Eagle Nation,

I pray this note finds you and your family safe and healthy. How incredible have the past two weeks been?!? One of the highlights in my time here at Georgia Southern was seeing our women's tennis and men's golf teams return home to Statesboro - with Sun Belt trophies in hand - and being greeted by Eagle Nation. It never gets old walking into the Parrish Building and seeing another Sun Belt Conference Championship trophy!

Our men's golf team concluded a great week of play by topping Little Rock 3-1-1 on April 28 in the finals of match play at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Arkansas. For the Eagles, the Sun Belt Championship secured the program's 26th appearance in the NCAA Championship. The selection show for the NCAA Championships will air on the Golf Channel tomorrow, Wednesday, May 5 at 2 p.m. 

Our women's tennis team secured its first Sun Belt Tournament title and first NCAA Championship berth after a 4-3 victory over South Alabama on April 18 in Peachtree City, Georgia. The Eagles overcame a 3-1 deficit, winning a pair of third-set matches en route to extending their win streak to 11 straight. Head coach Sean McCaffrey was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year and three Eagles earned first-team all-conference honors. The NCAA Section was last night and we're excited to watch them in Atlanta this Friday against Georgia Tech. I'd love to see a bunch of #EagleNation out at the facility to cheer them on!

Baseball tallied a big series win over South Alabama this past weekend, clinching the series with an exciting 7-6 win on Sunday with Nick Jones recording his nation-leading 13th save. Rodney Hennon's team is currently 27-16, having won 14 of its past 17 games. The Eagles continue to work toward the Sun Belt Conference Tournament that starts on Tuesday, May 25 in Montgomery, Alabama.

Softball earned a three-game series sweep over a very good South Alabama this past weekend, capped off by sophomore Aaliyah Garcia hurling her first collegiate shutout. Kim Dean's squad wraps up the 2021 regular season at Georgia State this week. The three-game series begins on Thursday and the Eagles will then travel to Troy, Alabama, for the Sun Belt Championship that starts on May 11.

Our women's track and field team continues to work toward the Sun Belt Outdoor Championships that begin on Thursday, May 13. Senior Scovia Ayikoru broke her own school record in the 400-meter run last Friday in a meet at North Florida. The 4x100 relay team also improved with the second-fastest time in the school record books.

And a special congratulations to our All-Girl Cheerleading squad which took home its sixth national championship last month down in Florida. We appreciate all the support they give us at many of our events and it's great to see them have success in their competitions, as well.

We were excited to announce yesterday the following additions to our football non-conference schedule: Clemson (2026), Eastern Michigan (2027 and '29), Kentucky (2029), and Ole Miss (2030). We are still actively working on games for several years and I will be sure to provide updates as game contracts are finalized. 

Women's head golf coach Emily Kuhfeld informed me on April 23 that she was stepping down to pursue other professional opportunities. We are very thankful for Emily's hard work over the past six seasons as she started our women's golf program. I have spent the past week talking to golf coaches all over the country, and I am very pleased with the interest our open position has attracted. I look forward to sharing more information as the search progresses and is finalized.

We announced our "Soar to Six" campaign on April 13. This new initiative seeks to increase membership in the Erk Russell Fund, the main fundraising arm of the Athletic Foundation, to 6,000 members. We launched this campaign to encourage current members to continue or increase their financial support and to invite more fans and alumni to help with the investment in our student-athletes' future successes. Supporters of Georgia Southern can join the Erk Russell Fund for as low as $5 a month/$60 per year. Additionally, a popular topic lately has been centered on the various ways to give. We have seen a significant increase in stock transfers. This method of giving allows individual(s) to avoid capital gains taxes through a transfer of stock to the Athletic Foundation. Individuals interested in learning more about supporting Georgia Southern Athletics through a transfer of stock can contact Ben Rodriguez at 912-601-7892

Another highlight of the spring has been the reintroduction of the Eagle Clubs. It has been a huge blessing to have visited Eagle Nation in locations across the state and in Charleston over the past two months. This past Friday's Eagle Club event in Savannah was our 14th stop of the tour. While each visit is special in its own way, one common takeaway is consistent – our staff and I leave energized about the future of Georgia Southern Athletics! For those who have assisted us with either hosting or attending an Eagle Club event, THANK YOU!

The beginning of May traditionally coincides with the end of the spring academic term. Two events that are annual highlights for our student-athletes are the GUSPYs Awards and our stole ceremony for graduating seniors. Our 2020-21 GUSPYs awards took place last Monday and everyone involved had a great time! It is always enjoyable seeing our student-athletes get recognized for their successes in-and-out of the classroom, and that evening provided a brief reprieve from the COVID headwinds experienced over the past year. Our spring stole ceremony takes place on Thursday and we look forward to recognizing our 50+ graduating seniors.

In closing, in order for Georgia Southern to reach its desired goals, I will continue to strategically highlight three (3) things that individuals and companies can do to help us:
 

1. Buy season tickets and create a home-field advantage
2. Financially support the Athletic Foundation and the Erk Russell Fund
3. Get others to do the same!

Our Athletic Ticket Office is ready to assist you in purchasing tickets and can be reached at 1-800-GSU-WINS or via email at tickets@georgiasouthern.edu. For those wishing to donate, please go to: Give.GSEagles.com.

Our best days are ahead and I look forward to an exciting 2021!
Hail Southern! G.A.T.A!

Jared Benko
Georgia Southern Director of Athletics