Bulldogs Set to Host 18th Annual Georgia Classic

#16 Georgia (2-1)
hosting the 18^th Annual Georgia Classic
Dates: Friday, Feb. 19-Sunday, Feb. 21
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
Participating Teams: Georgia, Kent State, Longwood
Tournament Schedule
Friday:
     Longwood vs. Georgia – 3 p.m.
Saturday:
     Longwood vs. Georgia – 11 a.m.
     Kent State vs. Georgia – 2:15 p.m.
     Kent State vs. Longwood – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday:
     Kent State vs. Longwood – 10:45 a.m.
     Kent State vs. Georgia – 2 p.m.

Media Information
Streaming: SEC Network+ (Friday and Saturday)
     Play-by-play: Karlie Smith
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

Georgia softball will play host to Kent State and Longwood this weekend for the 18th Annual Red & Black Showcase. The six-game tournament will begin Friday at Jack Turner Stadium.

The No. 16 Bulldogs will play Longwood Friday at 3 p.m. then again Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Georgia will then turn around and play Kent State at 2:15 p.m. Saturday then wrap up the tournament with another game against the Golden Flashes Sunday at 2 p.m.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Friday and Saturday's Georgia games of the Georgia Classic will stream live on SEC Network+. Karlie Smith will be on the call.
» Live stats will be available for all games. Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available at the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

2021 Georgia Softball Fan Attendance Policy
Due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, guests will be permitted through a "Player Pass List" only. Admission will not be open to the general public. For student-athlete families and guests, social distancing measures will be in effect while in the stadium and face coverings will be required. Only cashless payments will be accepted at Jack Turner Stadium this season for concessions.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series Histories
Kent State
» Georgia leads series 7-0
» Kent State has played Georgia five times in Athens, most recently last season when Kent State played in the Red & Black Showcase opening weekend
Longwood
» Georgia leads series 3-2
» All five meetings have come in Athens (2008, 2009, 2011)
» The Bulldogs and Lancers split the previous two meetings in 2011, a midweek doubleheader in May.

Chambley Named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week
Outfielder Sydney Chambley was named the first SEC Freshman of the Week on Feb. 15. In her first weekend in the Red and Black, the Dallas, Georgia native hit .833 (5-for-6) on the weekend. All five hits went for extra bases and she drove in a total of six runs. She totaled 15 bases as she slugged 2.500 through two games. Her first Bulldog hit came in her second at-bat, an RBI triple to center. Her second hit of the game was a two-run home run to straight-away center in the sixth inning. In Saturday's game against Virginia, Chambley tied a Georgia single-game record with two more triples. She is only the third Bulldog to triple twice in a game and the first since Alex Hugo did it against Illinois in 2015. She concluded her three-hit day with a two-RBI double in Georgia's go-ahead fifth inning.

25 Seasons of Georgia Softball
The 2021 season will be the 25th of softball in Athens. In 25 seasons, Georgia has accumulated more than 1,000 program victories, 17 40-win season, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, and four appearances in the Women's College World Series. 20 Bulldogs have earned All-American distinction and 17 have been drafted to the NPF.

Georgia in the Polls
The Bulldogs fell two spots to No. 16 in the NFCA and USA Softball polls after opening week. The Bulldogs also fell to No. 18 in the D1Softball poll and 17 in the Softball America Top 25.

Georgia Tabbed Seventh in SEC Preseason Poll
The Georgia softball team was picked seventh in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll with 78 points in the poll. Alabama drew nine of the 13 first-place votes en route to being named the SEC preseason favorite, as voted on by the league's head coaches. LSU, who picked up the two first-place votes, was picked second. Florida (one first-place vote), Tennessee, and Kentucky rounded out the top five in the preseason poll.

Kuma Tabbed a Top Sophomore by Softball America
Sophomore infielder Sydney Kuma was ranked No. 16 on Softball America's list of top 25 college sophomores. Kuma, who stated all 28 games at shortstop last season, led the Georgia offense with a .438 average with 32 hits, 28 runs, eight doubles, and 24 RBI as a rookie in 2020.

Trio of Bulldogs Earn Undergraduate Degrees
This season roster will feature three Bulldogs who all earned their undergraduate degrees in May 2020. Mary Wilson Avant (Marketing), Alley Cutting (Psychology), and Jacqui Switzer (Communications Studies) became UGA graduates. All three began work toward their Masters degrees in the fall semester.

Roster Breakdown
The 2021 roster carries 27 student-athletes including 12 upperclassmen. Graduates Mary Wilson Avant and Alley Cutting returned for their final season after being granted another year of eligibility. The rest of the upperclassmen feature seven seniors and a trio of juniors. The roster offers a good mix of experience and youth with five sophomores and a 10-member freshmen class.

A Look a the Schedule
The 2021 schedule features 55 total games, 39 of which are set to be played at Jack Turner Stadium. The Bulldogs will host four non-conference tournaments to begin the season. Home SEC series include Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, and Alabama. Georgia will also host Oklahoma on April 20 in a midweek doubleheader.

Freshman Class Ranked High in Recruiting
This season's freshmen class was ranked by Extra Innings Softball as the fourth-best signing class in the nation last year as the class featured five of its Elite 100 players and eight on its list of top 200.

Georgia Signs Five Georgia Natives in Early Signing Period
The Bulldogs signed five home-grown recruits in November during the early signing period. The class includes infielder Faith Barth, catcher/first baseman Lyndi Rae Davis, and pitchers Kylie Macy, Rebecca Muh, and Sydney Osada.

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Players Mentioned

Mary Wilson Avant

Sydney Chambley

Alley Cutting

Sydney Kuma

Jacqui Switzer

University of Georgia Athletics