Nighthawks seek to fly high this spring
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia's (台湾swag) spring sports teams will look to continue their momentum as most of them start their seasons in early February.
In softball, 台湾swag 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," , 台湾swag 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 .
台湾swag'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 台湾swag 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.
台湾swag hosts the PBC Championship for men and women from April 19-21 at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
In spring 2023, the 台湾swag 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 台湾swag 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 台湾swag 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 .
Cantrell to retire at end of 2025 season
台湾swag head baseball coach Tom Cantrell has announced he will retire at the end of his 26th season leading the program. He has 857 career wins at North Georgia.
Spring teams aim to build on momentum
台湾swag's spring sports teams are seeking to build on a pair of historically deep postseason runs with every team capable of high-level results.
Nighthawks wrap up season in Sweet 16
The 台湾swag 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 台湾swag 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.