Sidelines – Fall 2011
SOCON, PUBLIC TELEVISION AGREE TO FOOTBALL BROADCASTS
The Southern Conference has agreed to a three-year plan with public television systems in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina to televise SoCon football, including three Georgia Southern games this year – two at home and one away.
Eight conference games will be televised in each of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons and coverage will reach nearly 11 million homes through 32 affiliates, making it the largest regional distribution option across both broadcast and cable.
The network will televise Georgia Southern’s Oct. 8 home game vs. Chattanooga at 3 p.m., the Oct. 15 home game vs. Furman at 3 p.m. and the Oct. 29 game at Appalachian State at 3 p.m.
ASSOCIATE AD BEENE TO CHAIR DIVISION I TENNIS COMMITTEE
The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tennis Committee has tabbed Georgia Southern Associate Director of Athletics Cathy Beene to serve as chair for the coming season.
Beene has served on the Committee since 2009. This season marks the second term Beene has served as chair, having led the group from 1993-1997.
“I’m humbled that my colleagues have chosen me to lead the Division I Tennis Committee for a second time,” said Beene. “Being selected to chair a national committee is a tremendous honor for both Georgia Southern and the Southern Conference.”
EAGLE ATHLETES NAMED TO SOCON ACADEMIC TEAM
Twenty-two Georgia Southern athletes have been named to the All-Southern Conference Academic Team comprised of the highest-performing students in the conference.
Tennis player Alessandra Dzuba joined the list as one of 13 SoCon student-athletes to maintain a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average.
Also named to the team were: Logan Blondell, golf; Ali Beavers, women’s tennis; Kelly Burnett, softball; Bethany Crenshaw; softball; Sara Curry, track and field; Matthew Deal, golf; Hanna Ennis, softball; Sebastien Felt, men’s tennis; Morgan Jefferson, track and field; and Kassi Lee, track and field.
Also, Victor Roache, baseball; Eric Phillips, baseball; Natalie Maffett, women’s tennis; Juan Puigventos Melian, men’s tennis; Mark Paetz, men’s tennis; Adrea Tarashuk, softball; Jorie Walker, softball; Brittani Martin, track and field; Colin Snow, baseball; Mathijis Verdam, men’s tennis; and Mackenzie Williams, softball.
MINCEY TO LEAD CROSS COUNTRY, TRACK AND FIELD
Former Eagle Marlo Mincey will lead the Georgia Southern track and field programs as their new head coach.
Mincey comes to the University from Georgetown University where she helped the Hoyas finish in the Top 25 at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The new coach competed for the Eagles in the NCAA outdoor regionals in 2004 and set three outdoor and two indoor University records. She finished her Georgia Southern career with six SoCon titles and a degree in exercise science. She completed a master’s degree in sport management in 2007.
DIVING NAMES GIAMBRA NEW COACH
Former Clemson standout diver David Giambra has been named head diving coach for the Eagles.
Giamba lettered for four years for the Tigers and holds school records in one-meter and three-meter events.
Georgia Southern’s swimming and diving team was ranked in the Top 10 among NCAA Division I women’s swimming and diving programs last season in the Avidasports Performance Rankings.
SOPHOMORE SLUGGER DISPLAYS HIS HITTING SKILLS
Georgia Southern sophomore and NCAA Division I home run leader Victor Roache finished second in a field of eight of the nation’s best home run hitters in the TD Ameritrade College Homerun Derby in Omaha last summer.
College of Charleston’s Daniel Aldrich took the title in the event, which was televised live by CBS Sports. Roache topped hitters from Virginia Tech, Clemson, Vanderbilt, Bucknell, East Tennessee State and Arizona State.
He finished the 2011 season with 30 home runs and 84 runs batted in and was named First Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Baseball America.