Bulldog Monthly

dates and deadlines

June 1: Basketball Enhancement Fund Renewals Mailed

August 1: Basketball Enhancement Fund Deadline

Bulldogs Earn No. 8 National Seed

For the fourth time in school history, the University of Georgia has earned a national seed for the NCAA Baseball Championship as the Bulldogs garnered a No. 8 seed for its regional June 1-4 at Foley Field.

The ninth-ranked Bulldogs (37-19) will be playing host to No. 18 Duke (40-15), Troy (41-19) and Campbell (35-24) in a four-team regional. On Friday, Duke will face Troy at 2 p.m. followed by Georgia against No. 4 Campbell at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the losers meet in the afternoon and then the winners square off in the evening Regional play is double-elimination. The winner of the Athens Regional will face the winner of the Texas Tech Regional. The Red Raiders (39-17) are playing host to Louisville (43-17), Kent State (39-16) and New Mexico State (40-20). Super Regional play will be June 8-11 and the College World Series (CWS) begins June 16-27.

Georgia is making its 11th overall appearance in an NCAA Regional including their fifth as a regional host. The Bulldogs have won all four previous regionals in Athens, advancing to a Super Regional and ultimately the CWS in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Georgia was a No. 6 national seed in 2001, a No. 7 national seed in 2006 and a No. 8 national seed in 2008. Duke and Troy are making their seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament while this will be Campbell's third trip. Like the Bulldogs, the Blue Devils and Trojans received an at-large bid while the Camels notched an automatic bid after winning the Big South regular season and tournament titles.

Georgia returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011, and the first under Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. He said the team was elated to learn they were a national seed.

"There were a lot of deserving teams, and you look at everybody's resumé and when we got together as a team to watch the selection show, we didn't know if we'd be getting one or not," said Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. "We got the nod and there was an explosion in the room when Georgia flashed up on the screen. We're looking forward to playing again at Foley Field starting Friday night."

Extra Inning Home Run Sends Bulldogs to the Women’s College World Series

The seventh-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (48-11) advanced to the Women's College World Series defeating the 10th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols 2-1 in eight innings sweeping the best of three series sending the Bulldogs to Oklahoma City for the fourth time in program history.

Bulldog sophomore Mary Wilson Avant (12-3) turned in a masterful performance in the circle tossing five hitless innings before surrendering a single in the bottom of the sixth inning.

At the plate, Georgia outhit Tennessee 6-4. Cortni Emanuel and Ciara Bryan each had two hits at the top of the Bulldog lineup.

Tennessee starter Matty Moss matched Avant step for step in a pitchers duel in front of a sold-out Jack Turner Stadium.

In the top of the fourth, sophomore Ciara Bryan cracked a leadoff single down the first base line. Sophomore Justice Milz was hit by a pitch in the following at-bat bringing junior Alyssa DiCarlo to the plate. DiCarlo laid down a bunt to advance Bryan and Milz into scoring position with one out, but Moss got sophomore Alysen Febrey to line into a double play keeping the game scoreless.

The Volunteers turned to the bullpen in the top of the seventh after a Milz single bringing in last night's starter Caylan Arnold. With a runner on first Dicarlo laced a triple into the right center field gap scoring pinch runner Tyler Armistead from first, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

After mustering just one hit all game off of Bulldog ace Avant, the Lady Vols manufactured a tying run in the bottom of the seventh using two singles and a hit by pitch sending the game to extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning with nobody on base and two outs facing an 0-2 count, Georgia leadoff hitter Cortni Emmanuel lined her third career homerun into the right field pine trees putting Georgia back in front 2-1.

Once again proving their resilience the Lady Vols put two runners on base in the seventh but a tremendous grab by Bryan in centerfield crashing into the wall sent the Bulldogs to Oklahoma City by a final tally of 2-1.

With the win, the No. 7 Bulldogs advance to the 2018 Women's College World Series, which will be held May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City. The Bulldogs have now reached four WCWS in program history, most recently in 2016.

83 Current and Former Student-Athletes Graduate

The University of Georgia Athletic Association recognized 83 student-athletes who received their undergraduate or graduate degrees Friday, May 4, at the annual spring and summer Commencement exercises.

Baseball (2): Chase Adkins, General Business; Trey Logan, Management Information Systems and Finance

Men's Basketball (1): Ezra Williams, Human Development and Family Science

Women's Basketball (2): Bianca Blanaru, Criminal Justice; Mackenzie Engram, Journalism

Equestrian (15): Bailey Anderson, Biochemical Engineering; Payton Anderson, Finance; Taylor Carman, Criminal Justice and Communication Studies; Addyson Cord, Chemistry; Meghan Flanagan, Financial Planning; Liza Goodlett, Journalism; Kyndall Harper, Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development; Caroline Johnson, Biology; Samantha Johnson, Risk Management and Insurance; Ashlyn Lawrence, Fashion Merchandising; Eva Marcelis, Arabic and International Affairs; Vanessa McCarthy, Consumer Economics; Grace Porter, Biology and Genetics; Kelly Skoglund, Management Information Systems; Charley Thiel, Furnishings and Interiors

Football (13): Kevin Butler, Economics; John Courson, Psychology and Biology; Reggie Davis, Sociology; Brendan Douglas, Consumer Economics; Alexander Essex, Real Estate; Sean Fogarty, History; Daniel Harper, Management; Jordan Jenkins, Risk Management and Insurance; Miles McGinty, Management; Johnny O'Neal, Sociology; Sam Vaughn, Finance; Shakenneth Williams, Sociology; Isaiah Wynn, Human Development and Family Sciences

Men's Golf (1): Matthew Beringer, Finance and Accounting

Women's Golf (1): Bella Skinner, Accounting

Gymnastics (4): Jasmine Arnold, Psychology and Criminal Justice; Vivi Babalis, Sport Management; Hayley Sanders, Consumer Foods and Dietetics; Natalie Vaculik, Consumer Economics

Soccer (5): Summer Burnett, Accounting; Natalie Goodman, Biology; Kelsey Killean, Psychology; Alexandra Pallo, Management Information Systems and Marketing; Carly Settles, Biology

Softball (1): Cortni Emanuel, Psychology

Women's Swimming & Diving (7): Emily Cameron, International Affairs; Megan Kingsley, Marketing; Anna McKenzie, Spanish; Meaghan Raab, Journalism; Olivia Smoliga, Psychology; Courtney Weaver, Economics; Rachel Zilinskas, Risk Management and Insurance and Statistics

Men's Swimming & Diving (7): Powell Brooks, Finance; Pace Clark, Management; Ian Forlini; Patrick Humphreys, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Spanish; Joshua Kenway, Political Science and Economics; John Mattern, Real Estate and Risk Management and Insurance; Basil Orr, Finance

Women's Tennis (3): Mariana Gould, Health Promotion; Hannah King, Human Development and Family Science; Laura Patterson, Finance

Men's Tennis (2): Andrew Martinez, Finance; Wayne Montgomery, Risk Management and Insurance

Men's Track & Field (8): David Dwyer, Finance; Terrell Estime, Finance; Bryan Kamau, Financial Planning; Alex Larsson, Mechanical Engineering; Jonathan Moses, Marketing; Alex Poursanidis, Sociology; Maicel Uibo, Finance; Eric Westog, Communication Studies and Religion

Women's Track & Field (9): Alexandra Castro, Psychology; Madeline Fagan, Sport Management; Tatiana Gusin, Journalism; Lauren Hovis, Middle School Education; Aliyah Johnson, Sport Management; Addy Lippitt, Management; Keturah Orji, Financial Planning; Georgia Stefanidi, Journalism and Mass Communication; Katie Stone, Early Childhood Education

Volleyball (2): Cassidy Anderson, Communication Studies; Amanda Dachs, Sport Management

Four UGA Teams Cited in APR Recognition Announcement

Four University of Georgia varsity sports teams have been publicly recognized by the NCAA for outstanding achievement in the annual NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) report.

The recognition honors teams that scored in the top ten percent of all teams across the country in each sport. The UGA men's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, and volleyball teams were recognized in the top ten percent.

"Congratulations are in order for these four teams being recognized for academic achievement," said UGA J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Greg McGarity. "It is a team effort among our coaches, staff, and student-athletes who are committed to both the academic and athletic missions of the Athletic Association. Certainly this recognition is a great point of pride for the Athletic Association and the University."

The APR provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility and retention and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.

Football Seating Allocation Update

Football seating and parking allocations for the 2018 season are underway and will be completed in the next 1-2 weeks. All Hartman Fund donors who requested new season tickets will be notified via email whether or not they qualified for renewable season tickets. Additionally, all renewing season ticket holders who requested a seat relocation will be able to view their 2018 seating assignment in their online account at that time.

Parking allocations will be completed and available in online accounts in the second week of June, and away game ticket allocations will be completed by the end of July.

Priority Point Totals and Donor Rankings Available Online

The cumulative point totals for all TGBC donors were calculated on May 15th, 2018 and are now available in online accounts. All donors were placed in rank order, and the point totals associated with each incremental rank are listed below.

Event Recap: Spring Coaches Caravan

On May 21st and 22nd, Coach Kirby Smart and Coach Tom Crean spent time in Columbus and Savannah with both current TGBC donors and UGA alumni. Each evening consisted of a short meet and greet period where attendees had the opportunity to take pictures with the coaches and have autographs signed. This was followed by a program emceed by Scott Howard where both coaches addressed their teams' expectations for their upcoming seasons, as well as the importance of support from donors and alumni alike.

Over 300 people attended each event, allowing everyone the chance to enjoy light refreshments, purchase souvenirs from the UGA bookstore, and enjoy a special evening with fellow Bulldog fans. On behalf of TGBC and both coaches, we thank all who were able to attend these events.

Season Concludes for Bulldogs at Elite Eight

Running into the surging Stanford Cardinal, the seventh-seeded Georgia women's tennis team saw its run in the 2018 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships end with a 4-0 loss in the Quarterfinals at the Leighton Courts at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.

The 15th-seeded Cardinal (22-3) upped their win streak to 18 matches, advancing to their third-straight Final Four. Georgia concluded its 2018 campaign with an 18-7 final record, reaching the NCAA Championships for the program's 32nd consecutive season, and advancing to the quarterfinals for the 15th time.

"We've had a good NCAA run here, better than the past two years" Georgia head coach Jeff Wallace said. "You have to tip your hat to Stanford. They played a great match against us and it took a team to do that to knock us out. When you look and see how many freshman and sophomores are on this team, it's a young group. I think we have learned a lot this year. We were really starting to apply it this year at the NCAA Tournament. The future is really bright for this group and if we continue to improve then it will be even more exciting next year."

The Bulldogs roster consisted of four freshmen, two sophomores, and three seniors – Mariana Gould, Laura Patterson, and Kennedy Shaffer.

"The Tournament is one of those specials times of the year," Gould said. "I think we really grew from the beginning of the season, but it just was not our day today. Stanford came out and took it from us. With this team, the sky is the limit. The coaches do such a great job. They have great leadership and they are young. They have a long road ahead of them, and they have already done so much. They have so much potential and room to grow, so it's endless what they can reach."

For just the sixth-time this season, the Bulldogs dropped the doubles point. Georgia's Elena Christofi and Morgan Coppoc were on their way to wrapping up court one, leading 5-3, however courts two and three could not withhold the Cardinal.

A break on Georgia's first serve on court two was all that was needed for No. 84 Caroline Lampl and Kimberly Yee to hold serve throughout to beat No. 26 Gould and Katarina Jokic, 6-3. Next on court three, Shaffer and Annette Goulak rallied from down 1-4 to knot it at 4-all, but fell 4-6 to Melissa Lord and Janice Shin.

"It's tough not getting the doubles point," Wallace said. "We've played great doubles overall this year from where we started in our first practice in the fall to now is a huge difference. We have two teams that are in the NCAA Individuals and are top-30 in the country, so we really do play great doubles. Yesterday and today just were not our best days in doubles and it ended up catching up to us in the match today."

Leading 1-0, Stanford grabbed four first sets, putting Georgia in an uphill battle. The Bulldogs' first set winners came from Christofi on court five and Coppoc in a tiebreaker on court six. The Cardinal achieved wins on courts two, three, and four to seal their advancement.

The clinch for the Cardinal occurred on court four against Gould, which snapped an 11-match win streak and concluded the senior's season with a 25-5 record – her best collegiate season in singles.

Bulldogs Tailgate Club: Reed Quad

Host your next tailgate with Bulldogs Tailgate Club, the official tailgate service of the Georgia Bulldogs!

Premium reserved location in Reed Quad next to Sanford Stadium
Arrive at your leisure without fear of losing your prime tailgating spot
Parking pass
Concierge service to handle your game day needs including curbside drop off, set up, and clean up
Access to private restrooms
Customizable tailgate and media packages available
Access to catering partners to make pregame meals a breeze

Get started by visiting www.BulldogsTailgateClub.com or contacting Jessica Miller at 678-405-7740 or ugaservice@tailgateclub.com

Donor Spotlight: Carol Pirkle Goin

This month's donor spotlight features Carol Pirkle Goin, 1987 graduate of UGA. Carol and her husband, Doug, recently joined the Magill Society and live in Merritt Island, Florida.

Q: Why do you feel it is important to support UGA Athletics?

My husband and I both support college athletics because of the values it instills in student athletes and the sense of community it creates for all involved with the University – be it students, alumni, residents of Athens, and current and former residents of Georgia. We hope our support can assist in the success of the program.

Q: How would you like to see your gifts impact today's generation of UGA student-athletes?

We would hope that our gifts can help create the facilities and support programs needed to enable our student athletes and coaches to compete and succeed at the highest level of college athletics.

Q: Describe your favorite experience cheering on the Bulldogs on game day.

Because of our family’s history with college athletics, and football in particular, football Saturdays are very special for us. We are, for various reasons, fans of schools playing at all 3 divisions of college football, and we spend the day watching and keeping tabs on all of these schools on gameday. However, we are especially prepared to watch the Dawgs! The Red and Black is in full display, beginning each Friday during the season, and our full attention turns to the Dawgs when the ball is kicked off! This past year, we were especially excited to follow the Dawgs to Pasadena. The Rose Bowl Parade, the Historic Stadium, and the Thrilling Win – all make watching my Bulldogs play their game, something I don’t want to miss!

Q: What would you say to a friend who was considering making a gift towards UGA Athletics?

We would encourage anyone who has a love for the University of Georgia to make a gift, regardless of size, to the program. Not just for the positive impact it has on student athletes, and the success of the program, but for the sense of ownership in the program the person giving the gift, receives. You actually become vested in the success of the program, and in some ways, feel even closer, knowing you are playing a part in its success.

Q: You and your husband live in Florida. What inspired you to join the Magill Society despite living so far from Athens?

While our distance from Athens limits our ability to attend most games in person, we visit campus whenever the opportunity arises. And, we diligently watch the games on TV. We may miss out on the overall excitement of GameDay in Athens, but we are there in spirit, and we take great pride in watching the team play hard, show first class sportsmanship, and it always helps to have a Bulldog win (especially over the gators!). We hope that as our plans allow us to spend more time in Athens, we will be able to broaden the base of athletic events we are able to enjoy.

Joining the Magill Society was the next step for us. We had been giving to the Hartman Fund, and felt that our funds were making a difference. Joining the Magill Society makes us feel like we can make “more” of a difference. It is thrilling to hear all of the improvements happening for the Athletic Program. We know that it becomes a snowball effect. The more money we raise, the better our facilities, the better recruiting we can do, and the better we will perform on the field. It is a natural progression.

May Student-Athlete of the Month: Kayla Smith

Kayla Smith, a junior track and field athlete, is one of our May Student-Athletes of the Month. Kayla currently holds the number 5 mark in school history in the pole vault with a 13-9.25 clearance in the 2017 outdoor NCAA East Prelims. She went on to earn First Team All-American honors by tying for eighth place at the NCAA Championships with a mark of 13-7.25. She majors in International Affairs/Spanish and is a native of Indianapolis, IN.

On what her UGA scholarship means to her:

“Both my scholarship and time at UGA have meant the world to me. Being awarded a scholarship to study and compete in a sport I love is such a immense privilege. I take so much pride in having my scholarship because it lessens the financial burden of higher education, which stops so many people from continuing. I have heard countless times that college is the "best four years of your life," but that's not a quote that I believe accurately describes my college experience. I have struggled and had many low moments, but every single time, with the support and resources at UGA I've come out on top, stronger and I'd like to say wiser than before. To say that my time at UGA has been my best years of learning and personal growth would be a more accurate description. And for that, I am forever grateful that I chose to attend UGA.”

Off the Track

• Member of the 2017-18 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has served as her team’s representative on SAAC since 2015. Will serve as Co-President during the 2018-2019 school year.

• Will serve as a 2018-2019 Student-Athlete Representative on the UGA Athletic Association Board of Directors.

• Has volunteered and interned at Breaking Chain Honduras, mission trips to help those in need.

• Named to the J. Parker Director of Athletics and the SEC Conference Academic Honor Roll every year since 2015.

May Student-Athlete of the Month: Connor O'Neill

Connor O'Neill, a 6-6 senior on UGA's men's basketball team, is our second student-athlete of the month. Connor initially wore #33 in his freshman and sophomore years, but switched to #24 in order to allow Nicolas Claxton the chance to wear the same number his father wore at UGA. He has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice, and tallied a career high 4 rebounds in the 2017-18 season against Bryant. Connor is a native of Roswell, GA and majors in finance.

On what his UGA scholarship means to him:

“Choosing the University of Georgia was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. It has allowed me to pursue my dreams and has given me the opportunity to attend, what I believe, the best school in the world. I will be forever grateful for those who gave me the opportunity to succeed as a student athlete at this amazing school. It is a blessing to be apart of Bulldog Nation forever.”

Off the Court

• Inducted into the UGA Athletic Association’s Leadership Education and Development (L.E.A.D.) program in 2017. L.E.A.D. is designed to encourage leadership development in UGA’s high-achieving and most promising student-athletes.