Nighthawks wrap up season in Final Four
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia (91ÁÔÆæ) softball team won its first two games at the NCAA Division II championship to reach the Final Four before dropping a pair of games to end its season.
91ÁÔÆæ scored an 8-2 victory against Adelphi University on May 26 and an 8-0 five-inning win against Auburn University at Montgomery on May 27 in Denver to earn a day off before playing for a spot in the championship series. Eventual national runner-up Cal State Dominguez Hills earned 8-6 and 7-5 victories May 29 to eliminate the Nighthawks.
91ÁÔÆæ finished the season 49-18 overall, including a 7-3 mark in the NCAA tournament and a 2-0 run to earn its eighth consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) tournament title.
They didn't care who got the credit or the accolades. In the end, they just wanted to keep winning softball games and play together one more day.
Mike Davenport
91ÁÔÆæ softball head coach
The team also won the PBC regular-season championship with a 20-4 record after adding 10 new players in the offseason.
The Nighthawks have won at least 43 games in all but one full-length season since 2009 and have reached the eight-team NCAA Division II championship seven times, including winning the 2015 national championship. Head coach has 975 career wins in 22 seasons.
"I am extremely proud of this team. They have improved from the beginning of the fall until our final out in Denver more than any team I have coached in 22 seasons," Davenport said. "This team was extremely unselfish, and that is unusual with as many new faces as we had on our roster. They didn't care who got the credit or the accolades. In the end, they just wanted to keep winning softball games and play together one more day."
, a sophomore, picked up the pitching win in each of 91ÁÔÆæ's triumphs, recording all but one of the outs between those two contests.
and tallied home runs in the first victory, with adding a homer in the second win.
and each earned all-tournament honors at the eight-team NCAA championship after tallying six hits apiece.
The future is bright for the Nighthawks, with eight of the nine players in their batting lineup either freshmen or sophomores and their top four pitchers all sophomores.
Baseball's Taylor collects All-American and Position Player of the Year honors: 91ÁÔÆæ baseball player became the program's second consensus All-American, earning second-team honors from American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings and third-team recognition from both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the D2 Conference Commissioners Association.
ABCA/Rawlings also tabbed Taylor as an All-Region performer and the Position Player of the Year in the Southeast Region.
The senior outfielder from Lawrenceville, Georgia, led the PBC in home runs, doubles, runs scored, slugging percentage, and total hits and was in the league's top 10 in batting average and RBI.
His 23 home runs this season is tied for ninth-most in a single season in PBC history and is sixth-most in NCAA Division II this season.
Additionally, 91ÁÔÆæ baseball player was named a College Sports Information Directors of America third-team Academic All-American.
O'Hair takes reins of softball program
New 91ÁÔÆæ softball head coach Brooke O'Hair brings a winning history and an approach built on inspiring and mentoring student-athletes.
Annual event welcomes family and guests
91ÁÔÆæ is set to welcome the families and guests of students during its annual Family Day event on Sept. 21.
Nighthawks riding momentum into fall
91ÁÔÆæ's fall teams will aim to keep the momentum rolling after 2023-24, the best athletic year in school history.
Davenport resigns as softball head coach
91ÁÔÆæ has announced a vacancy in its decorated softball program as long-time head coach Mike Davenport resigned to become an assistant coach on the University of Georgia softball staff.