May 28, 2009

SWAC BASEBALL CHAMPS TRAVEL CROSS TOWN FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT The 2009 SWAC Baseball Champion Southern Jaguars open NCAA Tournament play on Friday with arguably the shortest trip of the 48 non-hosting teams.

Southern (30-15) was assigned to the Baton Rouge Regional hosted by LSU (46-16), whom the Jaguars will face at 1 p.m. Minnesota (39-17) and Baylor (29-24) and are the other teams in the regional.

This is the 14th NCAA Tournament trip for the Jaguars, their fifth this decade but first since 2005. Southern has three of the Conference's four wins in the NCAA's. In 1987, the Jaguars became the first HBCU team to win in defeating Cal-State Fullerton 1-0 in the South II Regional. In 1996, Southern defeated Austin Peay in an NCAA Play-in Game. Six seasons ago, the Jaguars, led by National College Player of the Year Rickie Weeks, defeated Southern Miss in the 2003 Hattiesburg Regional 5-3.

Texas Southern posted the SWAC's last victory in the NCAA Baseball Tournament IN 2004, defeating defending national champion Rice 4-3.

This is Southern's third trip to a Baton Rouge regional in the past 11 years. SU has played in the NCAA's at LSU in 1999 and 2005.

Cox Sports Television will televise every game of the regional. Check coxsportstv.com for channels in your area.

TEXAS SOUTHERN SOFTBALL TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLEGE WORLD SERIES YES CLINICS The Texas Southern Softball team will be represented at the NCAA Youth Education Sports (YES) Clinics during the upcoming Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK. Head Coach Worley Barker, senior catcher Ariel Arredondo and sophomore third baseman Tenesha Skrine will serve as mentors and instructors for the clinics.

The clinics, which will take place at the Putnam City Optimist Complex May 30 and 31, provide youths with a unique opportunity to be involved with the College World Series.  They will be participating in drills and receiving skill instruction from coaches and student-athletes, gaining conditioning tips to help improve athletic performance, connecting and developing relationship with other local athletes and learning life skills and sportsmanship that will help them become a successful student-athlete.

There will also be a seminar for parents and guest to receive information and ask questions in areas such as NCAA academics and athletics requirements, injury prevention and sportsmanship.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Texas Southern softball," said Coach Barker.  "To even be considered for the clinics is quite an honor, much less to have our program receive this type of recognition.  It will be a great experience for myself along with Ariel and Tenesha."

TRACK STANDOUTS QUALIFIED TO PARTICPATE IN NCAA REGIONALS Outdoor track and field athletes from seven Conference schools qualified for this weekend's NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Regional Championships.

Alabama State, Alcorn State, Grambling State, Jackson State and Southern athletes are slated to compete in the Mid-East Region meet in Louisville, KY hosted by the University of Louisville.  Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern athletes are slated to compete in Norman, OK in the Mid-West Region meet hosted by the University of Oklahoma.