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MTennis: Dawgs clinch outright SEC Championship

 The fourth-ranked Georgia men’s tennis team clinched its 11th-straight conference win and the outright Southeastern Conference Championship, defeating No. 12 Mississippi State, 6-1, at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex on Thursday. 

Redshirt freshman and No. 3-ranked Ethan Quinn clinched Georgia’s 32nd Southeastern Conference regular season title with his 16th win over a ranked opponent. The Bulldogs have also won 10 league tournament championships for 42 total titles.

With Thursday’s victory, the Bulldogs from Athens improve to 17-5 overall this season and a perfect 11-0 in conference play. Mississippi State falls to 19-6, 7-5.

DAWGS ON TOP 🎾

Congratulations to @UGAtennis, the 2023 Men's #SECTennis Regular Season Champions! pic.twitter.com/8LPFvF61FS

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) April 13, 2023

“You have to give it to these guys for really coming back out even after dropping sets and doing it the right way,” head coach Manny Diaz said. “They had to be constructive. Our guys are disciplined. These guys didn’t want to share our 42nd championship with anybody.” 

In doubles, Georgia’s No. 1 duo of Trent Bryde and Quinn went down a break 4-2, but the Bulldogs stormed out to 4-1 leads on courts two and three. Philip Henning and Teodor Giusca ousted Mississippi State’s No. 82-ranked Ewen Lumsden and Peter Jovanovic, 6-2, for the Bulldogs’ first win of the day.

Bryde and Quinn fell to Nemanja Malesevic and Michael Novansky by a 6-2 score on court one. MSU’s No. 3 combo of Gregor Ramskogler and Benito Sanchez Martinez fought off a match point at 5-4 to even the contest up at 5-5 with Georgia’s Blake Croyder and Britton Johnston. At 6-6, the two teams went into a tiebreaker at court three, where MSU’s tandem held on for the 7-6 (5) victory to clinch the doubles point. 

The Bulldogs came back and dominated in singles with straight-set wins by every Georgia player to clinch the match and maintain their undefeated conference record.

Croyder’s 6-2, 6-1 win against No. 95 Edwin Lumsden marked his 12th victory over a ranked opponent and 100th career singles triumph. He is now three wins away from entering the top-20 career record chart in program history.

“It feels amazing,” Croyder said. “It did take me five years to do it given our COVID year, but I’m very glad to hit that mark. There are plenty of amazing players that have made that happen and I’m glad I can be one of them.” 

Next up, Georgia hosts Ole Miss at 1 p.m. Saturday to conclude regular season play, with the Senior Day ceremony set to begin at 12:45 p.m.

Match Results

Mississippi State vs Georgia

Apr 13, 2023 at Athens, Ga.

(Dan Magill Tennis Complex)

#4 Georgia 6, #12 Mississippi State 1

Singles Results

1. #4 Ethan Quinn (UGA) def. #104 Nemanja Malesevic (MS) 6-2, 7-5

2. #19 Philip Henning (UGA) def. Petar Jovanovic (MS) 7-6 (3), 6-3

3. Trent Bryde (UGA) def. #112 Carles Hernandez (MS) 6-3, 6-4

4. #105 Blake Croyder (UGA) def. #95 Ewen Lumsden (MS) 6-2, 6-1

5. Miguel Perez Pena (UGA) def. B. Sanchez Martinez (MS) 7-6 (4), 6-4

6. Teodor Giusca (UGA) def. Gregor Ramskogler (MS) 6-4, 6-4

Doubles Results

1. Nemanja Malesevic/Michal Novansky (MS) def. #5 Trent Bryde/Ethan Quinn (UGA) 6-2

2. Teodor Giusca/Philip Henning (UGA) def. #82 Ewen Lumsden/Petar Jovanovic (MS) 6-2

3. Gregor Ramskogler/B. Sanchez Martinez (MS) def. Blake Croyder/Britton Johnston (UGA) 7-6 (7-5)

Match Notes:

Mississippi State 19-6; National ranking #12

Georgia 17-5; National ranking #4

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,3,6,1,2,5)

Official: Karen Badger-Mabry; Time: 2:41; Attendance: 768

WTennis: Georgia tours Mississippi this weekend.

#4 GEORGIA at MISSISSIPPI STATE

Date: Friday, April 14

Time: 5 p.m.

Location: Starkville, Mississippi

Site: A.J. Pitts Tennis Center

#4 GEORGIA at OLE MISS

Date: Sunday, April 16

Time: 1 p.m.

Location: Oxford, Mississippi

Site: Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center

Mississippi State Live Stats: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/1a1b7778/bSqtR6H0LkiDXMlj448qEw?u=https://gado.gs/aev

Mississippi State Live Video: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/1a1b7778/bSqtR6H0LkiDXMlj448qEw?u=https://gado.gs/aev

Ole Miss Live Stats: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/fc35a55d/9KM6cJZC2Ui-1cB6zy6t9A?u=https://gado.gs/aet

Ole Miss Live Video: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/d28ffb6b/e8ue_4TKOkmRoP2v4l4Ztg?u=https://gado.gs/aeu

UGA Season Stats: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/f4ba196b/PPawZhsl60yr1pZ3J7JTfg?u=https://gado.gs/9yj

SCOUTING REPORT

Georgia

The Bulldogs are 17-4 on the season and 10-1 in SEC play. Georgia is coming off a pair of 4-1 wins over No. 27 South Carolina and No. 17 Florida.

Singles

#3 Lea Ma

#5 Dasha Vidmanova

#66 Mell Reasco

#68 Anastasiia Lopata

#125 Meg Kowalski

Doubles

#38 Grant/Nirundorn

#51 Kowalski/Reasco

Mississippi State

Mississippi State is 10-12 on the season and 0-11 in SEC play. The Bulldogs are coming off a pair of losses to No. 52 LSU (6-1) and second-ranked Texas A&M (7-0).

Singles

#95 Emmanouela Antonaki

Doubles

N/A

Ole Miss

Ole Miss is 9-10 on the season and 3-8 in SEC play. The Rebels are also coming off a pair of pair of losses to No. 52 LSU (5-2) and second-ranked Texas A&M (4-0).

Singles

#62 Ludmila Kareisova

Doubles

N/A

All-Time Series

Georgia owns a perfect 46-0 edge over Mississippi State. The last time the two squads met, Georgia defeated MSU 6-1 in Athens.

The Bulldogs own a 43-10 mark over the Rebels. The last time the two squads met, Georgia defeated Ole Miss 4-0 in Athens.

SEC Tournament 

The 2023 SEC Women’s Tennis Tournament will be Wednesday, April 19 through Sunday, April 23 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Baseball: Dawgs meet Gators in Gainesville for weekend series

Georgia resumes Southeastern Conference play with second-ranked Florida in Gainesville starting Friday at 7:02 p.m. on SEC Network+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.

This marks Georgia’s third SEC road trip in the past four weekends and the second against a top-five opponent. The Bulldogs (18-15, 3-9 SEC) have been to Auburn, No. 4 Vanderbilt, and now the Gators in this stretch. Georgia is coming off its first SEC series win of the season after knocking off No. 10 Kentucky during an Easter doubleheader. A two-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday with an 8-1 home loss to Clemson.

        The Gators are coming off a road series win over nationally ranked Tennessee after getting strong outings from Brandon Sproat and Hurston Waldrep, who combined to hold the Vols to four runs during a 12.2-inning stretch. Florida has won eight straight SEC series dating to last year. On Tuesday, thanks to a four-run outburst in the eighth inning, the Gators rallied past Florida State 5-3 in Gainesville.

Series History: Florida leads the all-time series with Georgia 189-100-2 in records dating to 1931. Georgia’s last two series wins over Florida came with sweeps in Athens (2019 & 2022). Georgia’s last series win over the Gators in Gainesville came in 2006, and it was a sweep. The Bulldogs were on their way to Gainesville for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in 2020 when the bus turned around after the SEC paused all series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time the bus arrived in Athens, the College World Series and the season had been canceled. In 2021, Georgia avoided a Gator sweep in Gainesville by winning the final game of the series 6-1.

Weekend Rotation: Georgia will employ a couple of junior left-handers for the UF series, going with Jaden Woods (3-2, 5.10) on Friday and Liam Sullivan (4-1, 3.08) on Sunday. Saturday’s starter is TBA.  For the season, the Bulldogs have a 6.20 ERA with 320 strikeouts and 165 walks. Opponents are batting .265 against the Bulldogs. Last week, Georgia posted a 3.09 ERA in four games. UF sports a 4.69 ERA with 372 strikeouts and 151 walks. Opponents are hitting .223 against the Gators. Florida’s rotation will be junior right-handers Brandon Sproat (5-1, 4.93) and Hurston Waldrep (6-1, 4.60) for the first two games with sophomore left-hander Jac Caglianon (3-1, 4.91) getting the Sunday start.

“CondonSation:” The process which baseballs feature exit velocities of 114+ mph and result in RBI.

        Charlie Condon is crucial to the Georgia offense as he is responsible for a team-leading 13 home runs and 45 RBI while batting .445. A 6-6, 215-pound redshirt freshman 1B/OF,Condon has been named to the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award.

        Condon ranks among the national leaders in several categories. He has reached base safely in 32 games (all but the season opener). He had a 24-game hitting streak end in the road series against No. 4 Vanderbilt. Condon’s hitting streak ranked third best in school history.

        Graduate OF Connor Tate ranks second on the club in batting at .389 plus has hit 11 home runs with 34 RBI. Graduate INF Will David (.315-3-14), junior 3B/1B Parks Harber (.294-10-34) and junior C/OF Corey Collins (.266-5-18) round out the top offensive threats in the lineup.

Offensive Review: Georgia is batting .296 with 57 home runs, a .393 on base percentage and is 16-for-19 in stolen base attempts. Florida is batting .316 with 74 home runs (3rd nationally), a .416 on base percentage and is 36-for-43 in stolen base attempts. Florida sophomore utility slugger Jac Caglianone leads the nation with 19 home runs while batting .380 with 47 RBI plus is 3-1 with a 4.91 ERA in eight starts. Gator junior SS Josh Rivera is having a breakout year, batting a team-best .397 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI while junior OF Wyatt Langford (.379-9-22) is a projected 1st round pick.

Radio/TV/Live Stats Information For Georgia @ #2 Florida

Friday at 7 pm (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef: https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4390&type=Archive

TV: Streaming: SECN+ (Jeff Cardozo, Nick Belmonte): https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=36b9fc11-23d3-45a3-8a34-ed6b6160d955

Live Stats: https://floridagators.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

Saturday at 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

Radio: 960TheRef: https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4391&type=Archive

TV: SEC Network (Richard Cross, Lance Cormier):  https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=55c0e10e-7ae0-489d-9eec-b1315fdc5af0

{Re-air link Monday, 10 am}: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=e896bd01-c66d-436c-b073-9d2855563b13

Live Stats: https://floridagators.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

Sunday at 1 p.m. (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef: https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4392&type=Archive

TV: Streaming SECN+ (Jeff Cardozo, Nick Belmonte): https://link.edgepilot.com/s/d34f4b7c/AfTxVx4OV0md40w-xk7rvg?u=https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=2d19a240-a8fb-4719-83d7-b28d221a2494

Live Stats: https://floridagators.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

UGAAA creates new NIL department and expanded NIL partnership

The University of Georgia Athletic Association has announced a new In-House NIL Department and has expanded its partnership with Altius Sports Partners to support and educate student-athletes pursuing NIL opportunities. 

UGA has named Tanner Potts as Director of NIL and Strategic Initiatives to coordinate this new NIL Department and manage an NIL program on track to double the number of deals for student-athletes year to year. 

Under the umbrella of this new office, Altius Sports Partners (ASP) will hire and support an Athlete Marketing Manager, who will work directly with student-athletes and external entities — such as local, state, and national brands — with the goal of connecting student-athletes to these brands. 

“It is critical that we remain at the forefront of Name, Image and Likeness,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said. “Altius Sports Partners is the national leader when it comes to NIL, and has been a tremendous partner for us as we navigate this ever-evolving landscape. We are thrilled to bring on an Athlete Marketing Manager and establish our own in-house department. This will continue to enhance and elevate our student-athletes’ success when it comes to NIL.”

The new NIL department will be student-athlete focused with the aim of supporting student-athletes’ NIL goals and cultivating as many opportunities as possible for Georgia athletes. The Athlete Marketing Manager will join UGA Athletics this summer. 

“UGA’s creation of a new in-house NIL department and expanded partnership with Altius Sports Partners is a clear indication of their leadership in the NIL space and their commitment to supporting their student-athletes. By prioritizing the development of student-athletes’ personal brands and maximizing their NIL opportunities, UGA is not only ensuring their immediate success, but also providing them with a strong foundation for long-term success. This forward-thinking initiative sets UGA apart as a leader in collegiate athletics and underscores their dedication to helping their athletes achieve their goals both during and after their time at Georgia. We are thrilled to partner with UGA on this initiative and are excited about the tremendous opportunities it will create for student-athletes,” said Celine Mangan, Director, Business and Client Strategy, Altius.

“Establishing a dedicated NIL department – and expanding a partnership with Altius— signals a game-changing commitment to UGA’s student-athletes.” Potts said. “As an institution, we have an obligation to educate and empower our student-athletes in the classroom, on the field of play, and now in Name, Image and Likeness. I am honored and excited to be a part of this journey and to help our student-athletes maximize their NIL opportunities.”

ASP’s latest program prioritizes development of student-athlete NIL while fostering collaboration with institutional partners and university supporters. It is an extension of ASP’s services, which are rooted in navigating and keeping school partners ahead of the curve and compliantly optimizing NIL activities for their student-athletes.

About Altius Sports Partners

Altius Sports Partners (ASP) is a leading NIL launch platform and external innovation department that delivers consulting, strategic planning, compliance support and education to its clients. An official partner of premier collegiate athletic departments and sports properties, ASP provides strategic solutions on topics ranging from NIL to the shifting landscape of employment and media rights within college athletics. ASP currently represents athletics departments at Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, Duke, Georgia, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, Marquette, Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Northwestern, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Penn State, South Carolina, USC, Tennessee, Texas, Villanova, Virginia, and Wisconsin. ASP has also partnered with Women Leaders in College Sports. Providing all stakeholders – athletics departments, coaches and college athletes – with the resources they need to thrive in the new age of college athletics, ASP leverages its deep reservoir of sports business sophistication to help those impacted to prepare and excel. It has built a team of cross-disciplinary leaders to reach higher levels of education, higher access to opportunities, and higher standards of excellence.

Softball: No. 12/9 Georgia (32-8, 11-3) at No. 15/15 (29-10, 6-6) this weekend

Dates: Friday, April 14-Sunday, April 16, 2023

First Pitch: 6 p.m. // 2 p.m. // 12 p.m.

Location: Gainesville, Fla.

Stadium: Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium

Streaming: SEC Network+

   Play-by-Play: Kyle Crooks

   Analysis: Aleshia Ocasio

The 12^th-ranked Georgia softball team is back on the road this weekend for a top-15 series with SEC rival Florida. The Bulldogs and  15^th-ranked Gators open the series Friday evening at 6 p.m. at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Saturday’s game is set to begin at 2 p.m., with the finale slated for a 12 p.m. start in Gainesville on Sunday.

» Every game of the Florida series will stream live on SEC Network+. Kyle Crooks (play-by-play) and Aleshia Ocasio (analysis) will be on the call.

Series History

» Georgia trails the all-time series 30-42

» Georgia is 17-18 on the road against the Gators compared to 10-20 at home in the all-time series

» This will be Georgia’s third trip to Gainesville in as many seasons: 2021 NCAA Super Regional, 2022 SEC Tournament, 2023 regular season

» The Bulldogs’ last head-to-head matchup with Florida in Gainesville was in the 2021 NCAA Super Regional; Georgia shut the Gators out in back-to-back games to punch its ticket to the Women’s College World Series

» Georgia’s most recent regular-season trip to Gainesville was in 2017; Florida swept the series

Recapping Action

Georgia run ruled Georgia Southern 9-1 in five innings Wednesday evening at home. Madison Kerpics earned the victory in her start, working four shutout innings, allowing three hits. Kerpics struck out eight batters. The offense out-hit the Eagles 6-3. Lyndi Rae Davis led the charge with two hits, one of which was a grand slam in the fourth inning. Dallis Goodnight and Ellie Armistead were responsible for two RBI each at the top and bottom of the lineup.

A Look at What’s Ahead

The Bulldogs return home for the final homestand of the season beginning Wednesday, April 19 when USC Upstate comes to town. First pitch against the Spartans is set for 6:30 p.m. Georgia then hosts South Carolina in the final home SEC series April 21-23. Georgia’s midweek aginast Mercer on April 26 will close the book on home games in the regular season.

Georgia in the Polls

Georgia’s rankings after Week 9:

     – USA Today/NFCA: 12

     – ESPN/USA Softball: 9

     – D1Softball: 6

     – Softball America: 7

     – RPI: 15

Coaching Connection

Georgia head coach Tony Baldwin coached with Florida head coach Tim Walton twice with USA Softball, first in 2019 with the U-19 Team and most recently this past summer with the US Women’s National Team at the World Games in Birmingham. Team USA won Gold at the World Games, going 5-0 and defeating Japan 3-2 in the Gold Medal game.

Shout Outs for Shutouts

The Bulldogs pitching staff has recorded 14 shutouts (10th most in the country) in 2023 including five in SEC play. Georgia’s three-straight SEC shutouts was the longest streak since 2006 (4). Shelby Walters and Madison Kerpics had combined to pitch 24-straight scoreless innings entering the Kentucky series. Earlier in the season, Georgia closed out the month of February shutting out six-straight opponents. That scoreless-inning streak reached 40 innings.

Improving in Game Two

The Bulldogs have made significant improvement in the second game of SEC series compared to 2022. Currently, Georgia is 5-0 in the second game of SEC series this season compared to 2-3 through five series a season ago.

Game 1                 Game 2                 Game 3

2022      6-2                          3-5                          3-5

2023      4-1                          5-0                          2-2

Georgia has already topped its number of series wins this season, winning five compared to a total of four a year ago. Georgia and its opponents squared off in a game three rubber match five times last year.

The Dogs Can Swing It

Georgia is currently slugging its way to the top of the SEC, leading the league with a .591 team slugging percentage (ranks fourth nationally). Additionally, UGA leads the Conference with 347 hits, 64 home runs, and 14 triples. Georgia (625) has nearly 100 more total bases than the second-place team in the league (Florida, 532).

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