As the winter season has ended, and springtime is roaring through Georgia, there is plenty of optimism around the many athletic programs in Athens. From weekend series at Foley Field to postseason hoops in Stegeman Coliseum, the past few months have created many proud moments for the Bulldog Nation.

Hoop Dawgs

The Georgia Bulldogs men’s basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 16-15, along with a lone victory in the first round of the SEC Tournament over Missouri. Coach White’s team was given the opportunity to accept a spot in the NIT, giving the program its first postseason berth since 2017. The Hoop Dawgs knocked off Xavier in the first round at home, and then pulled off improbable victories on the road against Wake Forest and Ohio State to advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis. For a team that endured a six game losing streak during the heart of SEC play, Coach White and his relentless Bulldog squad have a lot to be proud of. Senior guard Noah Thomasson led the team in scoring with 13.1 points per game, followed by Jabri-Abdur Rahim with 12.2. Freshman guard Blue Cain emerged as one of the top three-point shooters on the roster with a 35% average from behind the arc. Seven-foot center Russel Tchewa led the team in rebounds, averaging 6.3 rebounds per game. Looking ahead to next season, Bulldog Nation will be saying goodbye to key seniors such as Noah Thomasson, Justin Hill, Russel Tchewa, and Jabri Abdur-Rahim. However, plenty of buzz surrounds five star incoming freshman forward Asa Newell, who White and his staff hopes to be a big factor in the program’s future. In terms of the transfer portal, question marks surround freshman guard Silas Demary Jr., who following the Bulldogs’ final game against Seton Hall said he was “going to decompress” before deciding on his future.

Diamond Dawgs

The Diamond Dawgs currently sit at 23-6 and in prime position for a possible run to Omaha this summer. Out of the 23 wins include a two game sweep over Georgia Tech, a three game sweep over Alabama, and a 16-2 victory over No. 4 Tennessee in Knoxville. The team’s new skipper Wes Johnson has his team swinging the bat as good as anyone in the country with a team average over.300 and 84 home runs, the most in the nation. Baseball’s next top prospect Charlie Condon has been on a tear for the Bulldogs, leading the team in batting average (.481), on base percentage (.593), hits (52), and home runs (19). Corey Collins has been another key piece to the offense, batting.396 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs. However, pitching has been the weakness of the team, as the staff has an ERA of 5.33. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the Bulldogs will continue to face stout SEC competition, as six of their final seven series are against teams inside the top 25, along with a lone matchup against Clemson, the No. 2 team in the nation. Matchups at Foley Field include series against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, and Florida. If Johnson can figure out a way to lower the runs given up, these Diamond Dawgs can match up with anyone in the country.

Men’s and Women’s Golf

The men’s golf team recently won The Goodwin at TPC Harding Park with a total score of 839 (-1), giving the group their second team tournament win alongside the Puerto Rico Classic this February. Ben van Wyk was the low man for the Bulldogs after a 207 (-3) finish, good enough for a third-place finish overall. The team will have a few weeks of preparation before traveling to St. Simons for the SEC Championship at Sea Island April 24-28. As for the women’s golf team, they recently competed in the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the UGA Golf Course in Athens, placing third overall with a score of 879 (+15) over three rounds. Fifth-year senior Caterina Don had a solid weekend, shooting 213 (-3) with an impressive second-round 67. The Lady Dawgs will keep working on their game ahead of the SEC Championship April 12-16 at The Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, as well as the NCAA Regionals at Auburn University Club May 6-8.

Gym Dawgs

The Georgia gymnastics team finished the regular season with a record of 6-10 and one conference win. The Gym Dawgs won their season opener against NC State, but did not win again until March 1st against Auburn. However, they won the Kidney Care Women’s Gymnastics Championship in Nashville in March. Unfortunately, the team’s season ended with a third place finish in the NCAA Regionals. On a high note, gymnast Lily Smith earned the all-round title at the regional.

Softball

The Lady Diamond Dawgs are rolling right along, sitting at 29-6 with a top-five ranking in the nation. In the early months of the season, Tony Baldwin’s group was able to participate and be successful in tournaments across the country where they could match up against some of the top competition in the country. Offensively, the Dawgs are batting.314 with 58 home runs and 239 total runs scored. Jayda Kearney has led the way offensively, batting.391 with 14 home runs and 34 RBIs. Lilli Backes has been the solid arm in the rotation with a 2.44 ERA and 75 strikeouts, along with four saves and 12 games won. This team has a real shot at not just qualifying for the College World Series in Oklahoma City this summer, but bringing home the program’s first national title.

Men’s Tennis

The Georgia men’s tennis team is 10-11 on the year with a 3-6 record in SEC competition. Long-time head coach Manuel Diaz announced this will be his last season before retirement, ending a 36-year run which included four NCAA titles and 29 SEC Championships. The highlights of the season so far include wins over Georgia Tech, Alabama, LSU, and Arkansas. However, the Bulldogs have struggled away from Dan Magill Tennis Complex, going 0-5 in away matches. Diaz and his players will have a few more weeks to get their game in shape before heading to Baton Rouge at the end of April for the SEC Championships.

Women’s Tennis

The Georgia women’s tennis team owns a record of 13-4 (8-1 in the SEC) and sit at seventh in the ITA rankings. They lost their first conference game on March 31 on the road against #16 Auburn. Their season so far has featured wins over Florida, Texas A&M, and Alabama, all who are ranked inside the top 25. The Lady Dawgs will have four more home matches before they host the SEC Tournament April 17-21 at Magill Tennis Complex.

Dawgs in The Masters

Beside the G-Day game, one of the best parts of Spring in Georgia is watching the greatest golfers in the world compete in the Masters tournament at arguably the world’s finest venue: Augusta National Golf Club. Once again, UGA golf will be well represented with Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Sepp Straka and Bubba Watson participating. Go low Dawgs … Woof, Woof, Woof!