Finish Strong
On March 16, the Sun Belt Conference has announced that the league was canceling all organized athletics-related activities, including regular-season competitions, conference championships and practices, through the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. This decision was made in consultation with the league's Presidents, Chancellors and Directors of Athletics to address growing concerns surrounding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The NCAA Division I Council voted on March 30, 2020 to allow schools to provide spring-sport student-athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility. Financial aid rules were adjusted to allow teams to carry more members on scholarship to account for incoming student-athletes and returning student-athletes who had been in their last year of eligibility who decide to stay.
The Council vote provided schools with the flexibility to give students the opportunity to return for 2020-21 without requiring that athletics aid be provided at the same level awarded for 2019-20.
Upon the vote from the Council, GS director of athletics Jared Benko and his staff first met with head coaches of spring sports to see how many senior student-athletes would be interested in returning for the 2020-21 academic year. Georgia Southern’s spring sport rosters included 21 scholarship seniors, 14 of whom have committed to returning next season or are still making their decision. The total cost of the aid is expected to be around $140,000 and will come from fundraising and prudent cost cutting in other areas.
In conjunction with the University, we're trying to make sure all Eagles #FinishStrong and have launched a fundraising campaign to support the effort. Below are all the links, letters and stories from the seniors who were affected by the announcement.
PRESS RELEASE
DONATE TO THE FINISH STRONG CAMPAIGN NOW!
GS Announces Spring Seniors to Return; Help Ensure These Eagles #FinishStrong
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 18, 2020
📝: https://t.co/PWUrzEABSX
💰: https://t.co/OeciYQFdOd#HailSouthern | #OneMoreTime | #BuildtheNest pic.twitter.com/Pl1sqtEoE1
Murphy McCullough is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 18, 2020
If you want to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_MT | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/ifxwCbSRlF
"You see, my favorite part of playing golf at Georgia Southern is the blue-collar, chip-on-our-shoulder type of feeling that this university brings with it." - Jake Mapleshttps://t.co/LJRSKlEiSe#HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | @GaSouthernGolf | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/gLZelHzaVr
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 17, 2020
Paula Boixader is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 15, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_WT | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/8MMctdBaWz
Matt Anderson is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 12, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_BSB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/KkuJiVkta3
"Georgia Southern is my second home." - Mekhia Freemanhttps://t.co/r2p8EzuV9T
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 10, 2020
Support our returning student-athletes at https://t.co/NTrLG2QIjX!#HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | @GSAthletics_SB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/6L7pmlvUZ9
Jake Maples is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 8, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG2QIjX! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GaSouthernGolf | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/QmTDmXo4bb
Alia Booth is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 5, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_SB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/Z4eLduHjn2
One More Time: Murphy McCullough https://t.co/II4SMoQ6iY
— GS Men's Tennis (@GSAthletics_MT) June 2, 2020
Mekhia Freeman is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) June 1, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_SB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/zYgFvURiWA
Mason McWhorter is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 29, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_BSB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/Gznd16pyan
"I’m looking forward to seeing what the team can achieve and am excited to spend more time with my teammates." - Ella Ofstedahlhttps://t.co/7tCX7vFRLh
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 27, 2020
Support our returning Eagles at https://t.co/NTrLG2QIjX#HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | @GaSouthernWGolf | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/2qoX0mWDgb
Brett Barron is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 25, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG38jIx! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GaSouthernGolf | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/lpMqA58lbB
Shayla Smith is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 22, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/NTrLG2QIjX! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSAthletics_SB | @GSUAF pic.twitter.com/6uUiwJ2BAF
Paula Boixader from @GSAthletics_WT was brought to tears when she found out she was getting to return for another year of play.
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 20, 2020
Read Paula's letter about getting to return to GS:https://t.co/CezO9XT9QM#HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest pic.twitter.com/6OxvFGNZW5
Tyler Owens is coming back Eagle Nation!!
— Georgia Southern Athletics (@GSAthletics) May 19, 2020
If you want to give to support our returning student-athletes you can visit, https://t.co/OeciYQFdOd! #HailSouthern | #FinishStrong | #BuildtheNest | @GSUAF | @GSAthletics_BSB pic.twitter.com/75Umv6TWQD
