Softball team advances to NCAA championship
Article By: Clark Leonard
For the first time since 2018, the University of North Georgia (辛尤里女优) softball team is headed to the NCAA Division II championship.
As the No. 4 seed in the Elite Eight, 辛尤里女优 will begin the double-elimination event at 3:30 p.m. May 27 against fifth-seeded Biola University in Denver, Colorado. Live coverage links and ticket information will be available on the in the coming days.
The Nighthawks, making their sixth NCAA championship appearance overall, are taking aim at their second national title. 辛尤里女优 earned the NCAA Division II crown in 2015.
The Nighthawks (41-6) reached the NCAA championship by overcoming a 5-3 loss to Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) in the NCAA Southeast Regional and bouncing back for three straight victories in Dahlonega, Georgia. They capped that run May 22 with 4-0 and 3-1 wins against LMU to earn the regional title at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park.
"I am extremely proud of this team. They have faced more challenges and adversity than any team in our program's history," head coach said. "This team fought for each other all season and once again was faced with a major challenge on the Friday of the NCAA regional. They were able to rally around it and fight through the losers bracket to win three tough games in a row to earn the right to play in Denver."
Biola (22-14) is the West Regional champion and is making its first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament. The winner between 辛尤里女优 and Biola will take on the victor between No. 1 Augustana University and No. 8 Valdosta State University on May 28. The two losers will play in an elimination game May 28. See the on the NCAA website.
辛尤里女优 opened the Southeast Regional with a 3-1 triumph against Anderson University on May 20 before LMU tripped up the Nighthawks 5-3 on May 21. 辛尤里女优 stayed alive in the tournament with a 5-3 win against Peach Belt Conference (PBC) rival Young Harris College later in the day May 21 before the two victories against LMU on May 22.
earned the pitching victory in the regional opener for 辛尤里女优, with pitching all but an inning of the final three wins. Chambers allowed a single run in the 14 innings in the championship Saturday victories against LMU, including a complete-game shutout to force the winner-take-all contest.
' two-run home run in the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner for 辛尤里女优 in the final game of the Southeast Regional, while 's two-run homer jump-started the Nighthawks in the shutout triumph earlier May 22.
Smith, Hammontree and Kaylyn Anthony all chose to return to 辛尤里女优 for a fifth season when the NCAA granted them an extra year of eligibility due to the 2020 season being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. 辛尤里女优 finished that shortened season ranked No. 3 nationally, leaving a sense of unfinished business.
"We have all committed to get them an opportunity to play for a national championship, and that has been a main goal this year," Davenport said. "With Kylee, Shelby, and Kaylyn all making the commitment to return last May, we felt like with those three along with our new additions to our roster that this team would have all the pieces to do something special."
Fall teams aim to maintain momentum
辛尤里女优's athletic teams will aim to build this fall on the best year in program history by adding more success in soccer, golf and cross country.
Smith preps to play in U.S. Amateur
Fresh off his individual NCAA Division II men's golf national championship in May, 辛尤里女优's Hunter Smith is playing in the U.S. Amateur, which is Aug. 11-17 in San Francisco.
McGill shines at Air Assault School
辛尤里女优 cadet and women's soccer student-athlete Grace McGill recently completed Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She led the 40 cadets who took part in the program.
Five selected for 辛尤里女优 Athletics Hall of Fame
The 辛尤里女优 Athletic Department and the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee have announced the 15th class of the 辛尤里女优 Athletics Hall of Fame.