THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball and coach Aileen Morales have announced the 2024 regular season schedule, featuring 30 home games and four ACC series at Mewborn Field. The Jackets will host two non-conference home tournaments before hosting ACC rivals Pitt, Notre Dame, Louisville and Virginia.
Tech will also participate in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield (Feb. 15-18), a four-day tournament, in Clearwater, Fla., consisting of 16 of the top softball programs in the nation. Tech will play six games at the tournament to be broadcast on ESPN and the ESPN family of networks. The Jackets opponents for the weekend include three participants in the 2023 Women’s College World Series (Stanford, Tennessee and Oklahoma State) along with LSU, Minnesota and Northwestern.
Georgia Tech enters its seventh season under coach Aileen Morales, bringing back 18 returners from last season’s squad. Chief among the notable returners is the dynamic duo of right-handers in the circle, Blake Neleman and Chandler Dennis as well as the “walking web gem” serving as Tech’s vacuum in the middle, shortstop Jin Sileo. Also returning from a combination of last season’s regular starting lineups is a slew of Yellow Jackets, including third baseman Mallorie Black, outfielder Ella Edgmon, utility player Sara Beth Allen, outfielder Madison Dobbins, infielder Grace Connelly, designated player Emma Minghini, infielder Abby Hughes, outfielder Paige Vukadinovich and catcher Reese Hunter.
The stable of returners is bolstered by the Yellow Jackets’ recent recruiting class, composed of five highly-touted new Jackets. The class consists of three newcomers joining the collegiate ranks along with a pair of transfers in sophomore infielder Brionna Condon and graduate infielder Tiffany Domingue.
Morales will lead a retooled staff on The Flats in 2023-24 as she’s joined by assistant coaches Erin Dixson, Hunter Bunch and Kelsey Bennett as well as director of operations Deven Boland in prepping the Jackets on the diamond.
Ticket and promotional information will be announced at a later date.
2024 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Jackets will open the season at home with the 25th edition of the Buzz Classic, featuring opponents Villanova, Longwood and 2023 Women’s College World Series participants, Alabama.
- Georgia Tech will compete in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational in the second week of the season. The schedule for the prestigious tournament will be announced on Nov. 20.
- The following week will be the I-75 Tournament featuring six home games against four different opponents over the course of three days (Feb. 23-25). The Jackets will take on reigning Southern Conference champions, UNCG, along with Army, Robert Morris and Ball State.
- Tech will take on 13 opponents from the 2023 NCAA Tournament field, headlined by out-of-conference foes Alabama (Feb. 9 & 10) and UNCG (Feb. 23 & 24), along with road games at Auburn (April 5 & 6) and Georgia (March 13). Tech will take on six NCAA Tournament teams at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield (Feb. 15-18).
- The White and Gold will battle four in-state opponents this season, taking on Georgia State (Feb. 21 & April 16), Mercer (Feb. 28), Kennesaw State (March 26 & April 23). The 2024 edition of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate will take place in Athens on March 13.
- Tech hosts four ACC series at Mewborn Field: Pitt (March 1-3), Notre Dame (March 15-17), Louisville (April 12-14) and Virginia (April 26-28).
- The Jackets will take on four of the eight programs from last season’s Women’s College World Series: Alabama (Feb. 9 & 10 at Mewborn Field), Stanford (Feb. 15 in Clearwater, Fla.), Tennessee (Feb. 17 in Clearwater, Fla.) and Oklahoma State (Feb. 18 in Clearwater, Fla.) with a possibility of adding a fifth, should Tech face Florida State in the ACC Tournament (May 8-11).
- Nine of Tech’s opponents were featured in the Final Top 25 rankings from last season: No. 4 Tennessee, No. 6 Stanford, No. 9 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Alabama, No. 12 Georgia, No. 15 LSU, No. 16 Northwestern, No. 17 Auburn and No. 23 Virginia Tech.
Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2
Looking to build on the success of last year’s Competitive Drive Initiative, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation and Georgia Tech athletics are partnering once again to launch Competitive Drive Initiative Turn 2. CDI Turn 2 has a goal of raising $2.5 million in new gifts to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund by Dec. 31, and Georgia Tech and the Georgia Tech Foundation will match eligible gifts to accelerate the impact for Tech athletics. Like last year, not only will gifts to CDI Turn 2 be matched, but so will the contributor’s benefits in the way of A-T Fund giving levels and priority points. To learn more and contribute online, visit atfund.org/turn2.
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