GOLF: UNG women break 54-hole record

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Golf
UNG Women's Golf

The University of North Georgia women’s golf team continued its record-breaking season by taking down the 54-hole scoring record Tuesday, March 10, at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational. UNG shot 47-over 911 for the best 54-hole tournament in program history, beating the record set earlier this season at the DBU Classic by two shots.

Golf: UNG women's Megan Sabol

Megan Sabol

Individually, Megan Sabol finished in eighth in the golf tournament with a 1-under 215, also breaking the individual scoring record and the first women’s golfer at UNG to shoot under par in a 54-hole tournament. The senior now holds the two best 54-hole scores in program history.

North Georgia finished just 11 shots outside of the top 10 and just four shots back of PBC foe Flagler, who tied for 11th place. No. 3 Dallas Baptist ran away with the win, besting the field by six strokes. No. 11 Saint Leo finished in second, while No. 9 Florida Southern, No. 1 Nova Southeastern and No. 5 Tampa rounded out the top five in the event.

The Nighthawks will be back in action in two weeks at the Louise Suggs Invitational, hosted by West Georgia.

For a full golf schedule, click here.

 

Photos courtesy of the University of North Georgia.

No. 19 UNG rifle team finishes in second place

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Rifle Team
UNG Rifle Team

The No. 19 University of North Georgia rifle team shot the best air rifle score of the day, claiming the team championship in the discipline Sunday, March 8, as the Nighthawks finished runners-up for the second straight year in the Southern Conference Championships.

UNG Rifle Team Tobin Sanctuary

Tobin Sanctuary

The Nighthawks defeated the field by 10 points in the air rifle portion of the event, firing a 2296 to finish with an aggregate score of 4535. No. 20 UAB finished with an aggregate score of 4539 to claim their second straight conference crown.

UNG Rifle Team Kimberlee Nettles

Kimberlee Nettles

Individually, Tobin Sanctuary claimed third place, while Kimberlee Nettles finished right behind the senior in fourth in the finals. Both earned first team All-Conference honors.

The two Nighthawks earned first team honors in both disciplines, joining Wofford’s Dan Wesson and UAB’s Amy Kohan as the only shooters in the event to accomplish that feat.

North Georgia has now finished in the top two in each of the four SoCon Championships that have taken place since the league added the sport.

North Georgia baseball downs GSW at home

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Baseball
North Georgia Baseball

Brady Eeles and Nik Levensteins both went yard as the No. 30 University of North Georgia baseball team finished off the Peach Belt Conference series with Georgia Southwestern with a 5-2 win Sunday, March 8, at Bob Stein Stadium at Cottrell Park.

North Georgia baseball

Brady Eeles

Eeles got things started in the fourth inning with a solo bomb to right center to give the Nighthawks the lead. Crews Taylor doubled the UNG lead in the fifth with a RBI single to right field that plated William Makes.

Levensteins earned his first RBI of the day in the sixth on a single up the middle that scored Eeles. GSW answered in the top of the eighth with a Tyler Skelton solo homer that cut the lead down to 3-1, but North Georgia came right back in the bottom of the frame to score twice. Bill LeRoy scored on a Hurricane error just before Levensteins hit his solo homer. GSW hit another home run in the ninth, but UNG was able to get the final out to earn the win.

Nik Levensteins

Nik Levensteins

NOTES
Parker Morrison (3-1) earned the win, going 7.0+ with just one run given up off six hits. He fanned eight Hurricanes along the way. Beau Jones earned his first save of the season, finishing the final two innings of work.

– Levensteins went 3-for-4, while Eeles had a 2-for-4 day at the plate.

NEXT UP
North Georgia will take on Southern Wesleyan in mid-week action Tuesday, March 10, at 3 p.m. in Dahlonega.

UNG softball wins pair at Captain D’s Classic

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Softball

Cheyanne Mosteller had the game-winning homer in the opening game of the day and walked off the final game of the weekend as the No. 7 University of North Georgia (UNG) softball team swept the final day of the Captain D’s Surf ‘n Turf Classic on Sunday, March 8, in Dahlonega.

GAME ONE – UNG 2, TAMUK 1 (9 inn.)

UNG Softball University of North Georgia

Cheyanne Mosteller

Kaylyn Anthony got North Georgia on the board in the second inning with a RBI single up the middle that scored Janie Henderson and gave the Nighthawks a 1-0 lead. Texas A&M – Kingsville finally got on the board in the seventh, scoring on a double to the gap in left center to tie the game and send it to extras.

Mosteller hit her first home run as a Nighthawk in the top of the ninth to give UNG the lead, and from there, Kylee Smith shut down the Javelinas to earn the win.

Smith finished the game with five strikeouts, giving up just one run off seven hits.

GAME TWO – UNG 3, UWP 2
Wisconsin Parkside was the first on the scoreboard in the final game of the weekend, hitting a solo homer in the top of the first, but North Georgia answered with a Haylee Womack RBI double in the bottom of the inning to tie the game back up, 1-1. A RBI single by Shelby Hammontree in the fourth pushed UNG out in front, but this time it was the Rangers who answered, scoring off a Nighthawks error to tie the game at 2-2.

UNG University of North Georgia softball

Abbie Crawford

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Nighthawks got Madison Henry on base and, after pinch running with Mallory Parker, Mosteller brought her home on a double to the wall in left center to walk off the weekend.

Abbie Crawford (5-1) got the win in relief, pitching 1.1 innings of shutout softball, giving up just one hit.

NOTES
– Mosteller finished the day 3-for-7 at the plate. Womack was 3-for-6 on the day.

– The Nighthawks finish the Captain D’s Classic 4-0, marking the second straight year UNG finish the tournament unbeaten.

NEXT UP
North Georgia will open Peach Belt play Saturday, March 14, when they take on Francis Marion at home. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

UNG women’s basketball named No. 2 seed

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Basketball
UNG University of North Georgia Women's Basketball

The No. 16 University of North Georgia women’s basketball team will head to Greenwood, South Carolina, to defend their Southeast Regional Crown as the No. 2 seed, the NCAA announced Sunday night in the 2020 selection show.

The Nighthawks will take on seventh-seeded Clayton State in the opening round Friday, March 13. The Nighthawks are 2-1 against Clayton State this season, having beaten the Lakers in the Peach Belt Conference semifinals Saturday night, March 7, 87-65.

Lander will be the No. 1 seed and have hosting duties. The Bearcats won the regular season and tournament championships in the Peach Belt Conference to earn the top spot. LU will take on eighth-seeded Limestone in the opening round.

The other two matchups include third-seeded Anderson taking on sixth-seeded Carson-Newman and fourth-seeded Tusculum battling fifth-seeded Belmont Abbey.

More information about Friday’s game will be announced Monday, March 9.

UNG’s Tshimanga and Jenkins honored by Peach Belt

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Basketball
UNG

University of North Georgia men’s basketball players Ephraim Tshimanga and KJ Jenkins won major awards at the Peach Belt Conference Awards Banquet, held at Lander on Friday, March 6, prior to the semifinals Saturday, March 7.

Ephraim Tshimanga UNG

Ephraim Tshimanga

In addition to being named third team All-Conference, Tshimanga was named the Defensive Player of the Year, while Jenkins was tabbed as the Freshman of the Year for UNG.

Tshimanga led the PBC in steals this season as UNG finished ranked among the PBC’s top five in scoring defense and steals. A senior guard from Acworth, Georgia, his 84 swipes this year is the 13th highest single-season total in PBC history. He also averaged 5.6 rebounds, 11.6 points and 5.5 assists per game. Tshimanga passed the 1,000-point plateau for his career and his 261 career steals is fourth all-time in PBC history. He becomes the first Nighthawk to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

KJ Jenkins UNG

KJ Jenkins

Jenkins played the final 20 games of this season to begin his collegiate career and made a huge impact with 14.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The redshirt guard from Canton, Georgia, scored 14.5 against league opponents, 12th in the PBC. He scored a career-best 23 in a win over Lander on February 15 and matched it three games later at Georgia College. He scored 20 or more three times during the season with a double-double at Columbus State. He led the PBC in free throw percentage and is 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio. Jenkins is the first UNG men’s basketball player to be named the PBC Freshman of the Year.

UNG’s Sutton named PBC Player of the Year

Sports, Team FYN Sports, UNG Basketball
UNG

Julianne Sutton was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year as the University of North Georgia women’s basketball team was honored as the league runners-up Friday night, March 6, during the Awards Banquet at Lander.

Julianne Sutton Player of the Year

Julianne Sutton

In addition, Kara Groover won the Elite 15 Award presented by EAB, while Sutton and Abbie Franklin were each named All-Conference.

A first team All-Conference honoree, Sutton led the Peach Belt Conference in scoring with 18.3 points per game this season, a number that rose to 19.4 against league opponents.

Kara Groover

Kara Groover

The junior forward from Flowery Branch, Georgia, has scored in double figures in every game so far this year and is third in the league in field goal percentage. A PBC Player of the Week on February 10, Sutton is also sixth in the league in blocks, had four double-doubles and passed 1,000 career points.

UNG Abbie Franklin

Abbie Franklin

She becomes the fourth Nighthawk to be named the PBC Player of the Year, the first since Stephanie Huffman in 2015.

A second team All-Conference winner, Franklin led the Peach Belt Conference in three point shooting at over 41 percent. A junior from Homer, Georgia, she is second on UNG’s squad in scoring at 11.6 points per outing and is second in the league in minutes per game at over 33.5.

Groover is the second Elite 15 Award winner from North Georgia this academic year, joining women’s soccer’s Taylor Malasek.

The junior from Newnan, Georgia, has a 3.91 GPA while majoring in Kinesiology (Exercise Science). Modeled after the NCAA Elite 90, the Elite 15 Award is given at each of the 15 PBC championships to the student-athlete competing in the championship with the highest over cumulative GPA. The honor is the first for the women’s basketball program.

North Georgia will now turn their attention to Clayton State in the semifinals of the conference tournament with tip time set for 7:30 p.m.

No. 16 UNG women’s basketball coasts to quarterfinal win

Team FYN Sports, UNG Basketball
UNG University of North Georgia Women's Basketball

Five juniors led the way for the University of North Georgia women’s basketball team Wednesday, March 4, as the No. 16 Nighthawks defeated Augusta, 82-47, in the quarterfinals of the Peach Belt Conference tournament at Convocation Center in Dahlonega.

UNG Abbie Franklin

UNG junior Abbie Franklin

Abbie Franklin led the way with 19 points for North Georgia (25-4), which dominated from the opening tip to take a 14-2 lead through the opening four minutes of the game and never looked back.

Franklin continued her great shooting in the month of March, going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc in the game.

Imani Arnold and Julianne Sutton each scored 13 points for the Nighthawks, who never let the lead slip below double digits after going up 12-2.

The Nighthawks shot 60 percent from the floor, their best of the season.

Abby Hubert scored 11 points and Kyra Davis contributed 10 off the best for North Georgia, which led by as many as 39 late to advance in the tournament.

North Georgia will take on Clayton State (20-9) in the semifinals beginning at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina.

UNG’s Lindsay Reeves named Athletic Director of the Year

Sports, Team FYN Sports, University of North Georgia
UNG

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced the 28 winners of the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year (ADOY) Award Tuesday, March 3,

UNG Lindsay Reeves

University of North Georgia Athletic Director Lindsay Reeves

with University of North Georgia’s Lindsay Reeves named among the four NCAA Division II winners. The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges). Winners will be recognized Tuesday, June 9, prior to the Featured Session during NACDA’s 55th Annual Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.

The ADOY is the second in the past four years for Reeves as she becomes only the second two-time recipient from Georgia. She is joined on this year’s list by Jim Johnson (Pittsburg State), Laura Liesman (Georgian Court) and Tim MacMurray (Texas A&M-Commerce).

Reeves is in her 20th year at the University of North Georgia and the 2019-20 season marks her tenth year as the Director of Athletics for the 13-sport intercollegiate program after investing five years as Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator. She is only the third athletic director in the history of UNG athletics and oversees 13 NCAA Division II sports, 50+ athletic department employees, nine facilities and over 225 student-athletes.

Reeves is the first female director of athletics at the University of North Georgia. She has led the development and implementation of a diversity action plan to ensure and promote diversity among the university’s student-athletes, staff and community. She is heralded as an advocate for all areas of athletic excellence, including team and student-athlete academic success and community engagement.

Under her leadership, UNG athletic programs have enjoyed prosperity on and off the playing fields and courts, highlighted by the UNG softball team being crowned 2015 NCAA Division II National Champions. She has mentored teams to championships on the conference, regional and national levels while emphasizing the total student-athlete development, culminating with the school’s first-ever PBC Commissioner’s Cup in 2017.

In addition to successes on the field of competition, the sports programs at UNG have championed the department’s mission of total student-athlete development by teaching them the core principles of competition, integrity, fair play, personal character, and good sportsmanship.

Reeves’ leadership reflects UNG’s strong commitment to the overall experience of our student-athletes and to the important roles of service, leadership and respect, and how these attributes contribute to their total experiences at North Georgia.

The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.

“The future of our industry continues to look bright with athletics leaders like these at the helm of departments across the country,” said Bob Vecchione, NACDA Chief Executive Officer. “Out of our 28 ADOY winners, 22 are receiving this honor for the first time in their careers. It is exciting and inspiring to see the new faces coming up through the ranks and earning well-deserved recognition for their efforts on their campuses.”

Under Armour is now in its 12th year of sponsoring the award and over 276 different athletics directors have been honored with the award during that time.

“The Athletics Director of the Year Award acknowledges the leadership and positive influence top athletics directors have had at their respective institutions across all levels,” said Brian Cummings, Under Armour’s vice president of North America sports marketing. “Under Armour is proud to partner with NACDA to honor those individuals who set the standard in guiding their student-athletes through the on-going journey to be better.”

All NACDA-member directors of athletics in the United States, Canada and Mexico who met the criteria were eligible for the award. Among the criteria were service as an AD for a minimum of five consecutive years; demonstration of commitment to higher education and student-athletes; continuous teamwork, loyalty and excellence; and the ability to inspire individuals or groups to high levels of accomplishments. Additionally, each AD’s institution must have passed a compliance check through its appropriate governing body (i.e., NCAA, NAIA, etc.), in which the institution could not have been on probation or cited for a lack of institutional control during the tenure of the current athletics director.

Nominators were NACDA-member directors of athletics, institutional presidents and conference commissioners, as well as other respected intercollegiate athletics administrators. Special Divisional Selection Committees composed of current and former directors of athletics, current and former commissioners and other key athletics administrators voted on nominees for the award.

LCHS announces upcoming REACH Adult Field Day event

Community, Education

DAHLONEGA, GA

Leadership Lumpkin Class of 2019 and Lumpkin County High School will host the second annual REACH Adult Field Day event on March 28, 2020.

Leadership Lumpkin Class of 2019, partnered with Lumpkin County Schools, hosts the event and according to LLC’s social media page, “The mission of the Leadership Lumpkin County Class of 2019 is to have an indelible and positive impact on the Lumpkin County community by advancing the post-secondary educational opportunities for these local students…We believe that by seeking collaboration with local businesses, community members, and sponsors, we will have a progressive impact on the future of our children. held each year to raise money in order to help underprivileged Lumpkin County students excel academically and reach their future goals.”

Last year, over 53% of  LC students received free or reduced lunches, 150 students were homeless, and Lumpkin County had approximately 25% of their students receive a college or technical college post-secondary education. LCHS assistant principal, Jason Lemley, told FYN, “We have a goal to raise $20,000 this year!  We raised over $15,000 last year, and we are confident we can get to 20K.  We already have our first sponsor, and we will be reaching out to many others soon.  Last year was a great first year, and we want this to grow year after year.  Even if you don’t participate on a team, come out and enjoy the hilarious “talent” and join us for a day of fun!”

The event will be at the Lumpkin County High School. For more information, contact Mr. Lemley at LCHS.

 

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McDaniel accepts plea deal in child molestation case

Featured Stories, News

LUMPKIN CO., GA

Erica McDaniel, 34, was sentenced to 15 years —  three to serve and 12 on probation — after pleading guilty to one count of child molestation during her court trial on Friday, Sept. 13.

McDaniel was arrested in September of 2018 for sexual misconduct with a minor that took place over a one-year span for included one count of child molestation and two counts of statutory rape. According to court records, McDaniel and her lawyer, Andrew Richman, entered a plea deal for one count of child molestation. According to the terms laid out in the plea deal, she will serve three years of her sentence in confinement, and the remainder will be served on probation.

In addition to the sentencing, court records reveal that McDaniel is also barred from Lumpkin County, “or the Enotah Judicial Circuit during the period of probation for any reason whatsoever.” Contact with the victim and/or his family is also prohibited.

McDaniel is also required by law to register as a sex offender, that will prohibit her from having contact with minors, residing with a minor, having images of minors, or entering relationships with anyone who is a parent or guardian of minors, with the exception being her own children.

The other two counts of statutory rape were dropped under Nolle Prosequi (NOL PROS), meaning “we shall no longer prosecute.” NOL PROS is used as a legal statement of dropped charges from the prosecutor in a criminal case.

 

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UNG women’s basketball athlete celebrates 1,000th career point

Business

Dahlonega, GA

According to the University of North Georgia Athletics Department, UNG’s Tamera Thorpe scored her 1,000th career point during their game against Flagler; however, the No. 20 UNG women’s basketball team fell to their opponent in overtime, 74-70.

With a jumper at the 4:15 mark in the third quarter, the senior transfer notched point No. 1,001 with her 14th point of the game to put UNG up, 43-42, at that point. From there, the two teams went back and forth before Flagler took a four-point lead with 40 seconds to play in regulation.

Flagler controlled the overtime period, though, retaking the lead right away and never relinquishing it.

 

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UNG women’s basketball team defeats Clark Atlanta 87-55

University of North Georgia

DAHLONEGA, GA

According to a press release from the University of North Georgia Athletics Department, 10 members of the UNG women’s basketball team earned a spot in the scoring column as the No. 16 Nighthawks downed Clark Atlanta, 87-55, Wednesday night in the UNG Convocation Center.

The Nighthawks hd a strong 7-0 start before the Panthers, increasing that to a 12-0 run later in the first quarter, with the Panthers unable to outscore UNG.

 

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UNG women’s cross-country team runners up at PCB Championship

Business

BEECH ISLAND, S.C.

According to a press release from the University of North Georgia Athletics Department, the UNG women’s cross-country team finished in second place on Saturday at the PCB Championship.

UNG junior, Aleah Johnson, led three All-Conference runners to second place behind Flagler Saturday morning at Redcliffe Plantation. Johnson finished in fourth place overall after running a 5K time of 18:40. UNG junior, Bree Hammond, finished in sixth place at 18:51, while sophomore, Kaylee Haake, finished in 15th at 19:09. All three earned All-Conference honors.

Flagler won the race, finishing with 46 points, followed by UNG at 60 points. Columbus State, Georgia College and Augusta rounded out the top five.

This is UNG’s fifth top-2 finish in a row after claiming runner-up honors in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

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UNG freshman sets new rifling record as No. 19

Business

DAHLONEGA, GA

According to a press release from the University of North Georgia Athletics Department, UNG freshman, Ricky Medina, shot an aggregate score of 1170, beating the previous aggregate scoring record by four points as the No. 19 UNG rifle team defeated the University of Alabama Saturday at the COL Raymond C. Hamilton Rifle Range. Clemson also shot in the event, but they do not count in the results, due to the Tigers competing as a club sport.

Medina tied the smallbore scoring record, firing a 584 in the discipline. He was perfect in the prone position, scoring two perfect 100 strings in the process. He coupled that with a 586 in the air rifle discipline to defeat the field by 19 points in the aggregate scoring.

UNG shot a season-high 4617 as a team, finishing just five points off the school record in aggregate, and had the top three shooters with Medina, Tobin Sanctuary and Kimberlee Nettles.

Other highlights from the event were personal records for Veronica Stanley in smallbore (567), Eric Azotea in air rifle (573) and Lucas Gilliland in air rifle (582).

University of North Georgia men’s soccer scores late to earn 4-4 draw

Team FYN Sports

Eren Ozer Forward for the UNG Men’s soccer team

MORROW, GA. 

By UNG Athletics Communications

Eduardo Pessoa scored twice and Eren Ozer scored late as the University of North Georgia men’s soccer team earned a 4-4 draw with Tampa Thursday night at Clayton State’s Laker Field.

Tampa got things going in the 12th minute with a goal from Till Neumann, but the Nighthawks answered as Adam Farrell put home the first UNG goal of 2018 on a penalty kick in the 37th

minute. Just four minutes later, though, the Spartans regained the lead on a shot from distance to take a 2-1 lead to halftime.

After most of the second half went by scoreless, UNG evened it up with the first Pessoa goal of the night off a Prince Domafriyie pass. Tampa answered with two goals within 60 seconds of one another to take a 4-2 lead.

Eduardo Pessoa. Forward for the UNG men’s soccer team

The Nighthawks didn’t give up, however, as Pessoa scored his second with 12 minutes left off a rebound before Eren Ozer hit a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to tie the game back up. Tampa took 12 shots in the overtime periods but could not find a fifth goal and the game ended in a draw.

 

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