General | 8/13/2017 8:07:00 PM

STATESBORO, Ga. – For the fourth consecutive academic year, Georgia Southern Athletics welcomed its student-athletes back to campus with a special event at Splash in the Boro.

Earlier in the day, Director of Athletics Tom Kleinlein welcomed the student-athletes back to campus, introduced his senior staff and unveiled the new Eagle Creed, which can be read about here. Director of Student-Athlete Services Reggie Simpkins handed out trophies to the women's tennis team and the men's golf team for posting the department's best team grade point averages last year. Also touched on was the new nutrition labels in place at the dining halls to help student-athletes make better food choices based on trying to lose, gain or maintain weight.

Kleinlein gave a speech to the assembled student-athletes, laying out his expectations and vision for the department this year, including topping the past two year's 3.01 department GPA. After the welcoming address and meetings with professors, the student-athletes re-assembled at Splash in the Boro later in the evening and were given free reign over the 155-acre waterpark which includes four waterslides, a lazy river, a wave pool and a FlowRider surfing machine.

Upcoming Events
Aug. 14 – Day 1 – Paulson Stadium – 8 p.m. - Students will fill up the entire student section in Paulson Stadium for Day One to learn our traditions, chants, fight song and alma mater.  Several members of fall sports will participate and Director of Athletics Tom Kleinlein will speak at the event.

Aug. 18 - Women's Soccer vs. Florida Gulf Coast - 7 p.m. - The sports season officially begins as the Eagles kick off the 2017-18 campaign by hosting Florida Gulf Coast at Erk Russell Park. For tickets, go to GSEagles.com/Tickets.

Aug. 18 - Savannah Football Practice - 6 p.m. - Georgia Southern will take a practice on the road as it heads to Savannah for its 19th preseason practice. The Eagles will head east on I-16 and will practice on the campus of Armstrong State University on Friday, Aug. 18 from 6-7:30 PM. Following the completion of the practice, the team will hold a fan fest with autographs, inflatables, entertainment and much more. More details will be made available on Monday.

Aug. 19 - Volleyball Scrimmage vs. Georgia College - 5 p.m. - Dustin Wood and his Eagles will hit the court in Hanner Fieldhouse for an exhibition match against Georgia College.

Aug. 18 and 19 - Erk Russell Classic – Paulson Stadium - The sixth annual Erk Russell Classic has eight teams playing four games over two days. Tickets can be purchased at any of the participating high schools or at the Georgia Southern University Ticket Office. The Erk Russell Classic was started by the Eagle Football Alumni Association (EFAA) in 2012 to honor the late coach Erk Russell. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Erk Russell Classic are donated to the Erk Russell Scholarship. The EFAA started a football scholarship through the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation called the Erk Russell Football Endowment. The Endowment will perpetually fund a scholarship for one Georgia Southern football player.

Aug. 20 - Women's Soccer vs. UCF - 1 p.m. - The women's soccer team wraps up its opening weekend by hosting UCF at Erk Russell Park. For tickets, go to GSEagles.com/Tickets.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.

In order to expedite entry and provide a safe environment for all patrons and participants, Georgia Southern Athletics has implemented a Clear Bag Policy for all ticketed sporting events, effective Aug. 1, 2017. Fans can find the complete policy as well as an FAQ section at GSEagles.com/ClearBag.