Football | 3/7/2017 10:11:00 AM
Dear Eagle Nation,
It's that time of the year again when our football schedule gets released and it generates a number of questions regarding how our schedule is created. To help answer some of those questions, I have included a link to an article we did last year explaining how schedules are created, in particular, our non-conference schedule.
You can read it here.
As far as this year's schedule, I'm excited about the number of home Saturday games we have, along with the opportunity to play on national television and showcase our awesome game-day environment that our fans and students create each week in Paulson. Homecoming will be the New Mexico State game on Oct. 14 and we'll soon know the promotions for all the games. We'll announce them, along with tentative start times as we get closer to summer.
Our basketball teams are about to start their post-season tournament runs in New Orleans at Lakefront Arena. The men finished third by virtue of a tiebreaker and earned one of the coveted byes. They will not begin their run until late Friday night (March 10) against either Troy or Appalachian State. All of the games can be seen on ESPN3 with Sunday's championship on ESPN2. Our women's team has earned a seed in the top half of the draw as the No. 6 seed and will take on 11th-seeded Arkansas State tonight (March 7) at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. I am excited for Coach Drown and his team as this has been a season of great improvement for their program. He is excited about a run in the conference tournament, but will also let you know that he is still not where he wants to be as a program. You can watch all of the games on ESPN3. Also, let me not forget, our radio crew will have calls of all Eagle games on the Georgia Southern Radio Network.
A big congratulations goes to Coach
Jim Riggs and the rifle program. Sunday, they capped the season with the Air Rifle Championship at the Southern Conference Rifle Championships, besting No. 20 ranked North Georgia by two points. Courtney Weeks and
Tori Lewis both earned all-conference honors and the team placed third in the aggregate standings, just 16 points behind VMI. Coach Riggs has done an incredible job with that program, which is in just its fourth season, and I'm excited to watch the program grow.
Moving to spring action, thank you to all who showed up during the Georgia baseball series. We set a single-game attendance record of 3,435 at J.I. Clements Stadium on Saturday thanks to you! It was great seeing all of the former players who were here over the weekend for Alumni Day. Many people were impressed by the stadium renovations and the new amenities now offered this year at Clements Stadium. If you have not been out this year, you should take the opportunity to experience all of our upgrades for yourself. We have home games tonight and tomorrow against Campbell and open Sun Belt play at home the weekend of March 17 against South Alabama.
You can find the whole schedule here.
Also, in case you missed it, check out this incredible play from
India Davis of the softball team. Support from you help make these kinds of play possible through the purchase of strength equipment, the funding of proper nutrition and funding of scholarships. You play a big of a part in the success of our student-athletes!
As you can see, there is a lot going on within our department. This is a busy time for our staff and student-athletes as we're in the cross-over season with winter sports wrapping up and the beginning of spring sports like baseball, softball, outdoor track & field, golf and tennis. Our success and continued growth depends on their hard work and, as fans, your commitment of support.
Thanks
TK
G.A.T.A.
