p.m.
The Spartans' lone road game in October is at MEAC champion North Carolina Central on Oct. 21. That game is actually the only road contest in a five-game span for the Spartans, who host Savannah State for Homecoming on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. and North Carolina A&T on Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
NSU concludes the year on the road for the fourth straight season. After finishing the 2016 season with three straight road contests, the Spartans wrap up 2017 with two consecutive road dates – at Howard on Nov. 11, and at Morgan State on Nov. 18.
"The MEAC schedule is always difficult because there are no easy wins," Scott said. "But we expect our players will be up to the challenge." Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
CHENEY, Washington -- EWU football finished with an overall record of 12-2 on the year they advanced to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs and had two finalists for the Walter Payton award, along with six All-Americans.
