No. 1 Softball Marches Past Saints on Senior Day

University of North Georgia
4/27/2018 | Softball | Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
DAHLONEGA – Both Sydney Sprague and Brittany Gilliam hit homers on Senior Day as the No. 1 University of North Georgia softball team swept Flagler in the regular season finale, winning by scores of 5-0 and 5-3 Friday night under the lights at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.

GAME ONE
After Lexi Duncan and Jordan Deep reached base, Sprague blasted her 13th homer of the season over the left center wall with two outs in the second inning to give UNG a 3-0 lead. That would prove to be enough for North Georgia in the game, but the Nighthawks put two more insurance runs on the board.

In the fourth, Gilliam doubled to right center, scoring Sprague to put North Georgia up, 4-0, before she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth which brought home the game’s final run.

Kylee Smith (28-1) gave up just one hit in her 16th complete game of the year, striking out 12 Saints along the way.

GAME TWO
Flagler struck first in the nightcap with Jaclyn Mijuskovic blasting a second inning solo shot over the left center wall to give the Saints their first lead of the evening. That was taken away in the bottom of the second.

Kaylyn Anthony hit a solo shot with one out in the frame to tie the game before a RBI single by Hobby Gregory that plated two more Nighthawk runs after a throwing error by the Flagler catcher, putting UNG up, 4-1.

The Saints struck back in the third on a Maria Kappos RBI double in the top half of the third, but UNG got the run back in the bottom of the frame on Gilliam’s solo blast to right field. Flagler scratched the final run across in the seventh inning on a RBI groundout.

NOTES
– Bria Bush improved to 3-0 on the year after coming out of the bullpen in relief in game two. She threw 5.1 innings and struck out two.

– Sprague finished the day going 4-for-6 at the plate after a perfect 3-for-3 first game. Gilliam was 2-for-5 on Senior Day.

– The Nighthawks have now won 53 games on the season, making them just one win away from tying the all-time record for wins in a season. North Georgia has won 54 games twice in program history.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will rest until the Peach Belt Conference tournament next weekend at The Hill. UNG, the top-seed in the tournament, will take on eighth-seeded Georgia Southwestern in the first round with game time to be announced later this weekend upon release of the tournament bracket once all seeds are set.

Women’s Tennis Seeded Sixth in NCAA Southeast Region

University of North Georgia
4/24/2018 | Women’s Tennis
DAHLONEGA – After a 14-7 season, the No. 24 University of North Georgia women’s tennis team will be continuing play in the postseason after being seeded sixth in the NCAA Southeast Regional and will head to second-seeded Wingate to compete in the tournament.

North Georgia will take on third-seeded and No. 25 Georgia College in the opening round and the winner will take on the advancing team from the second-seeded Wingate Bulldogs and seventh-seeded Chowan.

On the other side of the Southeast Region, top-seeded Columbus State earned a bye and will take on the winner of No. 4 Queens and No. 5 Tusculum.

The winners of the two sides of the region will advance to the finals, taking place in Surprise, Arizona, May 8-11.

The Nighthawks and Bobcats will battle for a third time this season on Saturday, April 28, at Wingate with the time to be announced later this week.

Five Tennis Players Named All-Academic

University of North Georgia
4/17/2018 | Men’s Tennis
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Ahead of this weekend’s Peach Belt Conference Tournament, five University of North Georgia tennis players were named to the PBC’s All-Academic Team as announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon.

On the women’s side, Holly BennettEmma Etelalahti and Lexa Loden were three of 26 student-athletes named to the team. A junior from Kingston, England, Bennett sports a 3.31 GPA majoring in Kinesiology. Etelalahti, a junior from Suwanee, Georgia, is an Accounting major with a 3.89 GPA, and Loden, a junior from St. Marys, Georgia, hails a 3.45 GPA while majoring in Biology (Pre-Medicine).

For the men, Mark Laishley and Niklas Zielen represented UNG as two of 22 student-athletes across the conference named to the team. Laishley is a Kinesiology major from Bournemouth, England, sporting a 3.40 GPA, while Zielen, a junior from Frankfurt, Germany, also has a 3.40 GPA majoring in Business Administration.

The two Nighthawk teams will begin PBC Tournament play on Friday in quarterfinal action. The women battle USC Aiken at 9 a.m. while the men tangle with No. 3 Columbus State at 1 p.m.

UNG men’s basketball team falls short to Lander in overtime

University of North Georgia

DAHLONEGA, GA

According to a press release from the University of North Georgia Athletic Department, Shawn Hopkins, guard for the UNG men’s basketball team, scored 29 points for the Nighthawks during their game against Lander Wednesday night, held at Finis Horne Arena.

The Nighthawks fell in overtime, 107-104, after holding a seven-point advantage at halftime.  UNG battled back, scoring the next eight points to retake the lead before LU held on to a two-point lead with just 15 seconds left in regulation. UNG took an early lead in the extra frame, but Lander stretched a lead out to six points, too far away for a late comeback attempt from UNG.

 

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Morrison, Perez Earn D2CCA Second Team All-Region Honors

University of North Georgia
5/18/2018 | Baseball
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – After being named to the NCBWA All-Region Second Team earlier this week, University of North Georgia baseball players Parker Morrison and Andres Perez earned D2CCA All-Region honors as announced by the association Friday evening.

A redshirt freshman from Cumming, Georgia, Morrison is the second team All-Region reliever after recording 10 saves and a 4-2 record and posting a 2.01 ERA in 53.2 innings of work on the mound for UNG. He had 62 strikeouts against just 27 walks, with opponents hitting just .164 against him this season.

A sophomore from Duluth, Georgia, Perez earned second team All-Region honors as a catcher, hitting .330 with a Peach Belt best 23 homers to go along with 68 RBI and a .699 slugging percentage. He also caught 20 of the 28 base runners that tried to steal a base against him this season.

Both Nighthawks are on the D2CCA All-Region list for the first time in their careers.

UNG women’s soccer team to be featured in NCAA showcase

University of North Georgia

DAHLONEGA, GA

According to a press release from the University of North Georgia Athletic Department, the UNG women’s soccer program is expected to be nationally recognized as part of the NCAA Division II Showcase. UNG will go up against nationally-ranked Columbus State on October 27. Fans and supporters can watch a national broadcast of the game on NCAA Division II’s Twitter (@NCAADII) and Facebook Live. Kick off time is 6:05pm.

This achievement makes UNG the first school in Division II to host nationally-televised matchups in five sports; UNG previously hosted ESPN3 in 2015 on Make-A-Wish Day with the softball team taking on Georgia College and the baseball team playing host to Anderson.

The Peach Belt Conference, UNG, and Columbus State will also share the game on their Facebook pages. Niles Media Group will produce the broadcast, giving viewers four different angles throughout the UNG Soccer Complex.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams will also host Columbus State on January 9, 2019, with ESPN3 broadcasting the games live from the UNG Convocation Center.

 

Baseball Snaps WSSU’s Winning Streak With 4-2 Win

University of North Georgia
4/20/2018 | Baseball | Box Score
DAHLONEGA – Despite a ninth-inning threat from the Rams of Winston-Salem State, the University of North Georgia baseball team was able to hang on to a two-run lead as Parker Morrison struck out the side with runners on the corners to win game one of the series, 4-2, Friday night at Bob Stein Stadium.

Winston-Salem jumped on the Nighthawks in the third to get a lead. A lead off single from Wellington Guzman followed by a sacrifice bunt from Nick Williams, then a homer over left center from Randy Norris put the Rams up 2-0.

Behind in the score, North Georgia fought back in the bottom of the frame. William Mapes led off with a bunt to the first baseman, diving safely into the bag to board a runner for UNG. Chase Sudduth drew a walk to put runners on first and second for Andres Perez, whose RBI single to left scored Mapes and cut the lead in half, 2-1. A wild pitch would allow Sudduth to score and tie it up.

A RBI double from Nick Clarno to score Jake Arnold, who reached on a double to left, clinched the lead for the Nighthawks in the fourth frame. Then in the sixth, Arnold’s hot bat sent a shot over left to add an insurance run and extend the lead, 4-2.

The Rams were not through as they fought back in the ninth. A leadoff single from Emilio Abreu brought the tying run to plate for WSSU, Cole Parks. Parks blasted a ground single through the right side to board the go-ahead for the Rams, as Abreu advanced to third on the play. But despite the effort, Morrison sat the following three batters down in order to close it out for the Nighthawks.

NOTES
– Arnold went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, and one run scored. Clarno went 1-for-4 with a double and a RBI as well.

– With this win, Cade Heil improved to 6-5 on the season, WSSU’s Seth Reeves (3-3) drew the loss, and Morrison earned his 10th save of the year. Heil also had three pickoffs in the contest.

– UNG disrupted WSSU’s eight-game winning streak, and improved their streak to five.

NEXT UP
North Georgia will be back at The Steiner tomorrow for game two of the three-game series against Winston-Salem State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

King in 15th After Opening Round of PBC Championships

University of North Georgia
4/13/2018 | Men’s Golf
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Lawson King sits in a tie for 15th place after the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Championship as the University of North Georgia is in ninth place at the Slammer & Squire Golf Course.

King shot an opening round 73 to lead the Nighthawks, who shot 305 on the first day of the tournament. Tanner Merck shot a 76 to find himself in a tie for 27th. Leading the tournament individually is USC Aiken’s Johnson Holliday at four-under 68.

The Pacers lead the tournament as a team as well after firing a 284 in the opening round. Columbus State is in second place at 286, followed by Young Harris in third. Lander and Flagler are in a tie for fourth place.

North Georgia is just one stroke behind Clayton State and just seven strokes out of the top five.

UNG will tee it up in the second round tomorrow with tee times starting at 8 a.m. off hole No. 10.

University of North Georgia women’s soccer walks away with loss to Lee University

Team FYN Sports

DAHLONEGA, GA

By UNG Athletics Communications

Taylor Malasek and Rosie Embley each scored, but the University of North Georgia women’s soccer team fell to Lee, 3-2, after a

Photo curtsey of UNG Athletics

Flame goal in the 88th minute found the net.

Photo curtesy of UNG Athletics

The Flames wasted little time getting on the board as Devin Healy scored from distance in the seventh minute to take an early lead. North Georgia answered in the 22nd minute as Malasek sent a rocket toward the frame and off of Lee’s keeper into the net to tie the game, 1-1.

Healy scored again just 10 minutes later, again from outside of the box, to give the Flames a 2-1 lead headed to halftime.

North Georgia played with more intensity in the second half and finally broke through after Abbie Crane drew a penalty that Embley put home to tie the game at two. As the game looked to be going to overtime, Lee took advantage of a called foul on UNG just outside of the box as Kelsey Yoder bent a shot inside the near post off the free kick for the game winner.

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Rifle Defeats The Citadel and Georgia Southern

University of North Georgia
10/22/2017 | Rifle
DAHLONEGA – Dakota Spivey was the top performer of the meet as the No. 17 University of North Georgia rifle team defeated The Citadel and Georgia Southern in SoCon action Saturday at the COL Raymond C. Hamilton Rifle Range. It’s the second top finish for the Nighthawks this season.

Spivey shot the top smallbore score of the match, shooting a 577, four points higher than second place. Kimberlee Nettles was the best air rifle shooter for UNG, firing a 585 to finish tied for third in the discipline.

There were multiple personal records shot by the Nighthawks in the meet, including Arica Hayes‘ air rifle score of 575, Eric Azotea‘s smallbore score of 545, Hannah Peevy‘s air rifle score with a 565 and Lucas Gilliland‘s 584 in air rifle.

The Nighthawks next meet will be against Morehead State on the road on Saturday, October 28.

Women’s Soccer Falls at Young Harris, 2-0

University of North Georgia
9/27/2017 | Women’s Soccer | Box Score
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The University of North Georgia women’s soccer team fell at the hands of Young Harris, 2-0, Wednesday afternoon at YHC’s Soccer and Lacrosse field. The Nighthawks are now 5-2-2 overall and 3-1-0 in Peach Belt play.

Baylee Roche scored both Mountain Lion goals, the first coming in the fifth minute of play. She scored again in the 56th minute to put Young Harris up, 2-0.

North Georgia had many opportunities to get on the board, taking 13 shots in the match, but YHC’s goalkeeper Nicole Medeiros made save after save to earn the win.

NOTES
– The loss snaps UNG’s seven-game unbeaten streak, dating back to the first match of the season against Lee. Young Harris has gone unbeaten in its last four matches, going 3-0-1 in that stretch.

– North Georgia’s Hannah Goudy made seven saves in the contest.

NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will look to get back on the winning track as they host No. 12 Flagler on Saturday in Dahlonega at 1 p.m.

TEXAS BOUND!! Eighth Inning Homer by Perez Sends Nighthawks To First-Ever NCAA Baseball Championship

UNG Baseball
5/22/2017 | Baseball | Box Score
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Freshman Andres Perez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning of a tie game to lift the No. 6 University of North Georgia baseball team to the NCAA Southeast Region Championship over Catawba, 5-4, on Monday at Mount Olive’s Scarborough Field. With the win, the Nighthawks (46-10) advance to the school’s first NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in Grand Prairie, Texas, starting on May 27.

North Georgia led by 3-1 and 4-2 only to see the Indians come back and tie the game 4-4 in the top of the eighth. With two outs in the bottom of the innings, Perez took the 2-2 pitch over the left field wall, his seventh homer of the season.

Catawba got a leadoff single in the top of the ninth, but UNG pitcher Jack Fleming (1-0) induced a double play and a fly out to end the game.

North Georgia scored single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-0 lead.

In the third, Perez got the scoring started with an RBI single up the middle that brought in Steven Tomlinson. Michael Gouge then delivered another RBI single to left in the fifth to bring home Devin Gearhart, who led off the inning with a walk.

Conner Corbitt then scored in the sixth on a bases-loaded wild pitch.

UNG starter Dylan Peppers kept Catawba off the board in his six innings of work. He scattered four hits and allowed only one walk with seven strikeouts.

UNG had to go to the bullpen to start the seventh where Catawba scored two runs, aided by a UNG fielding error.

The Indians (40-17) tied the game in the top of the eighth with three hits, including a double, and a North Georgia throwing error.

Perez and Bill Leroy were the only two Nighthawks with more than one hit in the game. Leroy went 2-for-4 with a double in the bottom of the seventh that scored UNG’s fourth run.

North Georgia makes their first Division II Championship appearance and the Nighthawks will face No. 14 West Chester (40-11), winners of the Atlantic Region with a 12-7 win over Winston-Salem State.

First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 CST on Saturday, May 27 at The Ballpark at Grand Prairie.

NOTES

– Nine of Catawba’s 10 hits were singles.

– Peppers was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after posting a pair of strong pitching performances. Perez and Connor Hoover were also named to the All-Tournament team.

– UNG Athletic Communications

CHAD HAYNIE // Director of Athletic Communications
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA ATHLETICS

M: 205-246-4259
Website: UNGAthletics.com | Twitter: @UNG_Nighthawks | #HawkEm

City Council approves ordinances that impact upcoming events

Business, News

DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The Dahlonega City Council held a special called meeting on September 5 and approved ordinances that impact coming events, including the well-publicized Sept. 14 rally in support of President Donald Trump.

Ordinance 2019-24 will help regulate the time, place, and manner of “planned and spontaneous demonstrations on public property.” According to Dahlonega Mayor Sam Norton the ordinance, “Gives the city manager the authority to issue an order and broad discretion on how to investigate the time, manner, and place [of city events].”

According to 2019-24, the city manager is, “Authorized to issue content-neutral time, place, and manner regulations to govern upcoming demonstrations and counter-demonstrations in the city,” through written orders.

With this, the city manager will have the authority to “restrict the time and length of the event or place regulations on the number of participants who may gather or congregate upon public property, public sidewalks, public rights-of-way, and places of public assembly to which the public has access.” The purpose is to protect the “public’s use and enjoyment of public spaces.”

Dahlonega City Manager Bill Schmid explained that those who wish to participate in demonstrations held on public property would be designated to a specific “free-speech zone,” where they would also be required to follow any rules set forth by the city. Schmid explained that there would be, “Signage created to identify the rules,” and they would also be posted on the internet and handed out to participants as they arrive at the event.

City Marshal Jeff Branyon explained that law enforcement would be present to ensure all participants followed the regulations, and the proposed rules will be available online for the public prior to the event. The Council also set a “Sunset Date” for December 31, at which time they will revisit the ordinance and make any necessary changes or adjustments.

Ordinance 2019-25 will restrict the use of drones during festivals or large events that are held in the city on public property, and although they will be permitted otherwise, the City Council must be notified prior to use; those who wish to fly drones over the city on public property, will have the option to notify the proper persons online.

“This is a public safety issue,” explained Braynon. He also stated that the University of North Georgia Drill Field is designated as a landing pad in the event of an emergency, and the use of drones during festivals and large events may interfere.

 

 

Dahlonega City Council announces public hearing to discuss millage rate

Politics

DAHLONEGA, GA

The Dahlonega City Council will hold a public hearing on Thursday, August 15, to discuss setting the 2019 millage and the adoption of the 2020 Fiscal Year Budget. The meeting will take place at the Dahlonega City Hall at 4:00p.m., immediately before the City Council Work Session.

The Work Session will cover department reports from the following:

  • Dahlonega City Marshal
  • Historic Preservation Commission
  • Downtown Development Authority
  • Finance Department
  • Public Works Department
  • Water and Waste Water Plants Department
  • Cemetery Committee

Other topics to be discussed:

  • 2019 LMIG Off System Safety Vendor Selection for Signs & Stripes
  • Ordinance 2019-14 Dilapidated Structure
  • Memo RE DOR (Department of Revenue) Sales Tax Information
  • Banking Services Contract Renewal

 

Four UNG students named Critical Language Scholarship finalists

Community, News

DAHLONEGA, GA

When University of North Georgia (UNG) freshman Daniel Shearer first learned he was a semifinalist for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), he was reluctant to celebrate. The member of UNG’s Corps of Cadets was excited, but he wasn’t a finalist — until now. “I feel very fortunate to have won,” he said. “I honestly didn’t have high expectations, but I am glad.”

Shearer and three other UNG students were glad to learn March 1 that they were selected as CLS finalists. The scholarship program is a fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. Its goal is to broaden the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries.

Out of UNG’s eight semifinalists announced in January, the four finalists are:

  • Shearer, who is pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a concentration in Japanese studies and a minor in leadership, will be in Japan.
  • Josh Shepherd, who is pursuing a degree in Chinese and a minor in Spanish, will be in China.
  • Donnie “Jamar” Shumaker, who is pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a concentration in Chinese and a minor in Chinese language and culture, will be in China.
  • Rachel Wilson, who is pursuing a degree in finance and a minor in Chinese, will be in China.

Of the remaining semifinalists, all four were named alternates. They are:

  • Daniel Barker, who is pursuing a degree in mathematics and a minor in Russian.
  • Hannah Chisholm, who is pursuing a degree in communications with a concentration in multimedia journalism and a minor in Korean.
  • Leah James, a member of the Corps of Cadets who is pursuing a degree in nursing and a minor in Arabic.
  • Julia “Rhiannon” Smith, who is pursuing degrees in psychology and modern languages with a concentration in Russian.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, CLS is highly competitive, with acceptance rates of 10 percent, said Dr. Victoria Hightower, UNG’s assistant director of Nationally Competitive Scholarships. This makes UNG’s accomplishment of four finalists and four alternates significant.

“UNG’s four finalists and four alternates reflect our commitment to cultivating academically talented global leaders,” Dr. Anastasia Lin, assistant vice president for research and engagement at UNG. “This also indicates UNG’s prowess in teaching critical languages.”

Hightower, associate professor of history, agreed.

“In addition to our students’ qualities of determination, perseverance, and persistence, this success also reflects the encouragement they receive from their mentors throughout the university,” she said.

The four finalists and four alternates also mark an increase in UNG students selected. Last year, three were selected as finalists, and two were alternates. UNG had one finalist and one semifinalist for both 2016-17 and 2015-16 academic years.

Lin said more students are encouraged to apply to scholarships such as CLS after hearing of previous winners.

“I predict we will see more applications and winners in the future because of a growing commitment to scholarships on both the part of our students, faculty and staff,” she said.

Shearer, a freshman from Suwanee, Georgia, plans to use the study abroad experience as a springboard for his future.

“I intend to commission through UNG, and as I am pursuing a degree in East Asian studies, I would love to have a duty station over there,” he said, adding the CLS program will give him an advantage. “Through this scholarship, I will have a greater fluency in Japanese through immersion in the culture that comes through living and working there.”

Students interested in learning more about nationally competitive scholarships should contact [email protected] for more information. Students wanting to learn about funding and programs to study abroad may visit the Center for Global Engagement website.

 

UNG softball throws no-hitters during Florida Tech Invitational

University of North Georgia
UNG

LUMPKIN CO., GA

According to the University of North Georgia Athletics Department, No. 3 University of North Georgia softball team swept the final day of the Florida Tech Invitational, knocking off Lynn and Converse Sunday as sophomore, Kylee Smith, tossed a no-hitter in game one.

UNG freshman, Kaylee Womack, kicked off the scoring with a single that scored Hobby Gregory in the first inning. Hobby later hit a double that plated sophomore, Alishia Frierson, and UNG added another as Junior, Kelly Kahlert, sprinted home on a Knight error to make the score 3-0 in the fourth.

The Nighthawks doubled their lead in the second inning on a two-run blast by freshman, Adella Carver, before scoring the final two runs of the game in the fifth. Kahlert stole home after moving to third on a bunt by sophomore, Cheyanne Mosteller. Anthony pushed Mosteller across for the game’s final run on a double to left center.

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