Nik Levensteins, Crews Taylor Earn NCBWA All-Region Honors
Business May 21, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
WINGATE, N.C. – University of North Georgia baseball players Nik Levensteins and Crews Taylor earned NCBWA All-Region honors Friday, the association announced. Levensteins was the first team designated hitter, while Taylor was a second team outfielder.
Crews Taylor
Levensteins earns first team All-Region accolades for the first time in his career. The sophomore hit .338 with 19 homers and 62 RBI, adding 11 doubles while posting a .763 slugging percentage. He had 54 hits and 49 runs scored on the season. He was named first team All-Peach Belt and the Elite 16 Award winner.
Taylor was a preseason All-Region honoree in 2020 and earned second team All-Conference honors as well as a spot on the All-Tournament Team in 2021. He hit .303 on the year with 15 doubles and 15 homers and 46 RBI as the centerfielder for UNG. This is his first All-Region honor of his career.
Three UNG athletes qualify for NCAA Track and Field Championships
Business May 18, 2021PRESS RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS – Three University of North Georgia track & field athletes were announced as qualifiers in the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championships Tuesday afternoon.
Abigail Kirkland
Journey Gurley, Bree Hammond and Abigail Kirkland were three of the 283 women announced as qualifiers for the event, taking place May 27-29 at the Grand Valley State Track & Field Stadium. All three were Peach Belt champions in the event they qualified in and are the first national qualifiers in the program’s history.
Bree Hammond
Gurley earned qualification in the pole vault and is seeded second in the event, having cleared a mark of 4.33 meters, just .02 meters behind the nation’s top seed out of Washburn. She is scheduled to compete for the national championship May 27 starting at 5:45 p.m.
Hammond will compete for the 3000 meter steeplechase crown and comes into the event as the 11th seed with a season best time of 10:37.25. The steeplechase will be contested May 28 at 6:20 p.m.
Journey Gurley
Kirkland earned a spot in the 400 with a time of 54.90, putting her as the ninth seed in the event. Prelims for the one-lap sprint will be May 27 at 5:55 p.m. with the championship race slated for May 29 at 6:05 p.m.
Heat sheets will be released on Monday, May 24. The championships will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
No. 2 UNG Softball wins PBC Tournament title
News, Sports May 16, 2021
Olivia Sinquefield
DAHLONEGA – For the seventh straight year, the second-ranked University of North Georgia softball team hoisted the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Champions trophy with a 3-1 win over No. 8 Young Harris Saturday afternoon.
North Georgia broke through in the second inning, scoring on a Cheyanne Mosteller sacrifice bunt, a Shelby Hammontree sacrifice fly and an Olivia Sinquefield RBI double that gave UNG a 3-0 lead.
Young Harris scratched a run across in the fifth inning on a bases loaded RBI single from Carly Rigsbee, but that was all Kylee Smith allowed on her way to the win in the circle.
NOTES
– Smith (16-3) allowed just the one unearned run across seven innings, fanning seven along the way.
Hammontree, Smith, Sinquefield, Mosteller and Kaylyn Anthony were all named to the All-Tournament Team with Hammontree earning MVP honors.
– Since becoming eligible for postseason play in 2008 after transitioning to Division II, North Georgia has won all but three tournament titles and have reached the tournament championship game in all but one year.
NEXT UP
Earning the PBC automatic qualifier, the Nighthawks will await to see their seeding in the NCAA Southeast Regional that will take place next week at The Hill. The selection show will air on NCAA.com at 10 p.m. Sunday night.
UNG men’s tennis team advances in NCAA Division II tournament
Press Release May 9, 2021
DAHLONEGA – On a breezy Friday afternoon, the No. 11 University of North Georgia men’s tennis team took down Mount Olive in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis Southeast Regional, 4-0, at the UNG Tennis Complex at Yahoola Creek.
After a slow start out of the gates, North Georgia took the doubles point by virtue of a 6-2 win by Zach Waldow and Joaquin Benoit and a 6-3 win by Giulio Sassi and Jared Bones.
The Nighthawks kept the momentum up in the singles portion of the match, winning every set that finished. Sassi got UNG its second point of the day with a quick 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5. Waldow followed shortly behind with a 6-4, 6-2 win on the fourth line before Daniel Ostap clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-4 win on the third line.
Tim Kiehl was a game away from finishing, up 6-3, 5-4 on the sixth line when the match finished, while Benoit was up, 6-1, 5-5. Ryan Gaskin was in the tightest matchup, but was leading by a set when the match concluded, 7-5, 0-2.
North Georgia will turn around to face No. 6 and second-seeded Lander tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at the UNG Tennis Complex in the semifinal round of the regional.
Taylor’s walkoff homer sends UNG to PBC Baseball Championship Series
Press Release May 9, 2021PRESS RELEASE
Crews Taylor
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — After forcing a decisive game three, the No. 25 University of North Georgia baseball team used a pair of long balls, including a Crews Taylor walkoff blast, to advance to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship Series, presented by Under Armour, Saturday night with a sweep of Young Harris.
GAME ONE – #25 UNG 6, YHC 3
Pierce Williams was perfect through 5.2 innings of work, allowing North Georgia to jump out to an early lead. In the third, Taylor poked a RBI single to right field before Andres Perez had a sacrifice fly that pushed UNG out to a 2-0 lead. The Nighthawks extended the lead in the fourth on a RBI double from Will Hardigree and again in the fifth on a two-run homer from Perez, making the score 5-0.
The Mountain Lions answered in the eighth, plating three runs off a Brett Hawkins RBI double and a Logan Worley RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3 before UNG got an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off a Taylor homer.
Williams (4-0) went the complete game, fanning five while allowing just a pair of hits and three walks.
GAME TWO – #25 UNG 12, YHC 10
North Georgia again got on the board first on a two-run bomb from Jake Arnold in the third and RBI singles from Arnold and Nik Levensteins in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. YHC came back in the fifth to tie it up off a Brandon Jolliff two-run homer and RBI singles from Dahlton Cash and Jackson Jones.
UNG retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a Brady Eeles sacrifice fly, but the Mountain Lions stormed out in front, plating six runs over the sixth and seventh innings to take a 10-5 lead. North Georgia started to claw back into it after the stretch as Levensteins pushed a RBI single out to right field to trim the lead to 10-6.
In the eighth, Tim Conway hit a one-out solo homer to straight away center to cut into the lead a little further. After a strikeout got the inning to two outs, Bill LeRoy and Eeles reached base ahead of Levensteins who tied the game with a single swing to right center at 10-10.
UNG got Arnold on to leadoff the ninth ahead of Taylor, who pushed UNG to the championship series with a two-run blast to right center.
Beau Jones (3-1) earned the win in relief, allowing just one walk over 2.2 innings, punching out four Mountain Lions.
NOTES
– The Nighthawks will look to win their first PBC Tournament title since 2008 and are now in the championship for the first time since 2009.
– UNG hit six homers on the day, pushing their season total to 86, breaking the single season record at UNG which stood at 80 from the 2017 campaign.
NEXT UP
North Georgia will wait on the other semifinal series between Columbus State and UNC Pembroke to wrap up tomorrow before seeing their opponent in another best-of-three series next weekend. Columbus State won the opener, 7-3, Saturday afternoon. If Columbus State wins once Sunday, UNG would host the Cougars in the championship, while if the Braves sweep Sunday’s twinbill, the Nighthawks would travel to UNCP next weekend.
7 in a row for Nighthawks
Business May 3, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Nighthawks win Peachbelt Conference softball title
DAHLONEGA – For the seventh consecutive year, the fourth-ranked University of North Georgia softball team can call itself Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Champions as they took down Columbus State Sunday. The regular season crown was won after a 3-1 win in the first half of the twinbill before the Nighthawks walked off the nightcap with a grand slam.
GAME ONE – #4 UNG 3, CSU 1
Columbus State struck first as Morgan Elston hit a solo homer to center field in the second, but the Nighthawks responded immediately, plating a pair on a Gracie Mixson RBI single and a RBI groundout to take the lead.
Neither team was able to scratch a run across until UNG broke through in the fourth on a Shelby Hammontree RBI single up the middle, putting the game at its final score.
Kylee Smith (14-3) was given the win, going all seven while fanning six.
GAME TWO – #4 UNG 6, CSU 3
Shelby Hammontree
The Cougars again found the scoreboard first, this time putting up two in the first inning on an Elston sacrifice fly and a RBI single from Laura Harris. Hannah Rose Corbin extended the CSU lead to 3-0 in the second on a fielder’s choice.
From there, it was all UNG as Marley Holmes got the Nighthawks their first hit of the game on an opposite field homer that trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the third. In the fifth inning, Kaylyn Anthony singled through the six hole to bring home another run.
The Nighthawks loaded the bases up in the seventh for Hammontree who nearly hit the scoreboard in right center with a walkoff grand slam, breaking the career home runs mark at UNG in the process.
Laken Chambers (11-0) got the win in relief, going 5.2 innings and allowing just one hit. She struck out three Cougars.
NOTES
– UNG extends its record of consecutive Peach Belt titles to seven. They have won a total of 10 conference regular season titles, the most in conference history.
– Following the doubleheader, the UNG softball program honored eight players who either already have or are ending their careers following this season, including 2020 seniors Jenna Goodrich and Lexi Duncan as well as Smith, Hammontree, Anthony, Chambers, Cheyanne Mosteller and Margaret Simmons.
NEXT UP
UNG will host Columbus State in a single game on Saturday, May 8, in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals. Check UNGAthletics.com later this week for game time and ticketing information.
UNG finishes third at PBC track and field championships
Press Release May 2, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The University of North Georgia track and field team turned in their best performance in program history at the Peach Belt Conference Championships, earning third place overall with 126 points.
In addition to multiple All-Conference honors and individual championships, Bree Hammond was named the Track Athlete of the Year, while Olivia Terwilliger won the Elite 16 Award presented by EAB. Abigail Kirkland was also named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Hammond got the day started by winning the 5K with a time of 17:58.97, winning the race by nine seconds after taking the lead with 500 meters to go. Karmen LeRoy also tallied a point for the Nighthawks with an eighth place finish in the event.
Journey Gurley earned four points for UNG with a triple jump length of 10.26 meters, good for fifth place and second in program history. Caroline Jones also earned a point by finishing eighth in the event.
North Georgia garnered eight points in the 4×100 relay with a second place finish as Abbie Crane, Jasmine Hughes, Gurley and Kirkland ran a 48.78 to break the program record. Shortly after, Abby Greenwood took seventh in the 100 hurdles with a 16.52, breaking the program record in the event and taking two points for UNG.
Kirkland earned her first individual championship of the day in the 400 with a 54.90 one lap sprint, earning 10 points and hitting a provisional mark for NCAA qualification. After taking a point in the 100 with an eighth place finish, Kirkland went on to win the 200 as well with a 24.33 half lap, also surpassing the provisional qualifying mark in the event. Both broke program records as well.
Crane took three points with a sixth place finish in the 100 with a 12.87, good for third best all-time in the event in program history. In the 800, Claire Mills and Emery Ryan finished sixth and seventh, respectively, to garner five total points. In the 400 hurdles, Greenwood and Cat Watry took nine points with fourth and fifth place finishes. Hughes finished seventh in the 200, taking two points for UNG.
The meet finished with Hammond winning the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 11:40.78 as North Georgia swept the All-Conference honors in the event. Sydney Bolyard and Audrey Gleason took second and third in the event.
The Nighthawk 4×400 meter relay team finished in fourth to wrap up the meet.
Gurley will now prepare for the pole vault national championships while Kirkland will await selections for the 200 and 400 meter races.
Nighthawks belt 11 homers in doubleheader sweep of Salem
Business May 2, 2021
GAME ONE – #27 UNG 13, SU 3 (7 inn.)
The Nighthawks scratched the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first off a Bill LeRoy sacrifice fly before the home runs started flying in the second. UNG went back-to-back in the frame, getting a two run bomb from Crews Taylor and a Tim Conway solo shot three pitches later.
Nik Levensteins got in on the homer fun in the third with a two run blast of his own to stretch the North Georgia lead to 6-0 before Salem scored for the first time in the fifth on a sacrifice fly. Levensteins responded in the bottom of the fifth with another two run homer to give the Nighthawks a 8-1 lead. In the sixth, UNG went back-to-back again, this time with a two run shot from Andres Perez and Bill LeRoy’s solo homer to extend the lead to 11-1.
After Salem scored twice in the seventh, Tim Conway walked the game off with a two RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pierce Williams (3-0) earned the win, striking out five across six innings of work.
Will Hardigree
GAME TWO – #27 UNG 8, SU 0
Perez got North Georgia on the board quickly in the first inning with a solo homer to start the back-to-back combo with LeRoy that gave UNG an early 2-0 lead. After a LeRoy RBI single in the third, Will Hardigree hit his first homer of the day in the fourth, a solo shot that stretched the lead to 4-0. Two batters later, Taylor hit his second long ball of the day on a solo homer to right.
Hardigree homered again in the seventh to plate the final three runs of the game.
Jay Pendley (2-1) went eight innings to secure the win, punching out eight. He retired his final 14 batters after giving up a leadoff single in the fourth.
NOTES
– The six homers in game one is tied for the second most in a single game in program history.
NEXT UP
The two teams will finish off the four-game series tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.
Jorge, Lippert earn All-PBC honors
Business May 2, 2021
AUGUSTA, Ga. – University of North Georgia women’s tennis player Vaishali Jorge earned first team All-Peach Belt honors in both singles and doubles, the league office announced Thursday afternoon. Jorge was joined by her doubles partner, Johanna Lippert, on the first team doubles line, while Rafaella Jean Villanueva earned second team singles honors.
Johanna Lippert
Jorge is 7-8 overall in singles play, but went 5-2 in conference action, all on the top line. She went 6-4 with Lippert on the top doubles line. For Jorge, these are her second All-Conference honors in both singles and doubles after getting first team doubles and second team singles in 2019. This is Lippert’s first All-Conference honor in her career.
Villanueva is 6-0 in singles action on the year, winning both of her singles matches in league play. This is her first All-Conference honor of her career.
UNG Men’s golf team punches ticket for NCAA Division II Regional tournament
Business April 24, 2021
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Ralton named UNG head women’s soccer coach
Business, Press Release, Sports April 20, 2021
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UNG tennis teams earn No. 3 seeds in Peach Belt Conference Tournaments
Team FYN Sports April 19, 2021
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UNG Softball ranks No. 1 in national poll
Community, University of North Georgia March 17, 2021
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of North Georgia softball team has been named the No. 1 team in the nation by the NFCA Wednesday.
North Georgia captured 12 first place votes, rising one spot from last week’s poll. Texas A&M – Commerce took the remaining four first place votes and sit six points back of UNG in the poll. Augustana, Lincoln Memorial and Rollins round out the top five.
Upcoming opponents for the Nighthawks that are also in the poll include No. 15 Young Harris and No. 25 UAH, while Auburn Montgomery is receiving votes.
North Georgia will take the field on Monday, March 22, to open Peach Belt play at Flagler.
Nettles qualifies for NCAA National Championship in Air Rifle
Press Release February 23, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS – For the first time in program history, a University of North Georgia rifle student-athlete will compete in the NCAA championships as Kimberlee Nettles earned an individual spot in the air rifle discipline, the national office announced Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m so proud to have Kimberlee qualify,” said head rifle coach Tori Kostecki. “It’s been a joy to watch her grow as an athlete over the last four years, and it’s wonderful that she can cap off her shooting career with our program’s first ever NCAA appearance!”
Nettles currently averages a Southern Conference best 586.25 in the discipline and is coming off tying her personal best of 593 in the NCAA qualifier last weekend. She is a three-time all-conference honoree, making the first team last season.
A total of 48 competitors will compete in the championships with 40 of them coming from the eight qualifying teams. The remaining individual competitors were selected based on the scores submitted from the designated qualifier.
The air rifle portion of the championship will be held Saturday, March 13, at Ohio State’s Converse Hall in Columbus, Ohio.
Nettles and the No. 17 Nighthawks will first compete for their third Southern Conference Championship March 6-7 in Lexington, Virginia.
UNG sweeps Southern Indiana in softball
Press Release February 21, 2021
Rachel Martinez got things started for the Eagles with a solo homer to left in the top half of the first inning. North Georgia answered in the second inning on a two run double from Madison Simmons that put the Nighthawks up, 2-1. USI retook the lead with a two-run shot from Alissa Webb to left field to push Southern Indiana up, 3-2.
Kylee Smith (3-0) earned the win, fanning 10 in a complete game effort.
The Nighthawk bats got hot early in the second half of the top 25 twinbill, scoring five in the second inning, all of which were unearned. Two UNG runs came across on the Eagle error before Olivia Sinquefield cleared the bases on a single to right field to make the score 5-0.
– Hammontree and Mixson each finished the day 3-for-7, while Margaret Simmons went 3-for-6.
– The Eagles struck out 18 times in the twinbill while UNG struck out just four times in 14 innings.
NEXT UP
The Nighthawks will take on Wingate tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. at The Hill.
UNG will host 2021 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball South Regional
Community, Press Release February 12, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division II Championships Committee has chosen predetermined regional sites for the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships with the University of North Georgia’s Convocation Center selected as the site for next month’s women’s South region championship.
Regional quarterfinal games will begin Friday, March 12, followed by the semifinals Saturday, March 13, and the regional championship Monday, March 15. Winners will advance to the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Elite Eight in Columbus, Ohio, on March 23-26.
Due to the health and safety protocols surrounding the pandemic, it is necessary to conduct all NCAA championship competition at predetermined sites. The committee believes the sites and hosts chosen will provide an exceptional and safe experience for all participants.
Last week, the Management Council and Presidents Council approved adjusting regional alignments for the 2021 Division II men’s and women’s basketball championships to better balance the number of active teams in each regional while trying to maintain geographic proximity for the schools in the regional. Prior to the approval, three regionals had 15 or fewer active teams, while three others had 36 or more active teams. The one-year regionals keep seven of the eight regionals between 27-33 active teams.
For this season only, UNG and the Peach Belt Conference are competing as members of the South region along with the Gulf South Conference and select schools from the Sunshine State Conference.
“On behalf of Division II women’s basketball, we are excited for the upcoming championship and thankful to the hosts of this year’s predetermined sites,” said Lori Hopkins, chair of the Division II Women’s Basketball Committee and deputy athletics director at Northwest Missouri State. “Though we are doing things a little different this year, I have no doubt the quality and excellence of the championship will remain the same for all the participants. A great student-athlete experience is one of our highest priorities, and making sure it is safe and secure for all will go a long way in making this year’s championship memorable for all involved.”
Participating teams will be announced Sunday, March 7. The women’s basketball selection show will be broadcast on ncaa.com at 10 p.m. Eastern time followed by the men’s basketball selection show at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time.