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NFL Draft: Brock Bowers and Amarius Mims selected in the first round

With the selections of tight end Brock Bowers and offensive lineman Amarius Mims, the University of Georgia football program extended its streak of seven consecutive years with a first-round pick in the NFL Draft Thursday evening.

Bowers was selected 13th overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, followed by Mims going 18th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. Bowers was the first Georgia tight end selected in the first round since Ben Watson went 32^nd overall to the New England Patriots in 2004. Mims became the fifth Georgia offensive lineman drafted in the Kirby Smart era, following up Broderick Jones (14^th overall – Pittsburgh Steelers) last season.

The Bulldogs have produced 10 first round selections over the past three seasons, as well as two first round picks for the 12^th time in program history.

In three seasons, Bowers compiled one of the greatest careers in Georgia history, becoming only the third Bulldog to earn three First Team All-America honors (Herschel Walker, David Pollack). The Napa, California native appeared in 40 games, tallying 175 receptions for 2,538 yards receiving and 26 touchdowns, along with rushing for 193 yards and five touchdowns. In his 2023 junior season, Bowers led the Bulldogs with 56 receptions for 714 yards, ranking second nationally among tight ends and becoming the first tight end to win consecutive John Mackey Awards. He also led the team in 2022 with 942 yards receiving, capping off the year with 152 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against TCU as the Bulldogs secured back-to-back national titles.

Bowers was only the fifth Georgia player ever chosen by the Raiders, but the third straight picked after former teammates Christopher Smith in 2023 and Zamir White in 2022. Bowers’ selection continued Georgia’s nation-leading streak of six straight seasons with a tight end drafted, following Isaac Nauta, Charlie Woerner, Tre McKitty, John Fitzpatrick, and Darnell Washington.

Mims appeared in 29 contests over three seasons in Athens, including six starts at right tackle last season. The Cochran native helped the Joe Moore Award-nominated offensive line rank first in the SEC and seventh nationally in sacks allowed (0.93), while helping the Bulldog offensive attack finish fifth nationally in total offense (496.5 yards per game), passing efficiency (168.21) and scoring offense (40.1 points per game). After serving in a reserve role over his first 22 games, he moved into the starting lineup for both of Georgia’s 2022 CFP games, helping the Bulldogs come back to defeat Ohio State in the Peach Bowl before putting up 65 points in the CFP Championship against TCU.

Mims was the 15^th Georgia product selected by the Bengals and first since Trey Hill went in the sixth round in 2021.

The NFL Draft continues Friday in Detroit with rounds 2-3 starting at 7 p.m., followed by the final four rounds beginning Saturday at noon.

MGOLF: Georgia remains in second place after the second round of the SEC Championships

The No. 23 Georgia men’s golf team remains in second place after the second round of the Southeastern Conference Championships on Thursday morning following a pair of rounds in the 60s from Connor Creasy and Caleb Manuel on the Sea Island Course at the Sea Island Golf Club.

Five Fast Facts

• Graduate student Creasy paced the team on Thursday morning with a 67, his personal-best score in the event, recording six birdies. Creasy, a native of Hilton Head Island, S.C., has earned at least par in 32 of 36 holes through the second round.

• Georgia leads the field in scoring average on par 5s at 4.40 per hole, good for 12-under across the two rounds.

• Freshman Camden Smith is tied for first among all players for birdies in the tournament with 11. He is joined by first-place Jackson Koivun (Auburn), second-place Jack Turner (Florida) and t-3^rd place Tyler Ponder (Alabama).

• The Bulldogs are one of four teams to have four players record at least one round in the 60s in the tournament. Georgia is joined by first-place Vanderbilt, t-2^nd place Florida and fifth-place Tennessee in the statistic.

• Georgia remains the only school to have multiple players record eagles through the second round. Manuel and Ben van Wyk both finished number 15, a 565-yard, par-five hole in just three strokes during the first round on Wednesday and followed it up with a birdie on hole 15 on Thursday morning.

Key Quotes

“I think our guys played solid for the most part,” assistant coach Mookie DeMoss said. “The course wasn’t yielding a lot of birdies, but we still had some guys that made some birdies. I think a few guys didn’t get a ton out of their round in terms of how well they played, but a lot of guys are doing a lot of great things. That ties back into focusing on the process and what we can control, staying patient and just playing the golf course to the best of our ability.”

“Heading into today, I kept a very patient mindset,” Creasy said. “Coach DeMoss walked with me all day. We’re super bought into picking really good, small targets, and we did that tee to green. On the greens, we read a couple of putts nicely and made a couple of those. Coming into the day, I was committed to our routines and the foundation we laid to get to this point. I tried to find some good spots to aim at, stay committed to those and not ever feel worried about the score or anything like that.”

“The message heading into the final round of stroke play will be the same thing it has been the last two evenings,” Coach DeMoss said. “We’re going to stay focused on what we’re doing, stay in the present and go one shot at a time. We’ll continue to conserve our energy and get the rest we need because there’s still a lot of golf left to be played.”

Up Next

Georgia will tee off at 8 a.m. ET on Friday, April 26 for the third and final round of stroke play in the SEC Championships. The top eight teams following the third round will advance to match play in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs are paired with first-place Vanderbilt and Florida, who is tied in second with Georgia. 

2024 SEC Championship

Sea Island Golf Club

St Simons Island, Ga.

Par 70, 7,005 Yards

Second Round Results

Team Leaderboard

1.    No. 3 Vanderbilt              269-276=545 (-15)

t-2.  No. 23 Georgia                270-279=549 (-11)

t-2.  No. 15 Florida                279-270=549 (-11)

4.    No. 1 Auburn                  274-276=550 (-10)

5.    No. 7 Tennessee               277-274=551 (-9)

6.    No. 22 Texas A&M              276-278=554 (-6)

7.    No. 9 Alabama                 283-272=555 (-5)

8.    No. 11 Arkansas               279-278=557 (-3)

9.    No. 5 Ole Miss                281-280=561 (+1)

10.   South Carolina                287-278=565 (+5)

11.   No. 36 Mississippi State      288-281=569 (+9)

12.   Kentucky                      283-287=570 (+10) 

13.   No. 35 LSU                    293-286=579 (+19)

14.   No. 38 Missouri               290-292=582 (+22)

Individual Leaderboard

1.    Jackson Koivun, Auburn        66-66=132 (-8)

2.    Jack Turner, Florida          68-65=133 (-7)

t-3.  Thomas Ponder, Alabama        69-66=135 (-5)

t-3.  Bryce Lewis, Tennessee        69-66=135 (-5)

t-3.  Hunter Logan, Mississippi St. 68-67=135 (-5)

t-3.  Cole Sherwood, Vanderbilt     66-69=135 (-5)

t-8.  Caleb Manuel, Georgia         67-69=136 (-4)

t-8.  Camden Smith, Georgia         67-69=136 (-4)

t-8.  Brendan Valdes, Auburn        69-67=136 (-4)

t-8.  Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt    68-68=136 (-4)

t-8.  Frankie Harris, S.C.          68-68=136 (-4)
t-8.  Matthew Riedel, Vanderbilt    67-69=136 (-4)

Georgia Scores

t-8.  Caleb Manuel                  67-69=136 (-4)

t-8.  Camden Smith                  65-71=136 (-4)

t-20. Connor Creasy                 72-67=139 (-1)

t-28. Ben van Wyk                   68-72=140 (E)

t-40. Buck Brumlow                  70-72=142 (+2)

SB: No. 11/9 Georgia (36-11, 10-8) vs. No. 12 Florida (37-11, 12-6) series begins tonight at the Jack

No. 11/9 Georgia (36-11, 10-8) vs. No. 12 Florida (37-11, 12-6)

Dates: Friday, April 26-Sunday, April 28, 2024

First Pitch: 6 p.m. / 11 a.m. / 12 p.m.

Location: Athens, Ga. 

Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium

   Admission: FREE (no tickets required / seating is first come, first served)

Game Day Central & Fan Information: https://gado.gs/bjt

Media Information

TV: ESPN2 (Saturday, Sunday)

   Play-by-play: Beth Mowins

   Analysis: Michele Smith

Streaming: SEC Network+ (Friday)

   Play-by-play: Kaleb Frady

   Analysis: Megan Wiggins

The 11th-ranked Georgia softball team hosts No. 12 Florida in the final SEC home series of the 2024 season this weekend at Jack Turner Stadium.

The series begins Friday at 6 p.m. Saturday’s 11 a.m. game and Sunday’s 12 p.m. game will both air nationally on ESPN2 live from Athens.

– Friday’s game will stream live on SEC Network+. Kaleb Frady (play-by-play) and Megan Wiggins (analyst) will be on the call.

– Saturday and Sunday’s game will air live on ESPN2. Beth Mowins (play-by-play) and Michele Smith (analyst) will be on the call.

– Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule page on GeorgiaDogs.com.

– Live Twitter updates will be available on the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

Thank You, Seniors

Georgia’s 10-member senior class will recognized throughout the Florida series, with seniors being honored prior to each game. Sydney Chambley, Madison Kerpics, and Shelby Walters will be honored on Friday. Saturday’s pregame lineup includes Ellie Armistead, Jaiden Fields, Sydney Kuma, and Sara Mosley. The final day of senior weekend will honor Hayley Eaton, Jayda Kearney, and Riley Orcutt.

Series History

– Georgia trails the all-time series 31-44

– The Bulldogs are 10-20 in Athens against the Gators compared to their 18-20 record in Gainesville

– The last series in Athens was in 2021; Georgia won game one then Florida took the series winning games two and three

– Georgia last won a regular season series against Florida in 2018 in Athens; however, Georgia swept the Gators in the 2021 Gainesville Super Regional to advance to the Women’s College World Series

Georgia in the Polls

Georgia in the Poll: Week 11

     – USA Today/NFCA: 11

     – ESPN/USA Softball: 9

     – D1Softball: 10

     – Softball America: 10

     – RPI: 4

Recapping Action

Georgia won its weekend series against No. 13 Missouri over the weekend in Athens. The Tigers took game one on Friday, 4-2. Georgia rebounded in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader to even the series, 4-2. Emily Digby’s second inning two-RBI double and Sydney Chambley’s two-run home run in the fourth powered the Dogs to the win. Despite being held to just three hits in the finale, Georgia won the series with another 4-2 victory. Lilli Backes pitched a complete game en route to win number 14 on the season. Backes pitched in all four games last week, going 2-1 with a save in 18.1 innings of work.

A Look at What’s Ahead

Georgia concludes the regular season next weekend with a series in Starkville, Mississippi against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The series begins Friday at 6 p.m. ET streaming live on SEC Network+.

Fan Information and Upcoming Promotions at Jack Turner Stadium

– Admission to every regular-season home game is free; no tickets are required to enter Jack Turner Stadium. Seating is first come, first served. Gates open one hour prior to first pitch.

– For the 2024 season, parking is available in the lot closest to S. Milledge Ave. The back lot is closed due to construction.

– The UGA Clear Bag Policy is in effect.

Friday, April 26 Promotions

– The first 500 fans will receive a UGA softball visor

Saturday, April 27 Promotions

– The first 500 fans will receive a UGA softball t-shirt

– Kids fifth grade and younger can run the bases after the game

Sunday, April 28 Promotions

-Dad & Daughter Day #4 (registration full)

Probable Lineup

BSB: Georgia (17) opens series at Texas A&M (1) tonight

The 17^th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs begin a Southeastern Conference road series with top-ranked Texas A&M Friday with first pitch slated for 7:02 p.m. on SEC Network+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.

Georgia (30-10, 9-9 SEC) ranks third nationally with 101 home runs, a .602 slugging percentage and .442 on base percentage. The Bulldogs are batting .312 with a 5.08 team ERA and .974 fielding percentage. The Aggies enters the series batting .315 with 88 home runs, a .586 slugging percentage (fourth nationally) and .439 on base percentage (sixth nationally). Texas A&M (36-5, 13-5 SEC) owns a 3.71 ERA (seventh nationally) and a .981 fielding percentage (ninth nationally). In midweek action, Georgia outlasted No. 4 Clemson 4-3 in 15 innings in Athens while the Aggies outslugged Houston 13-11 in College Station. This season, the Aggies are 26-1 at home while the Bulldogs are 25-3 at Foley Field and 5-7 outside of Athens.

The Bulldog offense is headlined by sophomore All-America Charlie Condon. He leads the NCAA with a .477 batting average, 26 home runs, a 1.097 slugging percentage, 74 hits, and 170 total bases. He has a .583 on base percentage (third nationally) with 36 walks (17 intentional) and 56 RBI. Senior Corey Collins is enjoying a career-year at .387-12-38 and leads the country with a .593 on base percentage. The Aggies top hitters are junior Braden Montgomery (.370-22-68), freshman Gavin Grahovac (.333-15-51) and sophomore Jace LaViolette (.318-20-53). Condon, Montgomery and LaViolette were teammates this past summer on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Series History: Texas A&M leads the series 13-7, and it didn’t start until the Aggies joined the SEC. Georgia has made three trips to College Station (2013, ’16 and ’21), and the Bulldogs are 1-8 with that lone win coming in series finale in 2021 by a score of 6-4. At Foley Field in Athens, the Bulldogs are 5-4 against A&M. Georgia is 1-1 against the Aggies at the SEC Tournament. Last year in Athens, the Aggies won a series 2-1.

Starting Rotation: Georgia’s rotation will feature sophomore right-hander Leighton Finley (3-1, 5.27 ERA) on Friday and sophomore right-hander Matthew Hoskins (0-0, 0.00 ERA). The Aggies will counter with redshirt-sophomore Ryan Prager (7-0, 2.55 ERA) and junior right-hander Tanner Jones (3-1, 4.67 ERA). Both teams are TBA for Sunday.

Radio/TV/Live Stats Links for Georgia-Texas A&M Series

Friday @ 7:02 p.m. ET (SEC Network+)

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston)

https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4599&type=Live

TV: SEC Network+ (Will Johnson & Boomer White)

https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/b1845c0d-f3fb-4aaf-b548-7993f2210e19

Live Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

Saturday @ 3:02 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston)

https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4600&type=Live

TV: SECN+ (Will Johnson & Boomer White

https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/5c45a99f-eb1b-4b0f-a603-4c8ba909779e

Live Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

Sunday @ 2:02 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston)

https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4601&type=Live

TV: SECN ((Will Johnson & Boomer White

https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/a845b78b-a668-46ee-9072-4e6352ee27b4

Live Stats: https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary

GYM: Georgia names co-head coaches

Hall of Fame USA Gymnastics coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts – who has spent the past six seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama and Georgia –have been named co-head coaches of the University of Georgia gymnastics program, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks announced Thursday.

“Cecile and Ryan are two of the most accomplished gymnastics coaches in the sport. The combination of their leadership and experiences will give us one the most dynamic coaching staffs in the country,” Brooks said. “Both coaches have developed and mentored the very best gymnasts in the world, and I know our current and future student-athletes will be excited to learn from two of the best coaches in the country.”

“I want to congratulate Cecile and Ryan on being named co-head coaches of the University of Georgia’s storied gymnastics program,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead.  “I look forward to all they will accomplish together as they serve our exceptional student-athletes and help the University of Georgia succeed as one of the best gymnastics programs in the nation.” 

Canqueteau-Landi has trained and mentored 13 USA Women’s Senior National Team members, including Olympic and World team and individual champions Simone Biles and Madison Kocian and World team champions Alyssa Baumann, Jordan Chiles and Joscelyn Roberson. She and her husband, Laurent, are personal coaches to Biles.

A native of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France, Canqueteau-Landi competed for France at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and currently coaches at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. Canqueteau-Landi will be alongside Biles at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

“Throughout my life, gymnastics has provided me some extraordinary opportunities, from traveling the world and competing for my country at the Olympics to coaching amazing athletes at the highest level, Canqueteau-Landi said. “Those experiences have helped me become the coach that I am while putting athlete’s well-being first and helping them reach their full potential. I am thrilled for the opportunity to be the new co-head coach of the GymDogs with Ryan. I am looking forward to work with team in the near future! I would like to thank Josh Brooks, Stephanie Ransom the entire UGAA staff for this opportunity.”

Roberts has served as an assistant coach at Georgia for two seasons, and prior to that spent four years at Alabama, where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the 2021 SEC Championship and a No. 5 national ranking. During his six seasons as an assistant coach, his teams have signed top-5 recruiting classes three times, including Georgia’s No. 1 signing class in 2023. 

With the GymDogs, he coached SEC Freshman of the Year Lily Smith to a sixth-place overall finish on bars at the 2024 National Championship, where she earned All-America honors on bars, beam, floor and all-around.  At Alabama, Luisa Blanco was named the SEC Gymnast of the Year and was a finalist for the Honda Award in 2021. Blanco, Lexi Graber, Makarri Doggette and Shallon Olsen also earned All-America honors.

Roberts went to Alabama following five years with the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Frisco, Texas, where he worked with Canqueteau-Landi. A much sought after coach at gymnastics clinics and camps across the nation, Roberts spent six years coaching in Fredrikstad, Norway prior to joining the WOGA staff.

A former communications officer and platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps, Roberts was deployed to Iraq in 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Roberts competed for two years at the University of New Mexico before finishing his career as a two-time NCAA qualifier at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003. He also earned a master’s degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2010.

“I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity,” Roberts said. “Thank you to President Morehead and Josh Brooks for trusting in me to help guide this team. Thank you to the amazing GymDogs who put the work in every day. We have put our heart and soul into each other the past couple years and are on the cusp of some great things. I have known Cecile for years, and she is the exact person to help propel this team to greatness.  She is a phenomenal person and coach. Articulating how phenomenal she is isn’t possible and I am very much looking forward to leading this team with her. I give my word to the team, Cecile, the parents, the commits, and the administration that every decision made will be for the betterment of every student athlete on this team. We will represent the G with pride!  Go Dawgs!”

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