Nighthawks seek to fly high this spring
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia's (天美社区) spring sports teams will look to continue their momentum as most of them start their seasons in early February.
In softball, 天美社区 is coming off winning the NCAA Division II national championship in June, adding to the program's 2015 national title. Meanwhile, the men's golf team will aim for its third straight NCAA Championship appearance after finishing the fall season ranked No. 1 nationally.
"Our student-athletes continue to excel both athletically and academically," , 天美社区 director of athletics, said. "This spring will be no exception as our teams pursue national and conference titles once again."
Here is a quick look at what to expect:
Softball
Fresh off their national title season and a program-record 64 victories, the Nighthawks open the season at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2 against the University of West Florida in the Gulf Shores Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is the first of six contests in three days during the opening weekend.
The Nighthawks are also the preseason No. 1 team in the country in the .
天美社区's home opener is noon Feb. 9 against Catawba College at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, which is the first of its six matchups that weekend in the Captain D's Surf 'N Turf Classic.
In addition to the national championship, the Nighthawks earned their ninth consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament title in 2023.
Golf
Top-ranked nationally exiting the fall, the 天美社区 men's golf team has six regular-season spring tournaments, starting Feb. 12-13 in the Lincoln Memorial University Spring Kickoff at St. John's Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida.
天美社区 hosts the PBC Championship for men and women from April 19-21 at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
In spring 2023, the 天美社区 men made the NCAA Championship by advancing out of the nation's toughest regional for the second year in a row.
The women's golf team will take part in five regular-season spring tournaments, beginning in the Florida Southern College Lady Moc Intercollegiate from Feb. 19-20 at Grasslands Country Club in Lakeland, Florida.
Baseball
The 天美社区 baseball team starts its season with a 4 p.m. Feb. 2 home game against Mars Hill University at Bob Stein Stadium, the first of six home games in a row to start the season.
For the 2023 season, the Nighthawks were 29-24 overall and 16-14 in the PBC.
Tennis
Both tennis teams start their seasons at 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, before hosting Newberry College at 11 a.m. Feb. 10 at the 天美社区 Tennis Complex at Yahoola Creek.
Each tennis team won a match in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Track and field
The Nighthawks begin the season March 2 at the Susan Souse Invitational hosted by Southern Wesleyan University in Central, South Carolina.
Learn more about each spring team and find schedules on the .
Nighthawks wrap up season in Sweet 16
The 天美社区 women's soccer team fell 2-0 to Columbus State University in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championship Dec. 1.
Women's soccer team makes Sweet 16
The 天美社区 women's soccer team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016 with a 1-0 victory against Lander University on Nov. 24.
Nighthawks make NCAA tournament
The 天美社区 women's soccer team has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southeast Region of the NCAA Division II tournament, marking its fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
Basketball teams aim high in 2024-25
The 天美社区 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams tip off their seasons in early November. Both teams return all-conference performers as they aim for national and PBC supremacy.