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Legendary Men’s Tennis coach Manny Diaz will retire at end of this season

 Legendary men’s tennis head coach Manuel Diaz, the SEC’s all-time leader in career wins who has guided Georgia to 29 conference championships, four NCAA national titles and a pair of ITA indoor national championships in 36 years, announced Thursday that he will retire at the conclusion of the current 2023-24 season.

Diaz has a 46-year association with the Georgia men’s tennis program. He was a two-time All-American during his playing days from 1972-75, and then served on Coach Dan Magill’s staff as an assistant/associate head coach from 1982-88. He has been a part of each of Georgia’s national championship teams and has won SEC championships in each of the last five decades.

“It’s a difficult decision to step away from something that has been such a huge part of my life and that I’ve loved for so long,” Diaz said. “Georgia tennis has given me so much, and I want to thank all our fans from all over the world.

“When reflecting back on my time as a coach, what I cherish most is the brotherhood our teams shared. We have competed at the highest levels and won championships, but my favorite part of coaching has always been mentoring our players and watching them grow into phenomenal fathers and professionals. I want to thank them for an unbelievable 46 years and a lifetime of memories.

“I want to thank my wonderful parents for their support, their love and many life lessons. I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to my mentor, Coach Dan Magill, who believed in me and gave me this opportunity. I have also been fortunate to work with so many great athletic directors, like Coach Dooley and Josh Brooks, who invested in our program and revitalized our facilities for future success. My wife, Suzanne, has been my life partner, and I look forward to spending much more time with her and my boys during this next phase of life.” 

“Manny Diaz has meant so much to the University of Georgia and our athletic department,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said. “Not only is he one of the greatest coaches in tennis history, he is also one of the most accomplished coaches of any sport at any school in the country. More than that, the impact he has had on the young men who have come through his program will be felt for generations to come. While this is a bittersweet day, I am excited for Manny, Suzanne and the entire Diaz family. We look forward to celebrating his many accomplishments during the season ahead.”  

“Coach Diaz is a beloved member of the Bulldog Nation whose positive impact on UGA Athletics and particularly our student-athletes is immeasurable,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I am grateful for the extraordinary dedication he has shown to the University of Georgia and our students throughout his life, and I wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.”

Diaz has been at the helm of the Georgia men’s tennis program since the 1988-89 season, following the retirement of his mentor, Dan Magill.

During his tenure, Diaz has established the Bulldogs as a blueblood in the sport, capturing four NCAA Team Championships while appearing in the NCAA finals 11 times and winning two Intercollegiate Tennis Association Team National Indoor Championships.

Georgia has reached the NCAA Tournament in all 35 seasons under his leadership, advancing to the quarterfinals in 27 of those trips to the postseason. His players have captured eight individual NCAA Championships — three in doubles and five in singles. Most recently, Ethan Quinn won the NCAA singles title in 2023.

Diaz has led the program to 10 SEC Tournament titles and 19 regular season crowns. Every four-year letterman has won at least one SEC Championship ring while playing at Georgia for Coach Diaz.

With 771 victories to date, Diaz is the all-time winningest coach in SEC history. He has been awarded seven conference Coach of the Year trophies, eight ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honors and three ITA National Coach of the Year awards.

He’s had 40 different players earn a total of 97 All-American honors, and 60 individuals account for 135 All-SEC recognitions. Diaz’s players have also won the SEC Player of the Year recognition three times, six SEC Freshman of the Year honors, two ITA National Rookie of the Year awards, four ITA National Senior Player of the Year honors and three ITA National Player of the Year awards.

The program finished the year with a top-10 ranking 29 times and a top-five ranking 19 times with Diaz as the head coach.

A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Diaz played for Coach Magill from 1972-1975, helping Georgia win four-straight SEC team titles. He was named a two-time All-American and a three-time All-SEC selection as a player. He also earned seven individual SEC titles and two Southern Intercollegiate Championship singles titles. He was co-captain of the 1975 team.

Diaz is a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame, the Puerto Rican Tennis Hall of Fame and the USTA Southern Tennis Hall of Fame.

Diaz is married to the former Suzanne Rondeau of Toronto, Canada. They have three sons: Manuel III, Eric and Alex. Alex and Eric both played on Georgia’s men’s tennis team. Eric earned his degree in the spring of 2015. He was the assistant coach of the Boise State men’s tennis program from 2015-23 and is now a tennis player development coach. Alex graduated from UGA in the spring of 2021.

Baseball: UGA opens series with Northern Kentucky tonight

First pitch at Foley Field is slated for 3:02 p.m. ET. Saturday’s game will be at 2:02 p.m. and Sunday’s contest starts at 1:02 p.m. The entire series will be available on SEC Network+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.

Series History: This is the first meeting between the schools. The Bulldogs are off to a 4-0 start in the Wes Johnson era. The Norse (2-2) are based in Highland Heights, Kentucky and are members of the Horizon League. They are coached by Dizzy Peyton.

The Rotation: Georgia will go with graduate left-hander Charlie Goldstein (1-0, 2.25 ERA) Friday followed by graduate transfer right-hander Christian Mracna (1-0, 2.25 ERA) on Saturday and sophomore right-hander Leighton Finley (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on Sunday. The Bulldogs have posted back-to-back shutouts and own a 1.91 ERA. The Norse have not announced their rotation. They have a 6.88 ERA.

Windshields Beware: Georgia has blasted 13 home runs as part of its 4-0 start. Seven Bulldogs have at least one home run with junior Slate Alford, the reigning SEC Player of the Week, leading the club with three. Redshirt sophomore Charlie Condon, a consensus preseason All-American, joined the list with a pair of homers in the 15-0 road rout of Georgia State this past Tuesday. Condon ranks among the national leaders with a .714 batting average (10-for-14), a 1.357 slugging percentage and .800 on base percentage. The Bulldogs are averaging 13.3 runs a game with a .350 team batting average. NKU is batting .271 with three home runs on the year.

Rutherford Street Closure: Please note this season that one hour before game time, Rutherford Street, next to Foley Field, will be closed to vehicle traffic until 30 minutes post-game. 

Radio/TV/Live Stats Information

Friday at 3:02 pm ET (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston): https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4561&type=Live

TV: SEC Network+ Simulcast: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/92397322-3350-4654-aadf-4771e576d93d

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

Saturday at 2:02 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef(Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston: https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4562&type=Live

TV: SEC Network+ Simulcast: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/ee1b3f92-c96d-4b4a-8021-3150fb2f0c0e

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

Sunday at 1:02 p.m. ET (SECN+)

Radio: 960TheRef(Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston: https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=4563&type=Live

TV: SEC Network+ Simulcast: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/abd9aee6-5d9f-45f5-8b60-4b08508e423e

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

Tickets/Parking/Promotion Information

*Click here for tickets, General Admission Seating $5: https://georgiadogs.evenue.net/list/BBS

*Foley Field Gates open one hour before game time.

*Free parking is available in the commuter surface lot behind the outfield. 

*Please note this season Rutherford Street, next to Foley Field, will be closed to vehicle traffic one hour prior to baseball games until 30 minutes post-game.

*Promotions: Sun.: Anthem Buddies (pre-game) and Kids Run the Bases (post-game)

T&F: Georgia men (12th) and the Lady Bulldogs (13th) travel to Fayetteville for the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships

The 12^th-ranked Georgia men and the 13^th-ranked Lady Bulldogs traveled to Fayetteville, Ark., on Wednesday in preparation for the Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center scheduled for Friday and Saturday.                 

When Do The Bulldogs Start On Friday?: Georgia’s sole heptathlete, freshman Jan Duhovnik, and the Lady Bulldogs’ only pentathlete, sophomore Ella Rush, start the action for UGA on Friday.  Duhovnik is scheduled to begin his first conference indoor combined events competition with the hep 60-meter dash at 1 p.m. ET.  He will also complete the other three day one events (long jump, shot put, high jump) before finishing the final three events (60m hurdles, pole vault, 1000m) on Saturday. 

Rush will start her second pent of 2024 and the fourth of her collegiate career at 1:15 p.m. on day one.  The Repton, U.K., native will compete in the 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800m over the course of Friday.

Charlotte Augenstein (women’s mile) will begin the open events for Georgia on Friday at 5 p.m. while newcomer Kelsie Murrell-Ross will be the first competitor in a field event with the women’s weight throw arriving at 5:15 p.m.

Who Is Ranked In The SEC?: A total of 16 SEC men and women’s programs are included in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) top 25 national rankings released Monday, including six in the top 10. 

A nation leading nine SEC women’s teams are ranked: No. 1 Arkansas, No. 2 Florida, No. 9 LSU, No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 12 Alabama, No. 13 GEORGIA, No. 14 Ole Miss, No. 15 South Carolina and No. 16 Tennessee.

Also a nation best seven SEC men’s teams are also ranked in the top 25:  No. 3 Arkansas, No. 6 Florida, No. 9 Alabama, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 12 GEORGIA, No. 14 Texas A&M and No. 16 South Carolina.

Where To Catch The SEC Championships: The ESPN broadcast talent will include Dwight Stones, Dan O’Brien, Larra Overton and John Anderson during the meet coverage.

Broadcast info for SEC Indoor Championships:

Friday (2:30 p.m.) – SECN+

LINK: http://gado.gs/bdo

Friday (5 p.m.) – SECN+

LINK: http://gado.gs/bdp

Saturday (3 p.m.) – SECN+

LINK: http://gado.gs/bdq

Saturday (5 p.m.) – SECN+

LINK: http://gado.gs/bdr

Monday (9 p.m.) – SECN highlight show

Live Results: For results throughout the weekend, please visit: http://gado.gs/bev

Coach Caryl’s Comments: “With the indoor season being so much shorter than outdoors, this meet always comes up quickly,” said Caryl Smith Gilbert, who is in her third year as Georgia’s head coach.  “We have several new faces going to this year’s meet and I am confident their five or six weekends of meets have prepared them for the SEC Championship.  However, nothing truly prepares you for this particular conference meet so there will have to be some ‘baptism by fire’ going on.  We have some individuals who are on the NCAA Championship bubble and there is no better place to elevate performances than against the best in the SEC and nation.  Looking forward to a great weekend.  GO DAWGS!”

What Bulldogs Are Competing?: For the Lady Bulldogs, Leah Anderson, Charlotte Augenstein, Sophia Baker, Aaliyah Butler, Eddiyah Frye, Lorel Golden, Kimberly Harris, Sydney Harris, Kaila Jackson, Elena Kulichenko, Kelsie Murrell-Ross, Dominique Mustin, Karsen Phillips, Zoe Pollock, Ella Rush, Haley Tate, Mikeisha Welcome and Autumn Wilson traveled for SECs.

On the men’s side, Andrew Balogh, Gavin Beverage, Brody Buffington, Chase Condra, Jan Duhovnik, Mekhi Gammons, Jehlani Gordon, Hossam Hatib, Cole Heron, Sumner Kirsch, Alex Kolesnikoff, Micah Larry, Jordan McKenzie, Christopher Morales Williams, Ryan Olree, Kushan Patel, Riyon Rankin, Alon Rogow, Conner Rutherford, Zack Truitt, Nikolai van Huyssteen and Zavien Wolfe will represent Georgia.

SEC Debuts: Only 16 of Georgia’s 40 student-athletes who traveled to the Arkansas campus have competed at past SEC Indoor Championships.  Golden, sisters Kimberly and Sydney Harris, Murrell-Ross, Phillips and Tate are the only female competitors out of 18 to never have battled at the conference indoor meet.  On the flip side, only Beverage, Condra, Morales Williams and van Huyssteen have competed at past SEC Indoor Championships on the men’s side.

SB: No. 3/3 Georgia (9-0) hosting the Georgia Classic this weekend

Dates: Friday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024

Participating Teams:

   No. 3 Georgia (9-0)

   No. 21 Virginia Tech (8-2-1)

   Radford (5-2)

   Dartmouth (0-0)

Location: Athens, Ga.

Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium

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

Georgia Classic Schedule

Friday, Feb. 23

   12:30 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Radford

   3 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Radford

   5:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Georgia

Saturday, Feb. 24

   10 a.m. – Radford vs. Dartmouth

   12:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Georgia

   3 p.m. – Radford vs. Georgia

   5:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Radford

Sunday, Feb. 25

   10 a.m. – Radford vs. Virginia Tech

   1 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Georgia

Media Information

Streaming: SEC Network+

   Play-by-play: Patrick Cassat

Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com

Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

The third-ranked Georgia softball team returns to Athens to host the 21st Annual Georgia Classic at Jack Turner Stadium this weekend. The nine-game tournament featuring No. 21 Virginia Tech, Radford, and Dartmouth begins Friday, Feb. 23.

Follow the Bulldogs

» Every Georgia game of the Georgia Classic will stream live on SEC Network+. Patrick Cassat (play-by-play) 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.

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 or one hour before the first game of the day for home tournaments.

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

Series Histories

Virginia Tech

– Georgia leads the all-time series 7-2

– The Dogs are 6-1 against the Hokies in Athens

– Virginia Tech came to Athens last season for the NCAA Regional; Georgia beat Virginia Tech twice

– The last six meetings have all been in Athens; Virginia Tech last visited in the regular season for the 2019 Bulldog Classic, splitting two matchups with Georgia

Radford

– Georgia leads the all-time series 8-0

– Seven of the eight all-time meetings have been in Athens, most recently in 2018 during the Bulldog Classic

Dartmouth

– Georgia leads the all-time series 1-0

– The lone meeting was in Athens in 2022 as part of the UGA Classic; Georgia won 11-2 in five innings

Georgia in the Polls

Georgia in the Poll: Week 2

     – USA Today/NFCA: 3

     – ESPN/USA Softball: 3

     – D1Softball: 3

     – Softball America: 3

*highest NFCA ranking since Week 11 2011 (3)

*highest USA Softball ranking since Week 9 2011 (2)

Recapping Action

The Bulldogs put together a strong performance at last week’s Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational, going undefeated with wins over Wisconsin, No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, No. 19/20 UCLA, and a run-rule win over No. 7/5 Florida State. Georgia hit .311 in the tournament as a team, scoring 41 runs in four games. Sara Mosley drove in 10 runs to lead the Bulldogs, scattering four doubles. Sydney Kuma went 8-for-13 on the weekend to hit .615 with a home run. In all, Georgia hit eight home runs. In the circle, Lilli Backes finished the weekend 2-0 with a save in 16 innings, striking out 10 batters.

A Look at What’s Ahead

Georgia hosts No. 9 Clemson in the first midweek game of the season on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. It’ll be Taylor Swift Night at Jack Turner Stadium. The first 250 fans receive an “Eras” t-shirt. Additionally, the first 100 UGA students will get free pizza, and kids fifth grade and younger will have the opportunity to run the bases after the game.

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