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TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- In less than a week, Florida A&M will take the field at Bragg Memorial Stadium to kick off the college football season.
The Rattlers will take on SWAC opponent Texas Southern at noon on Saturday in a game broadcast on ESPNU. It’s the first college football game of the year, as well as the first season opener at home for FAMU since 2011.
For redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Stanley, it’s a chance for the Rattlers to show how far they’ve come.
“We’re really excited,” Stanley said. “After this three-week camp, finally getting to go against a different-color jersey, we’re fired up.”
Stanley hasn’t officially been named the team’s starter yet – head coach Alex Wood said an announcement on that is likely to come Monday – but he spent most of fall camp working with the first-team offense.
He did share time with senior quarterback Vincent Jefferies. Stanley took the majority of the snaps in Sunday’s scrimmage, which was played against a scout team meant to simulate Texas Southern.
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State University women's basketball team released the schedule for the upcoming season, featuring 13 home games and a road trip to face the defending national champions.
"The non-conference schedule is extremely difficult as usual," Alabama State head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said. "We kick it off with the defending national champions, and anytime you play a team coming off a national championship it is going to be tough."
Alabama State opens the season on the road against the defending national champion, South Carolina, November 10 – one of two games against an SEC foe this season for the Lady Hornets. After the opener, the Lady Hornets return home to face Savannah State (November 13) and another NCAA participant, Troy on November 16.
After the short home portion of the schedule, the Lady Hornets hit the road for their next three games beginning with Samford on November 19 and a pair of games at the Southern Miss Tournament (November 24-25). They close out the month of the November at home against South Alabama on November 28.
Alabama State opens the month of December with three consecutive road games, beginning with eight-time national champion and five-time national runner-up Tennessee (December 3). They then travel to the University of Miami (Fla.) for a match-up December 15, before playing at UAB (December 19). The Lady Hornets close out the non-conference schedule with a home game against Mobile (December 21).
"We also play at Tennessee," Jackson said. "We played them in the NCAA Tournament a few years ago, and they are a powerhouse. And then you add in a team like Miami and it makes it a major schedule. We also added some in-state schools to this year's schedule, which is a great opportunity to see where we match up with them.
"We have Troy and South Alabama on the schedule, and travel to UAB and Samford. If we can find a way to split, win a couple of those in-state school games, it would be good for our program. Of course you want to win all of them, and we are challenging our girls in the non-conference portion of the schedule. And then you open conference play on the road at Jackson State and Grambling State – a team that had a chance to win the conference last year. We have a chance to get off to a great start in conference play."
Following the Christmas break, Alabama State opens conference play against Jackson State (January 1) and Grambling State (January 3). They play three consecutive games at home against Mississippi Valley State (January 6), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (January 8) and Alabama A&M (January 13). The month of January ends with a pair of road games against Southern (January 20) and Alcorn State (January 22), and a pair of home games against Prairie View A&M (January 24) and Texas Southern (January 29).
The month of February is highlighted by three home games, in between a pair of road trips. The Lady Hornets travel to Mississippi Valley State (February 3) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (February 5), before playing three consecutive home games beginning with Alabama A&M (February 10). The month ends with a pair of home games against Southern (February 17) and Alcorn State (February 19); followed by road games at Prairie View A&M (February 24) and Texas Southern (February 26). The regular season ends with home games against Jackson State (March 1) and Grambling State (March 3).
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State women's basketball, please follow the Lady Hornets on social media at @BamaStateWBB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State Athletics at BamaStateSports.com.
ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- With just two weeks remaining before the season opener against Tuskegee, the Alabama State University football team closed out the week with a 100-plus play closed scrimmage Saturday night.
The Hornets, practicing under the lights of ASU Stadium will begin game preparation next week for Tuskegee. The Hornets had some bright spots on both sides of the ball Saturday, but according to head coach Brian Jenkins, there is still a lot of work to be done before they line up to play on September 2.
"There were some bright spots but there was too much negative to get ready to play a game right now," Jenkins said. "We have to go back to the drawing board and see what we are doing as a coaching staff, and make sure we are ready to play.
"I will say this, we showed some bright spots but that is expected. The things that we didn't do well, those are the things I am concerned about. As always, we are going to look at it, get it corrected and come back tomorrow."
Alabama State and Tuskegee will kickoff at 7 pm inside ASU Stadium in two weeks, and tickets are still available by calling (334) 229-4551 or (334) 229-8479. They are also available online through BamaStateSports.com.
Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State football, please follow the Hornets on social media at @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State Athletics at BamaStateSports.com.
ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State football team closed out camp with its final scrimmage on Saturday afternoon. The offense started fast, moving across midfield on all three drives of the live portion of the scrimmage. The defense stood tall and forced a punt on the first series, while the offense converted on the second drive as Treon Harris hit Mahlon Medley on a 15 yard touchdown pass. A Latrelle Lee sack and a tackle for loss by Justin Culpepper put a stop to the final drive.
The Tigers focused the rest of the scrimmage on situational plays. Harris was up first in the third down session with eight chances from various distances and was followed by Michael Hughes with seven plays. PHOTO GALLERY SCRIMMAGE #3
Total Plays: 80
Sessions: 6
Scrimmage: 33 (Plays)
3rd Down: 15 (Harris - 8, Hughes - 7)
Coming Out (From the 3): 6 (Harris - 3, Hughes - 3)
4-Minute Drill: 7 (Harris - 7)
2-Minute Drill: 13 (Hughes - 14)
Overtime: 6 (Wells - 3, Harris - 3)
Location: Hale Stadium
Weather: Sunny, 85
The Big Blue continued with the two quarterbacks getting a chance to move the unit from the shadows of the goal posts, starting from the three yard line. Harris then ran two drives of a four minute drill with the lead before Hughes ran a two-minute drill while trailing.
The scrimmage closed with two overtime possessions. Kullen Wells ran the first series which ended in a 34 yard field goal by Coby Weiss. Harris engineered the second drive, which missed scoring as Mitchell Boudreaux’s field goal attempt went off the right upright. TOTALS
Rushing: 26 carries for 68 yards
Passing: 25-of-41 for 219 yards
Touchdown: One (Receiving)
Latrelle Lee and Marvin Maddox each recorded a sack of Michael Hughes, while Chris Collins sacked Treon Harris
SCRIMMAGE
Treon Harris hit Mahlon Medley and Patrick Smith on 17 yard completions during the first drive
Tyler Black opened the second drive with two carries for 18 yards
Harris teamed with Steven Newbold on back-to-back plays for 25 yards
Andrew Knox carried twice for 17 yards moving the Tigers to the five yard line
Harris hit Medley for the 15 yard touchdown a play after a holding moved the offense back 10 yards
Michael Hughes kept the third drive alive running for 20 yards on a third and nine TWO MINUTE DRILL
Hughes rushed for 20 yards and went 6-of-8 for 37 yards connecting with four different receivers (Lawrence Segree II 2-13, Mazio Rhodes 2-12, Chris Rowland 1-7, Ronnie Killings 1-6)
Drive ran for 12 plays
Coby Weiss missed a 51 yard field goal attempt wide left
OFFENSE
Redshirt junior Treon Harris was 12-of-23 for 122 yards and one touchdown
Redshirt sophomore Michael Hughes was 12-of-17 for 92 yards
Redshirt freshman Kullen Wells finished 1-of-1 for five yards
Redshirt sophomore Tyler Black rushed for 20 yards on three carries
Sophomore Steven Newbold caught seven passes for 89 yards
Patrick Smith had three receptions for 30 yards
Mahlon Medley caught two balls for 32 yards and a touchdown
Mazio Rhodes three catches for 27 yards
SPECIAL TEAMS
The place kickers converted 1-of-3 Field Goals
Coby Weiss 1-for-2 (Made 34, Missed 51); Mitchell Boufreaux 0-for-1 (Missed 40)
Coby Weiss was 1-for-1 on Extra Points
Austin Rowley punted four times UPCOMING EVENTS
Game Prep scrimmage will take place on Thur., August 24
The Senior Kickoff Luncheon is set for Fri., August 25
Fan Day will be held on Sat., August 26
Tennessee State at Georgia State on Thur., August 31
QUOTES Defensive Coordinator Garry Fisher
- On the positives for the defense on the day
“I thought we flowed around really well. The guys are starting to gel together and learn how to play together as 11. We did a good job getting to the ball, getting after it and just playing team defense.”
- On the progression of the defense during camp
“It’s been a long camp, but it’s given us a lot of time to have a lot of walk throughs and help the guys understand the details of the defense. We’ve really come a long way from the spring. Every day, the guys have been learning something and moving forward as far as learning the progression of the defense, so it’s been a good camp.” Offensive Coordinator Jeff Parker
- On what he liked from the offense today
“I thought the guys competed at a high level. I was very pleased with the way they went out and competed. It’s little warm. We had a three-man rotation at the tackle and a few guys who are still out with injury, but I thought they sucked it up and competed hard on the offensive line. It was our focus to try to run the ball a little bit and count on those guys, and I think they did a heck of a job.”
- On how far the offense has come
“I think they’ve done a great job. We had a transition at the quarterback position and we have a couple of new offensive linemen, so we started from the ground up. We wanted to make sure everyone knew the calls and what we’re trying to get accomplished on offense. I think everyone is caught up, so we’re about to put a few more things in – a little more than expected.”
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State Director of Athletics Teresa Phillips announced on Thursday the hiring of Andrea Browning as the Head Coach of TSU’s softball team.
Browning, who served as an assistant coach for the Tigers during the 2017 season, will be the sixth head coach in program history.
Browning, who earned the job following a national search, will be embarking on her first Division I head coaching experience.
A native of nearby Franklin, Tenn., Browning joined the Tennessee State coaching staff as an assistant coach in the fall of 2016, working closely with TSU’s pitchers.
Prior to her arrival in Nashville, Browning served as a volunteer assistant at the University of North Florida during the 2016 season. Browning aided the Ospreys’ pitching staff, as well as coordinating community service projects and assisted with the organization and implementation of camps. Prior to her work at UNF, Browning founded and served as the head coach of the Sudden Impact organization, while working as a private homeschool educator.
Following her collegiate playing career at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn., Browning began her coaching Ohio Valley Conference school Austin Peay, where she spent three seasons. Browning continued her coaching career as an assistant at Belmont University in 2007.
Browning then moved to Florida where she continued to gain coaching experience at Fort Walton Beach High School, spending four seasons from 2007-11.
Browning graduated from Lambuth University in 2000 with a degree in Physical Education and Health. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Health and Human Performance – Wellness in Sports Leadership from Austin Peay in 2016.
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State volleyball team finished their last day of camp on Saturday afternoon with a scrimmage against alumni Tiger volleyball players.
The 2017 team swept the alumni with a 3-0 run (25-21, 25-18, 25-23), and continued the streak of beating the alumni during the preseason match.
The alumni team consisted of Naomi Wells, Tennessee State’s all-time leader in kills (1,275) and attacks (3,883), Christian Lowe, ranked top 10 in kills, attacks, block assists, total blocks and hitting percentage, Catherine Armwood, all-time leader in digs (1,691), Assistant Coach Vicmari Prospero, the all-time leader in hitting percentage (.266) and letter winners Danielle Howell and Christina Raiford.
“We started off playing our alumni match, which we do every year. We had a great start, but we had an injury in the middle which slowed us down, but we picked it up and were able to finish it in three.”
Junior Middle Blocker, Rachel Henderson
-On the benefits of scrimmaging alumni
“They are very smart. They know what to do because they’ve been playing for a long time, and they actually played together. So, we have to be smarter and we had to communicate more.”
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Look no further than the final game of the 2016 season to identify what Southern defensive coordinator Trei Oliver is seeking to improve most in Year 2.
Grambling rolled up a whopping 571 yards against the Jaguars in the Bayou Classic, but that total wasn’t necessarily what bothered Oliver. It was how the Tigers achieved it.
Of those 571 yards, 365 came on 12 "explosive" plays — rushes of 10 or more yards or passes of 20 or more yards. Five of Grambling’s six touchdowns from scrimmage came on these types of plays.
Grambling exposed a weakness in the Southern defense that the Jaguars had been able to cover up all season by forcing a Football Championship Subdivision-best 32 turnovers. But make no mistake, that weakness was there all season, especially in the run game.
Southern allowed 2,143 rushing yards last season, and nearly 75 percent of those yards (1,606) came on 79 "explosive" runs. More than 20 percent of the running plays by Southern opponents went for 10 or more yards.
The Jaguars were a bit better at containing big plays in the passing game, allowing just 28 plays of 20 or more yards, a little more than 2.5 per game.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- It was another scorcher, and Southern coach Dawson Odums had already had his fill.
Last week, wearing his usual practice attire — wide-brimmed hat, sweatshirt and athletic shorts — Odums beckoned reporters to meet him for interviews in the gym, rather than the usual area behind the goalposts at A.W. Mumford Stadium.
“It’s too hot out there,” Odums said once everyone was in the climate-controlled environment.
Southern, like just about every south Louisiana football team this time of year, is feeling the heat. But there’s an added layer to it this season, considering what awaits the Jaguars when they officially kick off 2017.
By taking part in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Southern will get a rare shot to occupy a spot on the national marquee. Southern will host South Carolina State in a game broadcast on ESPN2 and played on Sunday, Sept. 3. It is unquestionably great exposure.
Now, the downside: The game — which, again, Southern is hosting — will kick off at 1:30 p.m. Exposure to the elements is the kind of exposure Southern is not particularly looking forward to. CONTINUE READING
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern’s third and final scrimmage of preseason camp Friday focused on situational football, and coach Dawson Odums came away satisfied with his team’s effort.
“I’m very pleased with where we are as a football team,” he said.
With senior quarterback Austin Howard back in the mix — Howard took part in just one play of last week’s scrimmage — the Jaguars' first-team offense ran smoothly, Odums said. Friday’s scrimmage was closed to reporters and the public.
Odums singled out Howard, running backs Herb Edwards, Devon Benn and Jamarqueza Mims and the first-team offensive line as having solid performances.
The scrimmage was heavily controlled, with an emphasis on simulating game-like conditions. The team practiced its two- and four-minute offenses and third-down situations, as well as punts and field goals.
Odums also wanted to use the scrimmage to pit some of the less experienced players against the first-team offensive and defensive units.
SUFFOLK, Virginia -- Senior Lady Bulldog Camary Harris has decided where to play her college basketball. Bethune-Cookman University will be getting a strong King’s Fork High School guard in Harris. This week, she decided she wanted to end her college recruitment and take her talents down to Dayton Beach, Fla., in the fall of 2018. Harris was the starting point guard on an all-time historic King’s Fork girls’ basketball team. She orchestrated the offense and made plays for her teammates, which saw them playing for the 4A state championship back in March. What made Harris’ play so impressive last season was that she worked her way from an ACL injury. Because of her solid play at the point guard position, she started to spark the interest of NCAA Division I coaches. She was offered by both BCU and Hampton University and decided to roll with BCU. “The reason I decided to go ahead and commit to BCU is because it was a very family oriented environment,” the senior Lady Bulldog said. “Everyone was really friendly and respectful to one another. The women’s basketball program is really good, and the coaching staff is wonderful.” CONTINUE READING
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Hawaii basketball team will open its 2017-18 season against a very familiar foe.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff is the first official opponent on the Rainbow Warriors’ schedule Nov. 10, UH announced in revealing the order of its Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic opponents today. It is the second time in four years UH slotted the Golden Lions of the SWAC for its opener (2014-15), and in all it will be the sixth trip in eight years to Manoa for UAPB.
UH follows with games against North Dakota (Nov. 12) of the Big Sky and Troy (Nov. 13) of the Sun Belt in the round-robin tournament format. It hasn’t yet been announced if the last game of the tournament will be a late-night game in the ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon as in recent seasons.
Troy previously put out the field for the Rainbow Classic as part of its schedule but the order of opponents was unknown.
Pine Bluff went 7-25 last season, but North Dakota and Troy made the NCAA Tournament as 15 seeds. UH beat UAPB 64-44 last season and lost to Troy 65-63 at the Stan Sheriff Center. CONTINUE READING
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Head coaches Brian Jenkins and Willie Slater aren’t the only recognizable names competing in the rekindled Tuskegee-Alabama State rivalry game Sept. 2 at ASU Stadium.
Senior Sam Baptiste, Jonah McCutcheon and Osband Thompson made the Black College Football player of the year watch list and landed on the BOXTOROW preseason All-American team this week.
Baptiste earned first-team All-SWAC honors for the Hornets last season after helping clear run lanes for the conference’s top rushing attack led by 1,200-yard rusher Khalid Thomas. The 6-foot-4, 340-pound lineman out of Waycross, Georgia has the look of someone who could join another ASU lineman in the NFL.
The Oakland Raiders drafted Jylan Ware in the seventh round last April. Baptiste is on an early path to get that prized phone call next spring.
Right now, Baptiste and the ASU offense is preparing to find ways to move the ball on a Tuskegee defense led by Thompson and McCutcheon.
JACKSON, Mississippi -- Tony Hughes said Thursday that his Tigers aren’t anywhere close to being a finished product.
Jackson State held its third fall scrimmage on the campus of Germantown High School, and although Hughes liked the intensity and physicality he saw, he said he didn’t think his team was ready for the season opener against TCU in two weeks.
“We still have a lot of stuff to clean up,” Hughes said.
Here’s a few highlights and observations from that third scrimmage. Backfield rising
Depth in the defensive backfield was the only real question mark on that side of the football coming into camp, and the Tigers have found some answers thanks to some young players. CONTINUE READING
LORMAN, Mississippi -- Going up against four NCAA Tournament teams from last year in the non-conference slate, the Alcorn State University men's basketball program released its 2017-18 schedule Thursday. Alcorn will play a total of 14 home games including nine SWAC contests at the Davey L. Whitney Complex. The Braves will go on the road to face 2016-17 NCAA Tournament teams in Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Creighton and Baylor. Alcorn will also head to LSU, Northern Iowa, Central Arkansas and Tulane non-conference. "We put together a very challenging schedule this year that will show us what we're made of early. We have a really young team, but we still want to compete and play at a high level," said head coach Montez Robinson. "The goal for us is to stay healthy and be prepared for conference play." The season opener is set for Friday, Nov. 10 at LSU. After five road games, the Braves will play their home opener against Yale on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Alcorn will also host non-conference games against Concordia (AL), Rust College, Fisk University and Blue Mountain College. SWAC play will begin Monday, Jan. 1 when the Braves head to Prairie View A&M. Alcorn's first conference home game is against Jackson State on Saturday, Jan. 6. The conference will repeat its double round robin format where each school plays each other twice (once home, once away). The top-eight teams in the final standings will qualify for the SWAC Championships beginning Tuesday, March 6. ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- The start of college football season is right around the corner for many Black colleges. There are a number of great players among the ranks of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Mike Waters is a name to remember as the season unfolds. Waters, an All-Public League standout at Imhotep Charter, is a terrific running back for Delaware State. A year ago, Waters really showcased his talent as a freshman. He led the Hornets in rushing with 820 yards while scoring five touchdowns. He set a school freshman record with that rushing mark. Waters finished third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in rushing.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound sophomore made third-team All-MEAC. He also was named Hero College Sports FCS freshman All-America.
He broke the Hornets’ freshman single-game record with 224 yards rushing on 30 attempts against Howard University last season. Big things are expected from him this season. He had a tremendous scholastic career, leading Imhotep Charter to its first PIAA state championship in school history. He had an impressive 201 yards and scored three touchdowns in a 40-3 victory over Erie Cathedral to capture the state crown. Waters has been named preseason All-MEAC second-team.
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M University football team will open the 2018 season at Rice on Saturday, August 25.
It will be the second time in three seasons the Panthers and Owls will meet on the gridiron. In 2016, Prairie View A&M gained 457 total yards in the 65-44 loss.
The game will be played in Week Zero, which is allowed under NCAA rules because Rice plays at Hawaii that season.
"It's a great game for us to open the 2018 season," said PVAMU head coach Willie Simmons. "Anytime we can play FBS teams in our area, it helps us. It allows our fans to travel to the game. We had a really good following last year at Rice. For us to be able to schedule games of this magnitude with so many good teams within driving distance of Prairie View is great for our program. It will be a good measuring stick for us and a good gauge for where we are as a team to start the season."
The 2017 Panthers will open the season at Texas Southern in Labor Day Classic XXXIII on Sept. 2 at 8 p.m.
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Once again, Florida A&M’s football program is reaping the benefits of a dedicated fan base.
The hard work being done in the ticket office certainly helps, too.
For the third year in a row, the Rattlers have set a season ticket sales record. Every year since Athletic Director Milton Overton’s first at the helm, the program has set new marks for season tickets sold.
Stephanie Kimbrough, director of ticket sales and operations for FAMU, said as of Monday afternoon, 4,472 season tickets have been sold. Last year’s total was 4,300.
“We’re shooting for 5,000,” she said. “We’re hoping we can get that last push. We’re trying to get those last ones this week and next week.
“I think people are starting to see the value of the Investing in Champions program and how it benefits our student athletes. That has contributed tremendously to our success.”
FAMU will open the 2017 college football schedule with the Jake Gaither Classic against Texas Southern in Bragg Memorial Stadium at noon on Aug. 26.
NEW ORLEANS — Six-time defending volleyball champion Xavier University of Louisiana is favored to win the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference title again, according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches. XULA has four of the eight players on the preseason All-GCAC team: libero Amanda Perry, setter Tiffany Phillips, middle blocker/right side Hasani Salaam and outside hitter Juliana Tomasoni. Perry, Phillips and Salaam are sophomores; Tomasoni is a senior. The GCAC announced the results Monday. Following the Gold Nuggets in the predicted order of finish were Dillard in second place, SUNO third, Talladega fourth, Tougaloo fifth, Edward Waters sixth and Philander Smith seventh. Perry, from Bolingbrook, Ill., and a graduate of Bolingbrook High School, was GCAC Defender of the Year, first-team All-GCAC and Louisiana Freshman of the Year in 2016 and set a XULA season record of 529 digs. Phillips, from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, was GCAC Setter of the Year and second-team All-GCAC a year ago. Phillips led the conference with 8.34 assists per set. Salaam, from New Orleans and a graduate of Lusher Charter High School, was second-team All-GCAC in 2016 and led the Gold Nuggets with a .249 hitting percentage and 62 blocks. Tomasoni, from Nova Trento, Brazil, and a graduate of Francisco Mazzola in her home country and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, led the Gold Nuggets a year ago with 345 kills, 27 aces and 14 double-doubles and was second with a .242 hitting percentage and 391 digs. She was MVP of the GCAC Tournament, first-team All-GCAC and second-team All-Louisiana. The Gold Nuggets, led by new head coach Pat Kendrick, will open their 10th season of intercollegiate volleyball Aug. 25 in the UM-Dearborn Early Bird at Dearborn, Mich. — 3 p.m. EDT against Trinity International and 7 p.m. against Madonna. The XULA home opener will start at 6 p.m. Aug. 29 against Mobile at the Convocation Center. Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold
NASSAU, Bahamas – Chicago State men's basketball finished off its exhibition slate here with a 3-0 record after earning a 93-79 win today over the CTG Knights at Kendal G.L. Isaacs Gymnasium.
Juniors Anthony Harris (Gary, Ind./Griffith (Ind.)) and Fred Sims, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./North Lawndale) each produced seven points in the first quarter as CSU forced its opponents to shoot 26 percent from the field en route to a 26-13 lead then posted a slim 18-14 second quarter advantage to take a 44-27 leading margin at halftime. CTG outscored Chicago State by a 25-19 tally in the third quarter to close within 63-52 before the Cougars posted a slim 30-27 score in the final stanza to end the game.
The Green and White used balanced scoring to defeat the Knights as six of the seven players that played finished the game with double digit points. CSU also held advantages in rebounds (57-47), assists (19-10) and blocked shots (5-1).
Harris finished with a game-high 18 points and three steals to lead Chicago State, while senior Deionte Simmons (Detroit, Mich./Lewisville (Texas)) produced a double-double of a game-leading 18 rebounds and 15 points.
Sims, Jr. also tallied 15 points followed by redshirt freshman Travon Bell (Chicago, Ill./Mather) with 14 points and seven rebounds, and freshman Cameron Bowles (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood) added 13 points. Senior Glen Burns (West Memphis, Ark./West Memphis Christian) rounded out the group by scoring 13 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out a game-high eight assists.
Van Hutchinson matched Harris for game high scoring honors with 18 to lead four CTG Knights in double figures. Livingston Munnings contributed a double-double of 14 rebounds and 13 points.
The Cougars will spend the next couple of days enjoying Nassau before they return to Chicago on Tuesday.
BOX SCORE CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Caylin Newton has spent much of his formative years in the shadow of his older brother, former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.
Caylin is a decade younger than Cam, the former NFL MVP who stars for the Carolina Panthers, and has been compared to him at every stage of his childhood on the football field. Caylin is hoping to change that now that he's entering his freshman year at Howard, a small historically black university in Washington D.C. that plays in the MEAC.
"I'm trying to make my own path," Caylin recently told the Washington Post. "I'm trying to be a person that stands for who I am, but my last name is my last name. I get it. I mean, he's a big deal. NFL MVP. So I can't be not owning who my brother is."
Still, Caylin is trying to make a name for himself for the Bison after signing with the program in February. While both were standouts at Atlanta area high schools, Cam has 6 inches on his little brother and was a far more coveted prospect. Caylin threw for 3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior at Grady High while running for more than 1,000 yards and 13 scores, but his size disadvantage kept him more under the radar despite his family name.
HAMPTON, Virginia -- WE HAVE SOME BASKETBALL GAME ACTION!
Two more MEAC teams have released their 2017-2018 schedules. Yet what really gets me excited is live basketball action, and thanks to Hampton we have a little warm up for the upcoming season.
How well are the Hampton Pirates coming together? A team-building trip can give us a few answers.
The Pirates played three games this weekend in Puerto Rico against international competition and went 3-0. On Friday, the Pirates defeated UC Bayamon 86-60 behind an impressive defensive performance. Outstanding sophomore guard Jermaine Marrow led the charge with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds. The Pirates saw three others score in double figures as Austin Colbert scored 13, Lysander Bracey had 12 and Greg Heckstall added 10 points accompanied with 12 rebounds. The balanced offensive attack provided a comfortable lead, but it was the stifling defense that made the difference. The Pirates held UC Bayamon to just 26 percent shooting on the night.
HAMPTON MEN FINISH PUERTO RICO TRIP 3-0 WITH 78-64 WIN
GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO – The Hampton University men's basketball team finished a 3-0 weekend of international competition in Puerto Rico with a 78-64 win over Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) on Sunday night.
In a reverse of Saturday night's victory, Hampton opened the game outscoring the hosts 23-12 in the first quarter and held a 49-32 lead at the half. UMET outscored the Pirates 32-29 in the second half, but couldn't get closer.
Jermaine Marrow topped Hampton with 21 points and nine rebounds while Kalin Fisher added 12 points for the double figure scorers on Sunday.
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
NEW YORK, New York -- The Jets signed wide receiver Daniel Williams and waived WR Deshon Foxx.
Williams recorded 47 receptions for 599 yards and three touchdowns for Jackson State in 2016. The 6'3", 200-pounder totaled 2,497 yards and 19 touchdowns on 184 receptions in four seasons for the Tigers.
Foxx originally signed a reserve/future contract with the Jets in January, but was waived May 9. He was re-signed later that month when the team placed WR Devin Smith on injured reserve after he tore his ACL in Phase One of the offseason workout program.
Dan turned heads at JSU Pro Day in April, clocking a 4.3 in the 40 yard dash. He signed with the Raiders in May as an undrafted free agent and participated in rookie minicamp.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jamahri Sydnor spoke with the enthusiasm of a cheerleader and an eloquence beyond her years.
Whether the event was ordinary or exceptional, the 17-year-old approached it with unbridled energy and a broad smile. She jumped for joy for classmates who passed an exam or were accepted to college. She convinced a discouraged friend to stay in school and led an impromptu dance aboard a sightseeing boat around Manhattan.
She was so excited about her future and heading to Florida A&M University in about 10 days that she posted a copy of her acceptance letter on Twitter.
A single bullet ended her plans.
Sydnor died Saturday, two days after she was shot in the head by a stray bullet fired about 3:30 p.m. Thursday as she drove along a street in a Northeast Washington neighborhood.
Police said she remained on life support until Saturday, a difficult state for her friends to comprehend as they recalled her upbeat demeanor. “There was never a day I saw her she didn’t have a smile on her face,” said Patrice Arrington, the college and career coordinator at her school, Woodrow Wilson High in Northwest Washington. CONTINUE READING
LORMAN, Mississippi — The Alcorn State University family gathered in Vicksburg Saturday to say their final goodbyes to long-time band director Samuel Griffin.
To many people at Alcorn, Griffin wasn’t just a band director — he was a father figure. Annette Jones-Baskin is one of Griffin’s former students, “He’s been like a mentor, father figure, role model. He was a whole lot to me so he gave me the opportunity to go to college because I was from a family that couldn’t afford to send me to a university.”
Throughout his nearly 50 year career at Alcorn, Griffin provided dozens of students with scholarships and promising futures.
“He put quite a few people through school,” says former student Keith Thompson. “And if it wouldn’t have been for my band scholarship I don’t know if I would have even gone to school.”
Jeffrey Knight agrees, “The scholarships that he gave over the years, from all walks of life, venture out and get different careers and he was always behind them as long as you did a positive thing about it. He was always there for you.”
Griffin is best known for giving the marching band it’s nickname, Dyn-O-Mite. CONTINUE READING
Griffin began his career at Alcorn in 1966. Following a brief period as assistant band director, Griffin assumed the position as director of bands in 1969. He created the marching band nickname, Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite and was well known for his auxiliary innovations, including the Golden Girls and the Purple Flashers Flag Corp. He led the marching band to halftime shows in high profile venues including the Miami Orange Bowl, Los Angeles Coliseum, Houston Astrodome, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and the Superdome in New Orleans the year of its opening in 1975.
Griffin displayed his love for Alcorn by being one of the University’s top recruiters. Under his leadership, a number of students made Alcorn their school of choice. Many graduated to successful professional careers and lives, crediting Griffin as an integral contributor to their achievement.
While Griffin distinguished himself as a musician and band extraordinaire, he also supported the mission of the University through outstanding community service. In addition to the hundreds of parades for municipalities, school districts, and civic organizations, he served as a clinician and adjudicator for many festivals and competitions. Griffin retired from Alcorn in 2012.
In November 2016, the Band Hall at Alcorn was named in Griffin’s honor. In January 2017, he received the Honda Battle of the Bands’ Honoree Award for his outstanding contributions to historically black college and university marching bands.
WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina --Jack Nimmons chuckles when asked the obvious question about his hall of fame father.
Nimmons, a junior defensive end for Winston-Salem State, says whenever his father, Jonathan “Sly” Nimmons, starts waxing poetic about his playing days with the Rams in the 1980s, the sentences start the same way: “Back when I played ... ”
But that’s OK with Jack Nimmons because he can’t think of a better role model to follow than his father, who is in the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame after being a four-year letterman and an All-CIAA, All-NAIA and All-America player.
“Of course he starts those sentences like that,” Nimmons said.
Nimmons, who is from Reidsville, has worked hard to become a starter for the Rams after beginning his college career at St. Augustine’s. After graduating from Reidsville High School he went to St. Aug’s, where he redshirted but never let his dream of going to WSSU die.
“I always wanted to come to Winston-Salem State,” Nimmons said. “So after the year at St. Aug’s, I took a chance and came here as a walk-on.” CONTINUE READING
