Petros Kyprianou Moves On and Georgia Replaces Him
Caryl Smith Gilbert, who just led the USC women to the 2021 NCAA Outdoor National Championship and the men to another top-5 finish, has been named Georgia’s Director of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks announced Sunday. Smith Gilbert will be the first female head coach of a men’s sports program in the history of Georgia Athletics.
“It is a great day to be a Bulldog,” Brooks said. “I am thrilled to welcome Caryl Smith Gilbert to the University of Georgia. She is a phenomenal coach, skilled motivator and strong leader who will make our entire program better. Caryl exudes energy and passion that resonates with student-athletes, recruits and colleagues. At UGA we aim to win championships in every sport, and she leads and coaches with the integrity, tenacity and toughness that aligns perfectly with our mission.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity to lead the University of Georgia’s Cross Country and Track & Field program,” said Smith Gilbert. “Georgia combines elite athletics and academics with outstanding leadership, in a premier athletics conference. When I spoke to Josh [Brooks], I was immediately impressed with his vision and passion for Georgia Athletics and track and field. I’m thankful to President Morehead and Josh for leading the way, and opening doors for women and particularly women of color. It’s an honor to be Georgia’s first female head coach of a men’s sport. I firmly believe we can continue to build upon UGA’s strong program and compete for and win SEC and National Championships. I am excited to get started in Athens.”
This year’s USC women’s squad gave Smith Gilbert her second national title in the last three NCAA Outdoor National Championships, while the men finished in the top-five for the fourth time in the last seven championships under her guidance.
Smith Gilbert has spent the last eight seasons as the Director of Men and Women’s Track and Field at USC, building the program into a national powerhouse. She guided the women’s team to a 2018 NCAA Outdoor National Championship, earning the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women’s National Coach of the Year honor. That same season, the Trojans’ men’s squad finished second at the NCAA indoor championships.
Head track and field coach for the last six years and part of the Bulldogs’ staff since 2008, Petros Kyprianou and the University of Georgia Athletic Association will part ways at the end of June.
Kyprianou, a native of Cyprus, Greece, who arrived in Athens as an assistant coach prior to the 2008-09 school year, was a three-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coach of the Year and two-time National Assistant Coach of the Year during his time with the Bulldogs.
“We are so thankful to Petros for all he has done for UGA track and field during his tenure,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletic Josh Brooks said. “He has elevated the profile for our program, made Georgia track and field consistently successful on the national stage and won two national championships. He established a firm foundation that we will be able to continue to build upon. We wish him nothing but the best in the next chapter of his career.”
“I would like to thank the University of Georgia and Greg McGarity for giving me a chance to lead this amazing program back in 2015,” Kyprianou said. “The last six years were by far the best of my life, not only because of all of our teams’ accomplishments, but also because how much this great institution meant to me and my family. The chance to work with our wonderful student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans was truly a blessing. My kids made their first steps in the Yoculan Gymnastics Center, threw their first football on our football practice fields, sprinted on our track. They were born and raised Bulldogs and we really cherish that. However, the time has come for us to make the tough decision and move on to a new challenge where we can all grow professionally and personally.”
Source: Georgia Sports Communications Press Release
Trent Phillips, Team USA Regain Arnold Palmer Cup
Georgia’s Trent Phillips went 2-1-1 in his matches to help the United States regain the Arnold Palmer Cup this weekend.
Team USA posted a 33-27 decision over the International Team at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., on Sunday. The Palmer Cup uses a Ryder Cup-style format and pits American collegiate golfers against their international counterparts. The United States improved to 13-11-1 in the all-time series.
“We are all so proud to have been able to do this for the United States and for our schools,” Phillips said. “It was an amazing experience for each and every one of us. I am glad I was able to contribute by picking up some points for the United States. This was something that I will never forget.”
Phillips ended the 2020-21 collegiate season with a win and four top-10 efforts. He was named First-Team All-SEC by the league’s coaches for the third straight season. Phillips wound up with a scoring average of 70.81.
Source: Georgia Sports Communications Press Release
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