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T&F: Kyle Garland has been named one of 10 semifinalists for The Bowerman

The Bowerman, which is collegiate track and field’s Heisman Trophy given to the most outstanding male and female NCAA athletes in the nation, was first awarded in 2009. The first official watch lists and semifinalists were announced in 2010. This year’s finalists will be announced on June 26 (women) and June 27 (men).

Garland, a Philadelphia, Pa., native, scored the third-best decathlon total in collegiate history with an 8,630 to earn silver at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He won three of 10 events at Nationals, including registering the top all-time collegiate decathlon 110-meter hurdle time (13.54). Garland captured the Southeastern Conference decathlon title with the No. 4 all-time collegiate score (meet record 8,589). In addition, he launched the shot put an all-time collegiate decathlon best distance of 16.77 meters/55 feet, ¼ inches in the shot put at the Mt. SAC Relays.

Indoors, the 2023 USTFCCCA National and South Regional Men’s Field Athlete of the Year as well as 2023 Track & Field News’ Collegiate Indoor Male Athlete of the year destroyed the collegiate record – and fell just six points shy of the world record – in the heptathlon to win the combined event at the NCAA Championships. He finished with 6,639 points, which was 140 points more than Ashton Eaton scored to win the 2010 NCAA title for the previous collegiate record.

During the regular season, Garland showed flashes of brilliance in the heptathlon when he moved up to No. 2 in collegiate history with his 6,415 score at the Texas Tech Open & Multis. Competing in the open events at the SEC Indoor Championships, Garland posted personal records of 7.77 in the 60m hurdles and 7.95m/26-1 in the long jump to take sixth in both.

The only four-time Bowerman semifinalist on the women’s side in history is also the Bulldogs’ only Bowerman winner. Keturah Orji was named a semifinalist from 2015-18, earned a spot as a finalist in 2016-17 and won the 2018 honor. In addition, Garland is now a two-time semifinalist, Kendell Williams (2014, 2016-17) was a three-time semifinalist and the following Bulldogs were named a semifinalist once: Maicel Uibo (2015), Denzel Comenentia (2018), Karel Tilga (2021). The Georgia women had two semifinalists in 2016-17 (Orji, Williams) and 2018 (Orji, Lynna Irby).

While the collegiate season is now complete, a number of Bulldogs are expected to compete at a variety of summer meets. Garland will represent Georgia at the USATF Championships in Eugene, Ore., on July 6-9. Those who qualify out of USAs advance to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Aug. 19-27.

Jayda Kearney has earned a spot on the USA Softball Women’s National Team roster

Kearney is one of 16 current collegiate student-athletes from 12 NCAA Division I universities and five athletic conferences. Five from the Southeastern Conference will play for the U.S. in Japan.

Taylor Schlopy was the last Bulldog to represent the Red, White, and Blue, playing for the U.S. in the Japan Cup 2009.

At the Japan All-Star Series, the U.S. will go head-to-head with world-ranked No. 2 Japan in a three-game series held across three cities in Japan – Fukushima (Azuma Stadium – Tokyo Olympic Games softball venue), Iwakuni (Kizuma Stadium – host of WNT pre-Olympic training) and Yokohama (Yokohama Stadium – Tokyo Olympic Games softball venue).

The 2023 NFCA All-American finished the season hitting .365 and led the team with 19 home runs and an .799 slugging percentage. Her 19 homers ranked tied for seventh in a single season while her slugging percentage finished ninth-best in a season. Her 47 runs scored co-led the team. She drew 34 walks en route to a team-best .477 on-base clip. 

Nationally, Kearney’s 19 home runs finished seventh in the country in 2023. She finished in the top 25 in home runs, home runs per game, slugging, and total bases. 

Additionally, Georgia head coach Tony Baldwin will represent the United States as an assistant coach for the Women’s National Team at the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup July 7-15 in Fingal-Dublin, Ireland.

Photo/Video Flashback: Georgia vs. South Carolina 2022

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