March 29, 2012
TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
Welcome to another edition of The Good Word. Spring is in full swing as we can tell by the temperatures, sounds of bats and balls and, of course, football pads colliding. More on that in a moment.
Women’s Basketball – It was Sweet
First, congratulations to Coach MaChelle Joseph and our women’s basketball team for a memorable season and a great run all the way to the Sweet 16. It was truly a record-setting year and I can’t say enough about the young ladies that comprise our program. With all the on-court accomplishments of this team, we are most proud that all five of our senior players will earn Georgia Tech degrees next month – all in four years here on the Flats.
I want to also congratulate Coach Joseph and senior Sasha Goodlett for being named the Georgia Naismith Coach and Player of the Year, respectively. It was a fitting end to a fabulous season that could only be derailed by a matchup with No. 1 and undefeated Baylor in the Round of 16. Not long after the final whistle, Coach Joseph and her staff were off on the recruiting trail to no doubt continue the tradition of NCAA appearances that has now reached six in a row.
Spring Football Underway
It’s always great to see spring football get underway here at Tech. This spring should provide some great story lines as we look toward the 2012 season. Practices are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Practices are closed to the public, but we’ll have some Saturday opportunities to come out and watch in April.
Don’t forget: we culminate spring ball this year with an April 20 extravaganza – “Friday Night on the Flats, presented by PNC Bank.” This event will include pre- and post-game concerts, a fireworks display, celebrity appearances and much more. It’s all free to the public. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m., so we invite you to come out to campus, tailgate and enjoy the festivities.
Football Season Ticket Renewal Deadline is Tomorrow
Also, don’t forget the season ticket renewal deadline is tomorrow — Friday, March 30th. Make sure you’ve communicated with our box office on your ticket renewal so that you can retain the great seats you’ve enjoyed. Don’t forget there are seven home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2012 and our season ticket cost this year is more than $100 off last year’s price. It’s honestly one of the great sports bargains in the Atlanta market.
Great Job at NCAA Regional
I want take a moment to tip a cap to several members of our athletic staff who were instrumental in fulfilling Georgia Tech’s host role at last weekend’s NCAA South Regional at the Georgia Dome. By all accounts, the regional was an overwhelming success and a great pre-cursor to next year’s 75th Anniversary Final Four, to be played here in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech takes pride in being the host institution for these events and our reputation for being efficient, effective and accommodating is a big reason these events continue to return to our city. I want to thank senior associate AD Paul Griffin, who led our delegation. Also, hats off to Cheryl Watts, Mike Stamus and many others who gave or their time and energy to assist in the tourney.
McCamish Update
Construction continues on the new McCamish Pavilion and the new home of Georgia Tech basketball looks better every day. We are still scheduled to inhabit the building sometime in early October. I continue to urge you to visit our very complete web site at www.gtmccamishpavilion.com for photos, stories, updates, ticket information and key dates as well as a 3-D look at the view from all of the seating locations.
I would like to thank all of those supporters who made donations and commitments before our deadline in order to improve their seat selection priority. Information on the seat selection process will be forthcoming.
Baseball Hosts Duke Friday-Saturday-Sunday
Head Coach Danny Hall brings his 21st-ranked Yellow Jackets into a key stretch of home games at Russ Chandler Stadium, beginning this weekend versus Duke. The Jackets, who are 10-3 at home this season, and the Blue Devils are tied for fourth in the Coastal Division standings. Next weekend, Tech welcomes Atlantic Division-leading Florida State to the Flats. Junior Sam Dove continues to swing one of the hottest bats in the ACC, as he has hit safely in 17 straight games and leads the ACC with 40 hits. The Duke series begins Friday night at 7 p.m., with both games on the weekend at 1 p.m. Saturday’s game versus the Devils will be regionally televised on a number of networks, including FS-South and ESPN3.
ACC Softball In Full Swing
The Georgia Tech softball team is in the midst of its ACC season and will head out to Raleigh, N.C. this weekend to take on NC State in its first ACC road trip of the year. The Yellow Jackets and the Wolfpack will meet at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday (a change from the original start time), and at noon on Sunday. Tech is coming off of a convincing 9-1 five-inning victory over Kennesaw State Wednesday in which the Jackets blasted four home runs.
The Yellow Jackets will take on Kennesaw State next Wednesday (more about that below)) and then will play host to Maryland on April 7th and 8th. Tech’s month-long campaign to raise money for former softball player Amy Hosier, who was diagnosed with Stage-2A breast cancer, will culminate on April 8 with the Yellow Jackets’ annual “Pink Game”. The game is scheduled to be aired on ESPNU, so come out and support your Yellow Jackets.
Lexi’s Night
The Kennesaw State softball team will partner up with your Yellow Jackets next Wednesday night at Bailey Park in Kennesaw for Lexi’s Night. Eight-year-old Lexi Kaiser, granddaughter of former Tech basketball All-American Roger Kaiser, has been battling Cerebral Palsy since birth. Six years ago, The Alexis Kaiser Foundation was established to honor her, but more importantly to help her help other exceptional children realize their dreams.
For a $10 donation, fans will get a ticket to the game and can take part in a pregame meal provided by Marietta Fish Market prior to the 6 p.m. start. All donation and ticket profits on Wednesday will go to the Lexi Kaiser Foundation.
Track To Host Yellow Jacket Invitational
The Georgia Tech track and field teams will return to action at the George C. Griffin Track and Field complex when they host the Yellow Jacket Invitational Friday and Saturday. Tech will bring in tough competition to the meet from Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Colorado and Virginia.
The meet will kick off on Friday night with the weight throw and 5,000m run, and will run all day on Saturday. It is free to attend, so come on out and support your Yellow Jackets.
Women’s Tennis Hosts UNC, Duke
Our 24th-ranked women’s tennis team returns home to the Bill Moore Tennis Center after a 10-day spring break trip to host No. 8 North Carolina on Friday (2:30) and No. 3 Duke on Sunday (noon). These are two important matches with only three weeks left in the regular season. Sunday’s match against the Blue Devils will also be the squad’s annual pink match, in which the team will wear pink shirts. Pink shirts, hats and visors will be for sale and the Yellow Jackets are asking for fans to make a donation for each game won, beginning at 25 cents. This year, all money raised will go to the Amy Hosier Foundation, a former Tech softball player who is battling breast cancer. For more on Amy’s story, please visit www.amysangels21.com.
Golf Off Until Mid-April
Coming off a 4th-place finish last week at the Barona Collegiate Cup (14-under-par) in California, Tech is off until April 7-8, when the Yellow Jackets will travel to Tampa, Fla., for the Gary Koch Invitational, the team’s final tune-up before the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, April 20-22. All-American James White, ranked 22nd in the nation, has finished in the top 10 in five of his last six starts, and freshman Anders Albertson, who was Tech’s top finisher at the Barona Cup (13th), is ranked 31st nationally.
Men’s Tennis Hits Tobacco Road
Coming off a pair of important home court wins last weekend against Boston College and Miami, the Yellow Jackets go on the road this weekend for the first time since Feb. 25, visiting two of the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference for matches against 20th-ranked North Carolina and No. 6 Duke.
The Yellow Jackets visit the Tar Heels at 3 p.m. Friday, have a day off, then face the Blue Devils at 1 p.m. Sunday. Head coach Kenny Thorne’s team (8-7, 3-2 ACC) ran its winning streak to three matches last weekend with a 7-0 victory over Boston College and a 4-3 comeback victory over Maryland at home.
