Thirty-three UGA Student-Athletes to Graduate Friday

UGA Sports Communications

Thirty-three University of Georgia student-athletes will receive their undergraduate or graduate degrees Friday, December 15 at the annual fall commencement exercises. The undergraduate ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Stegeman Coliseum followed by graduate ceremonies at 2:30pm.

Among the 33 UGA student-athlete graduates are one baseball player, three members of the equestrian team, 12 current and former members of the football team, two members of the women’s golf team, one member of the gymnastics team, two soccer players, one softball player, three men’s swim and dive athletes, two members of the women’s tennis team, two men’s track and field athletes, and four women’s track and field athletes.

Baseball: Jarrett Brown, Sociology.

Equestrian: Madison Beasley, Journalism; Allision Haupt, Landscape Architecture; Jane Sutcliff, Psychology.

Football: Davin Bellamy, Communication Studies; Jeb Blazevich, Risk Management and Insurance; Aulden Bynum, Agribusiness, Agriculture and Applied Economics; Trenton Frix, Risk Management and Insurance; Carson Hall, Sport Management; Amarlo Herrera, Sociology; Matthew Herzwurm, Accounting and Finance; Tim Hill, Sociology; De’Andre Johnson, Consumer Economics; Cameron Nizalek, Master of Sport Management; Thomas Swilley, Sport Management; Kenneth Towns, Master of Sport Management.

Women’s Golf: Manuela Carbajo Re, Master of Sport Management; Harang Lee, Consumer Economics.

Gymnastics: Brandie Jay Dorminey, Master of Sport Management

Soccer: Madison Burdick, Risk Management and Insurance; Kelsey Nix, Psychology.

Softball: Sydni Emanuel, Psychology.

Men’s Swimming & Diving: Walker Wheeler, Management; Taylor Dale, Management; Christopher Powell, Real Estate.

Women’s Tennis: Caroline Brinson, Marketing; Chelsey Gullickson, Comunication Studies.

Men’s Track & Field: Jamario Calhoun, Housing Management and Policy; Reginald Glover, Human Development and Family Science.

Women’s Track & Field: Natalie Bordes, Communication Studies; Sarah Gardner, Marketing; Laurel Sumner, Statistics and Mathematics; Kendell Williams, Advertising.

Four Dawgs Chosen For Georgia Sports Hall Of Fame

UGA Sports Communications

Four athletes and coaches with ties to the University of Georgia highlight the Class of 2018 for the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Football standout Champ Bailey, swimming and track letterman and philanthropist Tom Cousins, current men’s golf coach Chris Haack, and women’s golf star Terri Moody Hancock were among those chosen by the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame’s Honors Court.

The additional members of the Class of 2018 are Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Blank, Lombardi and Outland award winner and longtime collegiate coach Tracy Rocker, Olympic gold medal sprinter Angelo Taylor and basketball standout Kenny “Sky” Walker.

The official induction will take place Saturday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Macon City Auditorium. Tickets and sponsorships for the induction ceremony are available by calling (478) 752-1585.

Bailey, one of the most versatile players in Georgia history, starred for the Dawgs from 1996-98. He was a consensus All-American in 1998 as he logged snaps at cornerback and receiver and on returns. Bailey won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defender in 1998. He also was a member of the track and field team and set a school indoor long jump record at the 1998 SEC Championship. Bailey continued his success in the NFL as a 12-time Pro Bowl performer for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos. He was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

A Georgia swimming letterman in 1950 and 1951 and a member of the 1950 SEC track and field championship squad, Cousins is a real estate developer who brought the Hawks (NBA) and the Flames (NHL) to Atlanta and later spearheaded the revitalization of East Lake Golf Club, the current home of the PGA Tour Championship. The Cousins Foundation has been a generous benefactor to UGA and the Athletic Association, including gifts to endow the head coach positions for baseball and swimming and diving.

Haack is in his 22nd season as the Dawgs’ head coach for golf. He has guided Georgia to a school-record 60 tournament titles, including two national and eight SEC championships. Haack is a 2-time National and a 5-time SEC Coach of the Year. He has produced 60 All-Americans, many of whom currently are starring on the PGA Tour. Haack previously was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America and the Georgia State Golf Association halls of fame. 

Moody Hancock was the first female to receive a full athletic scholarship to Georgia. A two-time All-American, she was named 1981 National Golfer of the Year after she captured medalist honors at the AIAW National Championships that spring -- becoming the first UGA female student-athlete to claim a national title -- and leading Georgia to a runner-up finish. She finished her career with four individual titles and 12 team crowns. Moody Hancock is a member of UGA’s Circle of Honor and Women’s Golf Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame.

Dawgs One Win Short

GOLF

The Georgia men’s golf team’s quest for a national title came up short on Sunday as Augusta State defeated the Dawgs 3-2 in the finals of the NCAA Championships at Karsten Creek Golf Course.

The Dawgs got victories from senior Russell Henley and sophomore Bryden Macpherson, each of whom went 3-0 in match play at the NCAAs, but were unable to garner a third decision.

“The guys fought hard and they never gave up,” coach Chris Haack said. “It was a pretty tight match all the way around. I’m proud of these guys. They represented us well. The represented the ‘G’ and everybody should be really proud of them.”

Macpherson got Georgia’s first point as he defeated Olle Bengtsson 6&4. After sophomore T.J. Mitchell fell to Carter Newman 7&5, Henley put Georgia back ahead with a 3&2 decision over Henrik Norlander. Senior Hudson Swafford dropped a 2&1 match to Mitchell Krywulycz, then senior Harris English fell to Patrick Reed 2&1, giving the Jaguars back-to-back NCAA titles.

“We hung in as best we could,” Henley said. “Augusta State is playing really good golf right now, and we knew we’d have to play really good golf against them. We gave it a run. I’m proud of what everybody did to get us here.”

Said Macpherson, “To come into the week without having really contended all year and to give it a run to the final is an effort to be proud of no matter what.”

Sunday’s round marked the final one for Georgia’s seniors, all of whom participated in graduation ceremonies last month in Athens.

“The last four years with these guys, you can’t replace it,” Swafford said. “It’s been a dream come true. A win today would have topped it off for sure, but being in position to win it was still awesome.”

“Our seniors were very important to the team,” Macpherson said. “They mean a lot to the team and the team means a lot to them. I know they’re disappointed and sad, but they can be proud of this week for sure.”

Zamora Named National Player Of The Year

GOLF

Georgia's Marta Silva Zamora was named the PING National Player of the Year by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) on Saturday night, just hours after she wrapped up her season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

"It’s a great honor, of course," Silva Zamora said. "I told (head coach) Kelley (Hester) that I really don’t think I’ll realize what I’ve just won until tomorrow or two days from now. I’m proud because this award shows how I did for the entire year. I had a really, really good year. It was great."

Silva Zamora also was named first-team All-America by the NGCA and won the Golfstat Cup as the nation's leading golfer statistically.

At the NCAAs, Silva Zamora notched her sixth top-five finish in 10 tournaments completed during the 2010-11 campaign. She also recorded three more top-10 efforts and tied four 14th (a stroke shy of another top-10) in the other event.

"Marta was amazingly consistent with a great stroke average," Hester said. "She had the best stroke average in the country. Like Marta said, it shows how consistent she was. She didn’t have the wins that some of the other players had, but she literally didn’t have a bad tournament all year. And then when it mattered most, she had a very solid tournament at the national championships and tied for fourth." Silva Zamora shattered the Georgia season stroke average, finishing at 71.51. That bettered current LPGA Tour member Taylor Leon's mark of 72.63 established in 2006-07. Silva Zamora now owns first-, third- and 10th-best season averages in Dawg annals.

All told, Silva Zamora recorded 22 par-or-better tallies in 33 rounds played this season. Cumulatively, she finished the year at 15-under, even including a 9-over, 36-hole performance at the Kinderlou Forest Challenge where she played with a stomach ailment before withdrawing prior to the final round.

Silva Zamora collected her third and Georgia's 44th All-America certificate from the NGCA. She was an honorable mention selection as a freshman and earned first-team status as a sophomore.

In nine post-season SEC, NCAA Regional and NCAA Championship competitions during her career, Silva Zamora now has six top-10 finishes.

Silva Zamora will return to Spain on Sunday and on Thursday will begin defense of her Spanish Amateur title.

Henley Wins Stadion Classic

GOLF

Georgia's Russell Henley won the Stadion Classic at UGA on Sunday, becoming just the second amateur to win on the Nationwide Tour.

Henley, who received a sponsor's exemption as the Dawg with the lowest number of strokes this season, joins Daniel Summerhays (2007) as amateurs with Nationwide Tour wins. Rickie Fowler and Charles Howell III came in second and Sergio Garcia took third as amateurs in Nationwide events.

"This is a dream come true for me," the senior from Macon said. "Just getting to play in this golf tournament was a tremendous opportunity, and to win it means the world to me. My goal is to be a professional golfer, and this reinforces to me that I can compete at the professional level."

Henley shot a final-round 3-under 68 to finish at 12-under 272 -- two shots better than Troy Kelly. As an amateur, Henley is not eligible to receive the $99,000 winning share.

"We could not be prouder of Russell," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "It was exciting watching him play this weekend, and I could see his confidence getting higher and higher each day. He's a special young man with all the potential in the world."

Henley's Georgia teammate, senior Harris English came in 18th with a final tally of 4-under 280, including a 3-under 68 on Sunday. Former Dawgs Brendon Todd ((68, 282) and Brian Harman (70, 283) came in 31st and 39th, respectively.

More Signing Day Dawgs

BASEBALL

Pitchers John Taylor and Pete Nagel are the first two members of Georgia’s latest recruiting class after signing a national letter-of-intent to attend UGA, Dawg coach David Perno announced today.

A 6-3, 192-pound right-hander from Carnesville, John is the son of Terry and Charlotte Taylor. He attends Franklin County High School where he plays for coach Brent Honeywell. As a junior, he went 4-5 with a 1.65 ERA for the Lions, tallying 85 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched. Also, he batted .400 with six home runs and 24 RBI. Taylor was named Most Valuable Player, All-Region, All-Area and was selected to play for Team Georgia. He went 8-4 in his first two seasons with the Lions. He helped the Diamond Devils 17 and under squad capture the World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) national title. Also, he carries a 4.0 grade point average and made a perfect score on his high school writing graduation test.

A 6-4, 228-pound right-hander from Metter, Pete is the son of Monty and Angie Nagel. He attends Metter High School where he plays for coach Corey Collins. Nagel led his squad with 122 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched as a junior. He is a two-time All-Region selection. He received the Tigers’ Most Valuable Player award in 2010. He was selected to play for Team Georgia, which won the Sunbelt Classic. As a sophomore, Nagel went 8-2 with a 1.22 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched. Also, Nagel is a standout quarterback, earning All-Area and MVP honors.

GYMNASTICS

Georgia head gymnastics coach Jay Clark on Thursday announced the signing of two prospects to national letters of intent to attend UGA and compete in 2012 for the Gym Dogs. The duo includes Chelsea Davis, a member of the 2010 USA World Championship team, and Sarah Persinger, a former international elite gymnast.

Davis, a native of Austin, Texas, trains at Texas Dreams. She qualified to the international elite level and U.S. Championships in 2006 and finished fourth in the all-around in the 2007 U.S. Championships to qualify for her first USA National Team. Davis was named to the 2007 Jr. Pan America Games and qualified for her second U.S. Championships in 2008. Later that year, she was named to the U.S. Olympic Training Squad. In 2010, Davis finished fifth in the all-around at the U.S. Championships and was also named to the USA World Championship Team.

A native of Charlotte, N.C., Persinger trains at Southeastern Gymnastics. She won the vault and bars titles as a level 10 gymnast at Junior Olympic Nationals in 2006, then qualified to junior international elite status. Persinger was a U.S. National Qualifier in 2007 and 2008, and in 2009 won vault and bars at the Flip Fest Invitational and finished second in the all-around.

MEN’S GOLF

Twin brothers Sam and Sepp Straka have signed national letters of intent with Georgia, according to men’s golf coach Chris Haack.

In June, Sam won the United States Junior Amateur Qualifier at Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw by four shots. He posted five victories on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour, including the 2008 Tournament of Champions. Overall, he recorded 10 top-5 finishes on the tour and had a low round of 66.  Sam is No. 44 nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings.

Sepp notched one victory on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour and posted 10 additional top-5 efforts. His low round, which he has accomplished twice, is a 67. He is No. 72 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings.

The Strakas attend Lowndes High School in Valdosta. In April, they helped the Vikings win the Region 1-AAAAA championship for the third straight season.