Dear Eagle Nation,

I hope this note finds you well. We are off to a great start across the department this fall!

How about this past Saturday night in Paulson Stadium?!? What an incredible environment! I want to thank each of you who attended and cheered on our young men to victory. Going into the game, we knew that UAB was a very formidable opponent, and it was a very solid win for our team. I want to congratulate Davis Brin on being named the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after completing 38-of-47 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns. I also want to applaud Khaleb Hood on breaking the Georgia Southern career receiving yards record in the fourth quarter of the game, surpassing Monty Sharp with 1,855 career yards.

This Friday, we travel to Madison, Wisconsin, for our first road trip of the season Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers. While the Badgers lost a close game on the road to Washington State this past weekend, I have a lot of respect for head coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers' football program, and I know they will be prepared for our game. For those traveling to Madison, I look forward to seeing you at our "True Blue Tailgate" before the game. Those unable to attend can watch the game on the Big Ten Network at Noon (ET).

In advance of our next home football game on Saturday, Sept. 30, against Coastal Carolina (6 p.m.), we are moving forward aggressively over the next two weeks with a "Sell Out Paulson" campaign. We all know that Paulson Stadium can be one of the most intimidating stadiums for opponents to play in, and I would like to request your help in ensuring that we continue to create a home-field advantage for our Eagles! More information will be forthcoming on this initiative as we also look forward to celebrating our armed services with our "Salute to Service" game and Family Weekend. In the meantime, if you do not already have tickets to the game, I would encourage you to visit GSEagles.com/Tickets to secure your seat!

Our volleyball team is off to a record start of 8-1 after notching a win last night over UNC Asheville. If you have not had a chance to check out this team in person yet, I strongly encourage you to do so! You can catch them in action this Friday at 6 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman in Hanner Fieldhouse. This team is fun to watch, and they have an extremely exciting year ahead of them!

Our women's soccer team is also off to an exciting start, checking in with a 5-2 record with big wins on the road against the University of Miami and the University of Montana. Our team continues to impress me with its grit and physicality of play. Coming off a regular-season Sun Belt Championship last year, this team has a very bright outlook for the remainder of the season! You can catch them in action on Sunday at 4 p.m. against Georgia State at Eagle Field at Erk Park in their conference opener.

Our men's soccer team is currently 1-3-1, with all its losses of the season coming by a goal. This team has shown tremendous growth and returns to action at home this Friday with its Sun Belt opener against Coastal Carolina. Friday's match starts at 7 p.m.

Our women's golf team started the season with a top-six finish at the Boilermaker Classic last week. Haley Yerxa shot 73-71-71 (215) to finish 1-under to lead the Eagles.

I want to thank each of you who have joined the Eagle Nation Collective! Your financial support, our Athlete Brand Management Division, and comprehensive NIL programming have equipped our student-athletes with a tremendous platform to take advantage of their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). For those thinking of joining and who have yet to do so, please remember the power of becoming a member for as low as $1 a day. We often talk about how the power of Eagle Nation comes from its members. Together, with everyone deciding to join the Eagle Nation Collective, we can position ourselves favorably in this incredibly competitive space. For more information on the Eagle Nation Collective, please visit www.EagleNationNIL.com.

We are immensely proud of the Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility from a facilities standpoint! Not only has it allowed several of our teams to practice in it already, but the tailgate suites have been a big hit through our first two games! If you have not decided what your tailgating plans are for this year, I would encourage you to contact our third-party tailgating partner, Revel XP, at 469-405-6048. Our account representative, Marcus Valeiras (marcus.valeiras@revelxp.com), will gladly assist you and answer any questions about our turnkey tailgating opportunities inside the Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility.

Lastly, the older I get, the more I realize the power of perspective. I was reminded of this back on Sept. 4 when David Josiah of Team Impact signed as an honorary member of our football team. Team Impact matches children facing serious illness and disability with college sports teams, creating a long-term, life-changing experience. David, who is five years old, has spina bifida, and his dream is to be part of a team. He has been adopted as a football team member and will participate in various events throughout the year. Please keep an eye out for David and his family this fall in Paulson and welcome them to Eagle Nation!

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

Jared Benko