This Is Game Week: Morgan State vs. Bethune-Cookman

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 MEAC Teleconference Audio  |     GAMEDAYGuide   
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GAME TIME
Morgan State (2-6, 1-3) returns to the gridiron when they host Bethune-Cookman (4-5, 2-2). The match-up will kick off in Hughes Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. and will be televised live by ESPN3 and  broadcast by WEAA, 88.9 FM. The Bears enter the 2018 season under the leadership of interim head coach Ernest T. Jones. Bethune-Cookman completed the 2017 season with a 7-4 overall mark and went 6-2 in the MEAC. The Wildcats will enter the contest fresh off of a break from conference action when they fell to Nebraska 45-9 last Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

GAME COVERAGE

TELEVISION: SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) will be broadcasting the game live ... Geoff Arnold will handle the play-by-play duties with color analyst Varun Raghupathi.

•  The game will also be broadcast live on three television networks, including on WBAL 11.2 MeTV in the Baltimore area.  The contest will also be on WHP 21.2 My Network in the Harrisburg-Lancaster (Pa.) region and on Erie News Now ENN+ in the city of Erie (Pa.).

•  In addition, there will be two tape delay broadcasts in other areas.  WPHL 17 in Philadelphia will show the game at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 2nd, while Sports Time Ohio, serving several cities in the state including Cleveland, will air that game on Sunday at noon.

LIVE STREAM: ESPN3

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs and Kelvin Bridgers in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org. 

LIVE STATS: Click Here

SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.

TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit  morganstatebears.com/tickets.

THE SERIES
• Saturday's matchup marks the 31st meeting between the two schools.
• The Wildcats lead the overall series 23-7 since 1986...and have a 6-game winning streak against the Bears dating back to 2010.
• B-CU posted a 41-28 victory in the last meeting in Daytona in 2017.
• The Bears fell 41-10 in the Wildcats' last visit to Hughes Stadium on Nov. 5, 2016.

THE COACHES
•  Morgan State - Ernest T. Jones (Alcorn State, '95) joined the Bears as the Defensive Coordinator in 2016 and was previously a JUCO head coach at ASA Miami (2015 - 8-2 record); he has also worked at Connecticut, Notre Dame, Univ. of Buffalo, Cincinnati, Alcorn State, Central Michigan, Oberlin, Kentucky State and Concordia. CAREER RECORD (12-18, 2 yrs); RECORD AT MSU (2-6, 1st yr).
•  Bethune-Cookman - Terry Sims (Knoxville, '94) enters his fourth season as head coach at Bethune-Cookman. He has been a part of the Wildcats' unprecedented run of five conference titles in seven years. RECORD AT B-CU (24-17, 4th yr), CAREER RECORD (same).

QUICK HITS
• Both Bear QBs shared time on the field at Florida A&M. Junior signal-caller DeAndre Harriscompleted 5-of-11 passes for 55 yards, while r-freshman DJ Golatt Jr. threw for a season-best 148 yards on 15 of 22 passing.
• MSU's top two targets through the air have been WRs Corey Holmes (23 rec., 275 yds, TD) and Deontaye White (20 rec., 165 yds). 
• QB DeAndre Harris is only 52 yards shy of 1,000 passing yards for the season, and just 17 yards shy of 2,000 passing yards for his MSU career.
• The Bears recorded a season-high 229 yards on the ground against UAlbany and had 226 vs. Howard.
• Against Howard, junior RB Josh Chase finished with a season-high 115 yards on 20 carries, including a 22-yard TD run.
• Three players on defense have totaled 30 or more tackles thus far, led by senior LB Damare' Whitaker, who ranks second in the MEAC with 68 total tackles (45 solo). LB Ian McBorrough (54 tackles, 7 TFLs, 5 sacks) and LB Rico Kennedy (45 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2.5 sacks) are second and third in tackles, respectively.
• MSU's defense ranks T-No. 1 in the MEAC in turnovers gained with 15 (12 interceptions, 5 fumbles).
• The Bears defense held #4 NCAT to 1 of 12 in 3rd down conversions.
• Ernest T. Jones' Bears are predicted to finish 9th in the MEAC's 2018 Preseason Order of Finish.

LAST TIME vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN - NOV. 4, 2017
DAYTONA, Fla. -- Larry Brihm, Jr. threw for a season- and career-high matching 354 yards and a career-high five touchdowns to lead Bethune-Cookman to a 41-28 win over Morgan State on Saturday at Municipal Stadium. 
• Brihm, a redshirt senor signal caller from Delray Beach, Florida, finished 23-for-30 passing and spread the ball around, connecting with a different receiver on each touchdown. Jamaruz Thompkins added a 20-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
• In all, Brihm would match a school record with five (5) passing touchdowns. He would connect with eight different receivers overall in the contest.
• MSU out-gained the Wildcats in total yardage, 504 to 471, and got a career-high 218 yards and two touchdowns from the elusive and speedy running back Eric Harrell, who had 19 carries. Sophomore QB DeAndre Harris had TD throws to DuShon David and Manassah Bailey following starting quarterback Elijah Staley exiting the game early-on.

A WIN WOULD ... 
...give Ernest T. Jones his second win as MSU's head coach and his 13th career win.
... mark the Bears' first win against Bethune-Cookman since a 24-13 win on Oct. 3, 2009 in Daytona, Fla.
... mark the Bears' first win against the Wildcats in Hughes Stadium since a 28-14 victory on Sept. 30, 2006. 
... mark MSU's first home win of the season.
... trim the Wildcats' all-time series record lead to 22-9 since 1986.
... mark the Bears third win of the season - matching the most wins since 2016.

A GLANCE AT THE WILDCATS
•  Bethune-Cookman finished 2017 with an overall mark of 7-4 and went 6-2 in conference play. The Wildcats finished 4-0 in MEAC home contests.
•  B-CU enters Saturday's contest coming off of a 45-9 loss to Nebraska. 
•  Head coach Terry Sims' (Knoxville, 94) offense ranks No. 3 in the league averaging 364.2 yards of total offense (152.4 rushing; 211.8 passing). They have scored 15 rushing TDs and 15 passing. The Wildcats average 29.8 points per contest (No. 2 in MEAC).
•  BCU's offense is led by r-junior QB Akevious Williams. The 6-2, 188-pound Madison (Fla.) product has completed 116-of-185 passes (62.7%)  for 1,435 yards (Ranks No. 4), with 12 TDs and 6 INTs. He also leads the Wildcats ground attack with 71 carries for 347 yards and 8 TDs. 
• R-Freshman RB Isaac Washington is averaging 4.5 yards per carry with a TD. The 6-1, 205 pound senior has 332 yards on 73 carries, while junior Tupac Isme (5-11, 179) has 67 carries for 255 yards and a TD.
• Senior wideout Keavon Mitchell (5-9, 173) and r-junior Malique Jackson (5-10, 165) are two of B-CU's top receivers. Mitchell has 32 catches for 397 yards (42.9 avg/g) and 5 TDS, while Jackson has 21 catches for 355 yards (39.4 avg/g) and 2 TDs. 
• B-CU is allowing 394.9 yards of total offense (rushing 152.4; passing 211.8). The Wildcats have also forced 16 turnovers (12 INTs; 4 FR). Opponents are averaging 5.6 yards per play. B-CU has recorded 51 tackles for loss and 18 sacks.
• B-CU's D is led by junior linebacker Marquis Hendrix (Ft. Worth, Texas) and sophomore linebacker Devin James. Hendrix, (6-1, 230) ranks No. 14 in the league with 56 tackles and has two INTs and a sack, while James (6-1, 226) ranks No.18 with 54 stops to go along with 2.0 TFL.

NOTABLE NATIONAL NOTES
Here are a few 2018 FCS national statistics of note on offense, defense and special teams that pertained to the Bears:
• Senior LB Damare' Whitaker ranks T-No. 17 nationally in solo tackles (45).
• Sophomore CB Donte Small ranks T-No. 7 nationally in interceptions per game (0.5; 4 ints) and No. 4 in passes defended (13).
• Senior DL Ayodeji Agbelese ranks T-No. 9 nationally in fumble recoveries (2).
• Freshman DE Colby Warrior ranks T-No. 8 nationally in blocked kicks (2).
• MSU ranks T-No. 15 nationally in turnovers gained (18) and T-No. 8 in passes intercepted (12).
• The Bears rank T-No. 15 nationally in 3rd down conversion defense (.298).
• The Bears rank No. 18 nationally in passing efficiency defense (111.17).
• The Bears rank T-No. 19 nationally in defensive TDs (2).
• MSU ranks T-No. 14 nationally in red zone defense (.714).
• MSU ranks T-No. 35 nationally in team sacks (19).

PRESEASON PICKED 9TH 
Morgan State was picked to finish ninth (9th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina A&T and #2 Howard.

BEARS OPEN 120th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 120th season of football and will open the 2018 campaign under interim head coach Ernest T. Jones, set to enter his first year at the helm and his third year at Morgan State.
 
RETURN MEN 
The 2018 Morgan State Bears return 37 letterwinners, including 16 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 on special teams.
 
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2018 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated. 
 
MORGAN'S 1968 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM TO BE HONORED 
Morgan State's 1968 CIAA Championship Football team celebrates its 50th Year Anniversary for its historic Morgan vs. Grambling football game was held on September 28, 1968.
• Morgan's 1968 CIAA Championship team compiled a record of 8 wins and 1 loss to end the winning streak record of 32 victories and 1 loss from 1964 thru 1968.
• The team will be honored at halftime of the Morgan State vs. Bethune-Cookman contest on Nov. 3rd at Hughes Stadium.

MSU LEGEND EDDIE P. HURT NAMED TO 2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOT
76 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks make-up the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.  Morgan State head coach Eddie P. Hurt is among the list of nominees.
•  Hurt led Morgan's football teams to six Black College National Championships and won 14 CIAA titles. 
• Eleven of his squads executed undefeated seasons, including a non-losing string of games from 1932 to 1938. 
•  His 1943 team did not allow a score from a single opponent.
 
FOLLOW US IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
            Facebook: /MorganStateBears
            Twitter: @MorganStBears
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MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

VSU Trojans Ranked 16th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Preseason Rankings

ETTRICK, Virginia – The Virginia State University men's basketball team is ranked 16th in the preseason men's basketball NABC NCAA Division II Ranking released yesterday.

The Virginia State University men's basketball program is coming off the best season in school history with a 26-5 overall record. The Trojans were ranked the number one team in the Atlantic Region, and hosted the 2018 NCAA Atlantic Region Men's Basketball tournament, where they advanced to the Regional Semi-Finals. During the past season at one point the Trojans were 17-1 and ranked eighth in the nation.

This year's 2018-2019 program returns nine players including starters Cyonte Melvin (6-3/Guard/Hampton, Va.) and Walter Williams (6-4/Guard/Richmond, Va.), who have started and played significant minutes since they were freshmen. VSU also returns sharp-shooter Brandon Holley (6-2/Guard/Richmond, Va.), who was injured a large part of the season, junior Andrew Corum (6-7/Forward/Leesburg, Va.), sophomore William Vedder (6-9/Forward/Washington. DC), who came up huge for us in some big games as freshman. Senior Philip Owens (5-11/Combo Guard/Virginia Beach, Va.), sophomore Lual Rahama (6-5/Forward/Khartoum, Sudan), sophomore James Smith (6-1/Guard/South Boston, Va.) will all be key players. The Trojans also return two players who sat out the past year senior Jalen Jackson (6-2/Combo Guard/Cleveland, OH) and senior Tony Richardson (6-9/Center/Sterling, Va.).

We also have an outstanding recruiting class coming in the 2018-19 season that includes Kevin Holmes (6-9/Forward/Virginia Beach, Va.) a transfer from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Azariah Sykes (6-8/Forward/Richmond, Va.) a transfer from Morgan State University, Cedric Wiggins (6-0/Guard/Richmond, Va.) a transfer from North Carolina Central, and Armond Griebe (6-7/Forward/Woodbridge, Va.) a transfer from the University of Mount Olive. Also added to the roster is freshman Dallas Wilson (6-7/Forward/Portsmouth, Va.) and All-State, 3A Player of the Year (Antwan Miles (6-0/guard/Hampton, Va.) who has a chance of having a tremendous career here at Virginia State University.

NABC/ Division II Rankings
Oct. 30, 2018 (Pre-Season Poll)

Rank School Record Pts Previous
1 Bellarmine, Ky. (14) 29-3 398 4
2 West Liberty, W.Va. (1) 26-4 364 12
3 Lincoln Memorial, Tenn. 32-2 347 1
4 West Texas A&M 32-4 332 11
5 Northwest Missouri State (1) 27-4 277 5
6 Saint Anselm, N.H. 22-9 272 NR
7 Queens, N.C. 32-4 259 7
8 Indiana, Pa. 22-8 231 NR
9 Cal Poly Pomona 23-7 225 25
10 Southern Nazarene, Okla. 27-3 207 8
11 Valdosta State, Ga. 26-5 196 15
12 West Florida 28-4 195 9
13 Ferris State, Mich. 38-1 183 2
14 Western Washington 21-8 182 NR
15 East Stroudsburg, Pa. 27-6 162 NR
16 Virginia State 25-5 148 17
17 Morehouse, Ga. 25-3 138 10
18 St. Cloud State, Minn. 24-9 113 NR
19 Regis, Colo. 27-6 110 22
20 Southwest Minnesota State 25-9 93 NR
21 Dallas Baptist, Texas 26-6 92 16
22 Florida Southern 21-11 81 NR
23 Findlay, Ohio 28-5 75 13
24 UC San Diego 21-11 63 NR
25 Missouri Southern 20-10 58 NR

Others receiving votes: Clayton State (Ga.) 40, Fairmont State (W.Va.) 38, UNC Pembroke 35, Point Loma (Calif.) 34, Saint Martin's (Wash.) 32, Northern State (S.D.) 27, Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 19, Barry (Fla.) 18, Minnesota State 18, Texas A&M-Commerce 17, Drury (Mo.) 13, Shaw (N.C.) 13, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 12, Dominican (N.Y.) 12, Ashland (Ohio) 11, Lees-McRae (N.C.) 13, Tarleton State (Texas) 10, Claflin (S.C.) 9, Daemen (N.Y.) 8, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 4, Merrimack (Mass.) 4, Chico State (Calif.) 3, King (Tenn.) 3, Clark Atlanta (Ga.) 2, Stanislaus State (Calif.) 2, Colorado School of Mines 1, Dixie State (Utah) 1.

Records are final from 2017-18 season. Last ranking was from the final 2017-18 poll.

The Virginia State University Men's Basketball team rounds out exhibition play Friday, Nov. 2 as they travel to face the Spartans of Norfolk State University in Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. The contest is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU men's basketball, visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojan Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY TROJANS SPORTS INFORMATION

Commissioner McWilliams Delivers Keynote at Heart of A Woman Conference

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- On October 24, Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams served as the keynote speaker at the Heart of a Woman Conference (HOAW) which took place at the Charlotte Speedway Club @ the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The event included a slate of powerful and influential women in the Charlotte region celebrating their personal and professional success with a goal of giving back to women in business.

The event included a morning conversation with Grammy Award Winner Fantasia Barrino Taylor followed by an early morning plenary session entitled “Women Who Lead with a Purpose” l with a panel discussion led by strong women leaders in the region. A variety of breakout sessions throughout the day focusing on four experience tracks including professional development, entrepreneurship, life-style mind & body and industry.

“The gathering was a time to remind women of their power through their heart to serve, lead and make a difference,” Commissioner McWilliams said. “Our power relies our natural ability to be our most authentic self to pursue our passion through our position. I was grateful to be part of this amazing uplifting, powerful and power-filled conference”.

The HOAW Conference presented by the Women’s Business Center of Charlotte (WBCC), is a holistic conference empowering woman with the tools necessary to succeed in the various aspects of her life helping her to realize that she is not alone, but there are partners and resources available to her.

The WBCC empowers women with the tools needed to establish businesses, stabilize their companies, generate sustainable profits, strategize for future growth, and contribute in the growth and economic development of the community.

CIAA MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Langston Ranked 11th in the NAIA Football Coaches Top 25 Poll; Jaylen Lowe Named NAIA Football Offensive Player of the Week

JAYLEN LOWE 
Courtesy Photo by Na'Tiana Stocker

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The Langston University football team moved to the No. 11th slot in the eighth edition of the 2018 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the national office announced.

The Lions entered the 11th slot after tallying 220 total votes and trail 10th ranked Evangel (Mo.) 240 votes to 220 votes. Langston is the only Sooner Athletic Conference institution ranked.

Poll Methodology
• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences.
• Each conference is given one rater for every four schools in the league.
• The Top 25 is determined by a points system based on how each voter ranks the best teams. A team receives 25 points for each first-place vote, 24 for second-place and so on through the list.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team's ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot (including discounted ballots) that the teams appear on.
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered "receiving votes."

For the complete NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll, click here.

Jaylen Lowe of Langston (Okla.) has been named the NAIA National Football Offensive Player of the Week, the national office announced Monday. Lowe was nominated for his performance during the week of October 22 – 28 and was selected out of a pool of conference award winners.

Lowe, a senior quarterback from Collinsville, Okla., tallied up 516 yards total offense and eights touchdowns to lead Langston, ranked 11th in the NAIA, to a 71-48 win over Texas College on Saturday in Tyler, Texas. Lowe threw for 448 yards and seven scores while completing 22 of 33 passes and ran for 68 yards and one touchdown on seven carries.

In 2018, Lowe ranks second in the NAIA in total offense per game (380.0 yards) second in total offense (3,040 yards), fourth nationally in passing yards a game (317.6) and sixth nationally in passing efficiency (175.5). Lowe has accumulated 2,541 yards and 28 touchdowns passing, a 63.4 percent completion percentage and 499 yards and nine touchdowns rushing.

For the complete release of the 2018 NAIA Football Players of the Week for week nine, click here.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Langston Men's Basketball Finalizes 2018-19 Recruiting Class

HEAD COACH STAN HOLT

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- Langston University head men's basketball coach Stan Holt announce his final additions for the upcoming 2018-19 campaign in Alfonzo Anderson, Tyrone Killings, Jr., John Arnold, Jerami Grace, Knowledge Darby and Greg McDowell.

Anderson, a 6-foot 2 junior guard, hails from Newark, N.J. and last played at Laramie County Community College where he averaged 14.0 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 40 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range.

"Alfonzo (Anderson) is a two-way player, slasher and a high energy guy for us," Holt noted. "I really like what he brings to the table, he can do many things and impact the game in many ways."

Tyrone Killings Jr., a 6-foot 2 junior guard, comes to Langston University by way of Panola College and is originally from Bridgeport, C.T. At PC, Killings, Jr. appeared in 31 games and started 25 while averaging 8.9 points per game.

"TJ (Killings, Jr.) is an athletic and explosive point guard, he's the most athletic point guard we've ever had in my time here," Holt said of the junior transfer guard. "He's a huge weapon in transition, vocal leader, takes pride on the defensive end and has a passion to get his teammates involved."

Arnold, a 6-foot 2 junior guard, arrives at LU from Mobile, Ala. And last played at Gadsden State Community College. At GSCC, Arnold averaged 15.2 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range in 26 games.

"John (Arnold) is a smooth player, he's got the ability to score at all three levels, I believe his best basketball is still ahead of him," Holt said. "He's got a really high ceiling and I'm looking forward to watching him grow during his time here."

Grace, is a 6-foot 3 senior guard from Duncanville, Texas and last played at NCAA DII Arkansas Tech. At ATU, Grace appeared in 28 games and averaged 5.2 points per game including a season-high 38 point against Oklahoma Baptist on Jan. 4, 2018.

"Jerami (Grace) is an elite level shooter, has great range and can impact the game in a hurry. He's a veteran guard who I believe can become an elite defender and I'm excited to have him in the fold," Holt added.

Darby, a 6-foot 7 junior forward, hails from Brooklyn, N.Y. and last played at Frank Phillips College. Darby averaged 11.3 points per game and tallied 8.4 rebounds per game in 30 games for FPC.

"Knowledge (Darby) is very versatile, elite defender and I believe he can guard all five positions," Holt said of the junior transfer forward. "He's an excellent rebounder, gifted passer and he's going to have an impact on winning in many facets of the game."

McDowell, a 6-foot 1 sophomore guard, comes to Langston University from Chicago, Ill. and last played at Orr Academy High School.

"Greg (McDowell) is a tough, physical, hard-nosed guard out of Chicago. He does a great job of understanding what his team needs and he's able to fill that role for us," Holt noted.

Langston University opens their season on Friday, Nov. 2 at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Albany State Golden Rams Football Climb In Regional Rankings

ALBANY, Georgia – Albany State University's six-game win streak has not only locked up the SIAC Eastern Division title, but has claimed a Top 10 ranking for the Golden Rams in both the NCAA Division II Super Region Two Regional Rankings and the BOXTOROW HBCU Football Media Top 10 Poll.

After making their debut in Super Region rankings last week, Albany State (6-3) climbed to No. 7 in this week's poll. ASU made its debut this week at No. 10 in the BOXTOROW HBCU Media Poll behind Morehouse.

The Golden Rams' climb comes after a 21-0 shutout on the road at Benedict College on Oct. 26, the Rams' first shutout since a 38-0 homecoming win over Morehouse in 2015.

In Super Region Two, ASU's six-game win streak is the fourth-longest active streak among teams in the poll. Top-ranked West Georgia (9-0) and second-ranked Valdosta State (8-0) remain undefeated, including wins over Albany State. Lenoir-Rhyne (8-1) is ranked No. 3 in the region and is riding an eight-game win streak since losing in Week 1 to West Alabama (6-3), who is ranked No. 5 in the current region poll behind Bowie State (6-1). Florida Tech (6-3) is the other team ahead of the Golden Rams.

ASU's only other loss this season came in Week 2 in a non-conference against Tuskegee University, which sits tied with Miles College for the lead in the SIAC Western Division entering the final regular season week. Miles and Tuskegee meet Nov. 3 to decide the West champion and right to host the SIAC Championship game on Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. ET.

This Saturday, Nov. 3, Albany State will travel to Columbus, Georgia to meet Fort Valley State University in the 29th Annual Fountain City Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is 2 p.m. ET.

CLICK HERE for tickets and more information on this year's Fountain City Classic.
 
For more information on the 2018 SIAC football championship, click here.

NCAA Super Region Two Rankings                         
1          West Ga.         9-0       9-0
2          Valdosta St.     8-0       8-0
3          Lenoir-Rhyne   8-1       8-1
4          Bowie St.         6-1       7-1
5          West Ala.        6-3       6-3
6          Florida Tech    6-3       6-3
7          Albany State   6-3       6-3
8          West Florida   5-2       5-3
9          Wingate          6-3       6-3
10        Fayetteville St. 6-1       6-1


2018 BOXTOROW HBCU Media Top 10 Poll
Week 9
(Records through October 27, 2018)
 

No.	Team	W-L	Pts.	Last Week
1	Florida A&M (15)	6-2	159	1
2	North Carolina A&T	6-2	138	2
3	Alcorn State (1)	7-2	133	3
4	Bowie State	7-2	89	6
5	Southern	5-3	67	9
T-6	Tennessee State	3-3	63	5
T-6	Grambling	4-4	63	7
T-8	Fayetteville State	6-1	35	NR
T-8	Morehouse	7-2	35	4
10	Albany State	6-3	27	NR

 
Other receiving votes: Virginia Union (6-2) 18, Prairie View A&M (3-5) 15, Langston (7-1) 11, Tuskegee (5-4) 8, Alabama A&M (4-4) 6, Benedict (5-3) 5, Howard (3-4) 4, Hampton (4-3) 2.

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN RAMS SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Baseball Hires Grant Reynolds as Assistant Coach

ALBANY, Georgia -- Former two-time Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year Grant Reynolds has returned to the state Georgia and college coaching as the new assistant coach for Albany State University baseball, head coach Scott Hemmings announced. Reynolds will serve as pitching coach for the defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) champion Golden Rams.

"We were lucky to find someone with such an impressive resume as Coach Reynolds with it being so late in the summer. Coach Reynolds brings an unbelievable playing resume both at the college level and professional level as well as having both head and assistant coaching experience. He also brings in a large network for our recruiting with the number of contacts both here in the states and in Australia," Hemmings said. "Coach Reynolds has added a lot of value to our program and I have seen an immediate impact with our pitching staff and their overall development in the four weeks that he has been here."

Reynolds comes to ASU from Caledonia High School in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he served as an assistant coach in 2018. He stepped away from the college game in 2015, resigning as head coach of Ohio Christian University after the birth of his twin daughters.

Prior to Ohio Christian, in addition to some high school and private coaching, Reynolds spent time as a pitching coach at Wheaton College in Illinois in 2011, helping guide the pitching staff lower its ERA by more than a run from the year before and striking out more than 200 hitters. He also served as assistant at NAIA program Davenport University in Michigan for one season. Other high school coaching experiences include Lemon Bay High School (Fla.) and The Seven Hills School (Ohio).

A naive of Sydney, Australia, Reynolds came to the U.S. in 2000 to play for Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama, after graduating from Girraween High School in 1997. At WSCC, he struck out a school single-game record 17 batters in 2001 and posted a 9-1 record for the season with a 0.97 ERA to be named AJCCC MVP and an NJCAA All-American.

Reynolds moved to Georgia the following year to play for then-NCAA DII program Kennesaw State University, where he once again broke the single-game record for strikeouts in a game (18), and then again with 19 in 2003, which tied the Peach Belt Conference record and earned him National PLayer of the Wek honors. His 134 Ks in 103 innings was also a school record. A five-time Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week, Reynolds was twice named the PBC Pitcher of the YEar and earned South Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year honors and All-America status as a junior and senior. KSU honored his career with induction into the Kennesaw State University Hall of Fame in 2014.

During the summer of 2002, he set the New England Collegiate Baseball LEague season record with a 0.46 ERA and earned Top Pitcher and Top Pro-Prospect honors in the league.

From KSU, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the ninth round of the 2003 MLB Draft and spent three years in the minors before being released in 2003 due to injuries, including Tommy John Surgery.

Reynolds completed his bachelor of science in health and physical education at Kennesaw State University in 2006 and earned a master of arts in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University Irvine (Calif.) in 2015. He is currently working on his master of science in coaching and exercise science at Concordia-Irvine, which is set to complete in 2019.

He and his wife, Erin, have four daughters, Hannah and Nora (4), Maddy (2) and Claire (1).

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN RAMS SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Lady Pirates Sweep Battle Of The Bay

Final Score: Hampton 3, Norfolk State 0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-16)
 
Location: Hampton, Va.
 
Records: Hampton – 8-15, Norfolk State – 3-15
 
The Short Story: Hampton swept Norfolk State in the Battle of the Bay Tuesday night. It was the first sweep for the Lady Pirates since defeating South Carolina State on September 7.
 
BEHIND THE NUMBERS

• Hampton has defeated Norfolk State in each of the previous four matchups, improving the Lady Pirates' all-time record to 66-20 over the Spartans.
• Megann Delgado led the Lady Pirates with 12 kills and 19 digs.
• Hampton outhit Norfolk State .290 to .074, buoyed by a third set that saw the Lady Pirates hit .500.
• Norfolk State held a 9-4 edge in blocks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hampton led the duration of the first set with the latest tie coming at 2-2.
• Norfolk State rallied at the beginning of the second set, jumping out to an 8-1 lead. The Lady Pirates bounced back with a 16-6 run to take their first lead, 17-16. The hosts would lead the remainder of the set. Victoria Jenifer jumpstarted the run with three-straight kills to start the spurt. She registered five kills in the run.
• Hampton was the one to jump out to the early lead in the third set, scoring the first five points before taking a 9-3 edge. Norfolk State scored five in a row to pull within one point, but the Lady Pirates rebounded on a kill from Delgado and a pair of kills from Isis Black to extend the lead back to four.  Norfolk State got no closer than two the rest of the way.

WHAT'S NEXT
Hampton travels to UNC Asheville (11-11/6-6) on Friday for a 6 p.m. Big South contest.
 
For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5811 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

MEAC Announces Weekly Bowling Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia — Delaware State junior Aleixis Neuer and North Carolina A&T State junior Tyra Merritt were named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Co-Bowlers of the Week, the conference office announced today.

Neuer (Jr., Lewisburg, Pa.) was the top individual, earning tournament MVP honors at the Caldwell Cougar Classic this past weekend, posting an average of 202.67 in traditional play. She led Delaware State to a third-place finish in the tournament, bowling three 200 games over the weekend, including a 235 against Sacred Heart.


Merritt (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) averaged 208.4 pins in traditional play at the McKendree BearCat Open, the 11th-best average for the weekend. She had three 200 games, helping the Aggies to a fourth-place finish overall a 4-1 mark in traditional play, and she bowled a career-high 249 over the weekend.

Other Top Performers
Paulina Torres (MDES) had the sixth-best individual average at the Caldwell Cougar Classic at 186.3 and bowled a 216 twice.

MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

2018 Toyota SWAC Football Championship Game Relocated

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has announced that the upcoming 2018 SWAC Toyota Football Championship game initially scheduled to be played at Legion Field in Birmingham has been relocated.

The title game is now slated to be held at the home venue of the SWAC institution with the highest ranking that qualifies for the championship game. If required, tiebreakers in the league’s constitution and bylaws will be used to determine team rankings heading into the championship game.

“Upon arriving at the conference office in September, it was brought to my attention of a potential scheduling conflict at Legion Field if the University of Alabama at Birmingham was to qualify to host the 2018 Conference USA Football Championship game,” said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland.

“When the probability to play the SWAC Championship game as part of a doubleheader at Legion Field started to become a reality, we quickly recognized that playing two championship games in one day would not be a viable option. The conference office then began to proactively seek an alternative site for the championship game.”

“The rich tradition and heritage of our conference requires us to showcase its’ unique legacy with this game in a way that allows us to maximize game atmosphere, overall attendance, all while having it featured as the premier attraction. It was clear that sharing the venue with UAB on that day would diminish our attempts at achieving those objectives.”

“After considering many of these critical factors we came to the decision that the best course of action for the league was to move the 2018 SWAC Championship game on campus to the highest-ranking institution that qualifies for the championship game.”

“We would like to congratulate the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers football program on their successful season and we would also like to thank the City of Birmingham for all the hard work and planning that went into hosting the game up to this point.”

As previously announced the 2018 SWAC Championship game will be played on Saturday, December 1st at 3:30 pm (CST). The game is scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPNU and will also be available live and on demand on the WatchESPN App.

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Andrew Gillum Is Ready. Is Florida?

The man hoping to be Florida’s first black governor just wants to get to work

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The street is blocked off south of Bethel A.M.E. Church. Young marching-band members clog the road, reviewing their formations. Majorettes take their final stretches, wearing outfits designed to sparkle in the sun. Band members blow out their last practice notes. There are a few white folks sprinkled throughout the crowd, but approaching the campus, it’s clear that Homecoming Day at Florida A&M University might be the blackest place possible to meet Andrew Gillum.



That makes it the perfect place, really. The man who may soon become Florida’s first African American governor arrived here almost 19 years ago as a freshman, and ended up protesting the state’s governor at the time: Jeb Bush. Gillum was one of the organizers against Bush’s push in 2000 to tier the state university system in a way that would have put FAMU at the bottom, making it a “baccalaureate factory,” as Gillum called it, without graduate programs. Bush did succeed in endIng affirmative action in state college admissions, but Gillum and his fellow Rattlers helped FAMU maintain its master’s and doctorate programs. Now, he is asking Floridians to give him Bush’s old job.

CONTINUE READING

Road To The Championship HBCU Football Schedule, Week 10

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

CIAA
Shaw at Saint Augustine's, 1 PM, Raleigh Classic
Livingstone at Johnson C. Smith, 1 PM, Commemorative Classic
Lincoln (PA) at Chowan, 1 PM
Elizabeth City State at Bowie State, 1 PM
Virginia State at Virginia Union, 1 PM
Winston-Salem State at Fayetteville State, 1 PM, TV: Aspire

SIAC
Lane at Central State (OH), 1 PM  VIDEO  LIVE STATS
Tuskegee at Miles, 2 PM,  VIDEO
Morehouse at Clark Atlanta, 2 PM
Benedict at Kentucky State, 2 PM, STATS
Albany State vs. Fort Valley State at Columbus, GA  2 PM  AUDIO

OTHER CONFERENCES
West Virginia State at Urbana, 1 PM, WATCH   LIVE STATS
Lincoln (MO) at Tarleton State, 3 PM, WATCH, LIVE STATS  AUDIO
Texas College at Oklahoma Panhandle State, 3 PM, WATCH   LIVE STATS

BIG SOUTH
Hampton at SUNY Maritime. 1 PM,  VIDEO   LIVE STATS

OVC
Tennessee State at Southeast Missouri State, 2 PM, ESPN+

SWAC
Prairie View A&M at Jackson State, 3 PM, ESPN3
Mississippi Valley State at Grambling State, 3 PM
Texas Southern at Alabama State, 3 PM
Alabama A&M at Arkansas Pine Bluff, 3:30 PM
Alcorn State at New Mexico State, 6 PM   VIDEO   AUDIO  STATS

MEAC
Florida A&M at Howard, 1 PM, ESPN3
Norfolk State at North Carolina A&T State, 1 PM, ESPN3
Savannah State at Delaware State, 2 PM, ESPN3
Edward Waters at North Carolina Central, 2 PM, ESPN3
Bethune-Cookman at Morgan State, 4 PM, ESPN3

GAME TIMES INDICATED IN EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME ZONE



HBCU CONFERENCE LEADERS 10/29/2018

SOONER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SAC)
1. #12 Langston University Lion,  7-0 SAC; 7-1 Overall
2. Oklahoma Panhandle State (OPSU) Aggie, 5-1 SAC; 5-4 Overall
    Scheduled Nov. 10th: "Battle for the Bell," OPSU @ Langston Lions

CENTRAL INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (CIAA)
NORTHERN 
1. Bowie State Bulldogs, 5-1 CIAA; 7-2 Overall
2. Virginia Union Panthers, 5-1 CIAA; 6-2 Overall
3. Virginia State Trojans, 4-2 CIAA; 4-4 Overall
SOUTHERN 
1. Fayetteville State Broncos, 6-0 CIAA; 6-1 Overall
2. Shaw Bears, 3-2 CIAA; 4-4 Overall

SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
EAST
1. Albany State Golden Rams, 5-0 SIAC; 6-3 Overall
2. Morehouse Maroon Tigers, 3-2 SIAC; 7-2 Overall
WEST
1. Tuskegee Golden Tigers, 4-2 SIAC; 5-4 Overall
2. Central State (OH) Marauders, 3-2 SIAC; 4-5 Overall

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (MEAC)
1. Florida A&M Ratters, 5-0 MEAC; 6-2 Overall
2, North Carolina A&T State Aggies, 3-1 MEAC; 6-2 Overall
3. Howard Bison, 3-2 MEAC; 3-4 Overall
4. South Carolina State Bulldogs, 3-3 MEAC; 3-5 Overall

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SWAC)
EAST
1. Alcorn State Braves, 6-1 SWAC; 7-2 Overall
2. Alabama A&M, 3-2 SWAC; 4-4 Overall
WEST
1. Southern Jaguars, 4-1 SWAC; 5-3 Overall
2. Grambling State Tigers, 3-2 SWAC; 4-4 Overall



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PVAMU TV: It's About Time - President Ruth Simmons

Host, Deandre Nicholson interviews Prairie View A&M University's President, Dr. Ruth Simmons.

SWAC Volleyball Players of the Week: October 30

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Southwestern Athletic Conference has recognized Southern’s Arabella Hall, Alabama State’s Kori Kutsch and Alabama A&M’s Megan Evans and Jaelin Gant as volleyball players of the week for contests played from Oct. 23-29.

SWAC Offensive Player of the Week – Hall was superbly efficient in leading the Jaguars to wins over Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern. The 5’10 junior from San Antonio, Texas hit at a stunning .555 en route to 21 total kills, including a 13-kill effort versus Prairie View. Hall made just one attack error across the two matches.

SWAC Defensive Player of the Week – Gant totaled 20 digs as the Lady Bulldogs pushed aside Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State. She posted 10 digs in each of the matches and also added two blocks against Alcorn State. Gant also factored in offensively with 17 combined kills.

SWAC Co-Setter of the Week – Evans continued to pile up the assist totals, posting 67 combined against Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State. Evans dished out 37 assists against the Devilettes, adding three digs. Versus the Lady Braves, the 6’0 sophomore posted 30 helpers with five digs, three kills, two blocks and two service aces. Evans has cleared 30 assists or more in 10 of her past 11 matches.

SWAC Co-Setter of the Week – Kutsch grabbed 62 total assists in two matches, posting a strong average of 10.3 assists per set. She added two service aces, 17 digs (2.83 per set) and two blocks. The Torrance, Calif. native assisted on 34 kills and chipped in with six digs in Sunday’s victory against MVSU, marking the 16th time this season that Kutsch has surpassed the 30-helper plateau. She recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 28 assists and 11 digs in Monday night’s sweep of Alcorn State.

SWAC Newcomer of the Week – Carter was solid in all phases, posting 19 kills, 17 digs, three total blocks and three service aces as a key contributor during the Jaguars’ victories over Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M. Carter converted on .410 of her attacks, with just three errors in 39 total tries.
Footer.

SWAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Sports Network: Interim VP Kevin Granger

Howard University Announces Donnie Stith as New Assistant Coach for Women’s Basketball

ASSISTANT COACH DONNIE STITH
HOWARD UJNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Photo Courtesy: Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON, D.C. --  Howard University women's basketball head coach Ty Grace has announced Donnie Stith as a new assistant coach. "Donnie is a great addition to our staff. His background playing at the Division I collegiate level and overseas will definitely be an asset to our team. He will work with our post players and assist with all the day to day operations of the program," stated Grace.

Prior to Howard, Stith was the head coach at the Boo Williams Summer League in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Before that he was the varsity head coach at Salem High School after receiving a promotion from being the boys varsity assistant coach.

"His experience on the high school and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) level has allowed him to build great relationships, that will help with our recruiting ties throughout the east coast and and other areas. I'm excited for his passion to learn and help develop our student-athletes on and off the court."

Stith has an extensive background playing basketball. In college he was a member of the Tulane University team under the tutelage of head coach Dave Dickerson. His team finished third in the semi-finals of the 2006-2007 Conference USA tournament. Stith appeared in 118 games playing over 2,600 minutes. Ultimately he accumulated over 740 points, 550 rebounds and 141 blocks.

After Tulane he played internationally with the Dornbirn Lions in Austria. There he was on the regional championship team. His last international stint was with the UCD Marian. He led the Irish Superleague club in scoring with 17.8 points per game.

Stith is a 2008 graduate of Tulane University. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Arts.

About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

By: Brittany Bell Surratt, Assistant Athletic Director of Media Relations
HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS