#8 Bulldogs Host 16th Annual Georgia Classic

#8/9 Georgia (9-1)
hosting the Georgia Classic
Dates: Feb. 22-24, 2019
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Softball Stadium
Georgia's Schedule:
     Feb. 22 – vs. Bryant, 2 p.m.
     Feb. 22 – vs. UMass, 4:30 p.m.
     Feb. 23 – vs. UMass, 11:30 a.m.
     Feb. 23 – vs. Belmont, 2 p.m.
     Feb. 24 – vs. Belmont, 11:30 a.m.

Media Information
Streaming Video: SEC Network+
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

#9/10 Georgia softball is set to host the 16th Annual Georgia Classic this weekend at Jack Turner Softball Stadium. The Bulldogs will play host to Belmont, Bryant, and UMass.

Due to forecasted weather in Athens all weekend, this weekend's schedule has been modified to begin at 9 a.m. every morning.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Live stats will be available for all games of the Georgia Classic. Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» This weekend's Georgia games will be streamed live on the SEC Network+.
» Live Twitter updates will be available at the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series History
Belmont - Georgia leads 1-0
» The lone meeting came on Mar. 5, 2010 in Athens.
Bryant- First Meeting
UMass- Series tied 2-2
» The first meeting dates back to 1999 in Tallahassee; then #22 UMass won 1-0
» Met in 2000 and 2001 both in Phoenix, Ariz.
» Last met in 2005 in the NFCA Tournament in Columbus, Ga.

A Look Back
The Bulldogs opened at home over the weekend, hosting the Red & Black Showcase at Jack Turner Stadium. The Bulldogs went a perfect 5-0 on the weekend, beating Buffalo, Winthrop, and Omaha. Georgia outscored its opponents 60-4. Alyssa DiCarlo continued her strong senior season hitting four more home runs and driving in 12. Justice Milz also had a big weekend, hitting a pair of home runs and also picking up 12 RBI and scoring a team-high 10 runs. In the circle, Georgia pitchers allowed only two earned runs. In all, six pitchers saw action in the circle over the weekend.

Georgia in the Top 25
The Bulldogs climb to #8 in the week two USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll while staying strong at #9 in the USA Softball/ESPN.com Poll.

Chasing 1,000
Currently at 984 program wins, Georgia softball will look to record the 1,000th victory in program history in this season.

Bulldogs Smash
Georgia currently leads the nation in scoring (10.5 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.704). Additionally, the Bulldogs rank four with 1.9 home runs per game. Individually, Alyssa DiCarlo leads the country in home runs (8) and home runs per game (0.8) along with total RBI (23). The senior is also pacing the country in slugging (1.679), 319 points higher than the next closest (Victoria Castro, 1.360).

Home Runs vs. Runs Given Up
The Bulldogs have slugged 19 total home runs on the young season. As a staff, Georgia has allowed the same amount of runs to its opponents.

DiCarlo Leads Active Career Leaders in RBI and Total Bases
Senior Alyssa DiCarlo leads active Division I softball student-athletes with 217 career RBI and 440 total bases. In additional categories, she ranks second in home runs (53). She currently ranks fourth in hits (227) and doubles (46).

Three Bulldogs Appear in Softball America's Top 100
Alyssa DiCarlo (#15), Alysen Febrey (#26), and Justice Milz (#36) appeared in Softball America's 2019 Top 100 Players list, released prior to the start of the season.

Georgia Tabbed Second in SEC Preseason Poll
The Georgia softball team was picked to finish second in the 2019 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Bulldogs, who picked up two first-place votes from the league's head coaches, received 130 points in the poll. The reigning champions, Florida (10 first-place votes), received 142 points and are the preseason favorites in the league.

DiCarlo Lands on 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Shortstop Alyssa DiCarlo has been named to the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 watch list. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is entering its 18th season, recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country. The Southeastern Conference well represented with 13 student-athletes on the list. As a junior, DiCarlo appeared as a top-25 finalist for the award. In its history, Georgia has had six top-25 finalists for the award. Alisa Goler (2009) is the Bulldogs' lone top-10 finalist.

DiCarlo Named Preseason All-SEC
The head softball coaches of the SEC voted Georgia shortstop Alyssa DiCarlo to the Preseason All-SEC Team. DiCarlo, a senior from Glendale, Arizona, earned Third Team NFCA All-American status a season ago. As a junior, she knocked 21 home runs, a figured that led the SEC in 2018. She hit .400 as a junior while driving in 67 runs to rank second in the league. DiCarlo scattered 72 total hits and recorded a .498 on base percentage with an .850 slugging percentage, the highest in the SEC.

14 Land on Fall Director of Athletics Honor Roll
A total of 14 Georgia softball student-athlete appeared on the Fall Director of Athletics Honor Roll.  Amanda Ablan was commended for a 4.0 GPA. Mary Wilson Avant, Kylie Bass, Jordan Doggett, Alysen Febrey, and Savana Sikes recorded a Fall GPA of 3.5 or higher. Eight more fell in the 3.0-3.49 GPA range.

2019 Schedule at a Glance
Nine 2018 NCAA Tournament participants appear on Georgia's 2019 schedule including five Super Regional teams from a season ago. Six teams concluded the season ranked in the Top 25. The 56-game schedule features 37 games at Jack Turner Softball Stadium (25 non-conference, 12 SEC). Southeastern Conference series at home include LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs' SEC slate, set to begin on Mar. 15 at Missouri, includes eight series. Of those eight series, five teams played in a Super Regional last season and six finished the season ranked in the Top 25.

Breaking Down the Roster
Georgia returns all but two position starters from a season ago, losing a pair of mainstays in the outfield. In the circle, the Bulldogs lost two but return five. The Bulldogs have 10 upper classmen including two seniors (Alyssa DiCarlo, Kylie Bass) and eight juniors. The remainder of the roster is made up of eight sophomores and five freshmen. In all, Georgia welcomed eight newcomers to the 2019 roster.

Homegrown Bulldogs
Of the 23 members of this season's roster, a total of 15 (65 percent) hail from the state of Georgia. In all, the roster is made up of student-athletes from eight states. The only other state producing multiple Bulldogs is Alabama (2).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Amanda Ablan

Mary Wilson Avant

Kylie Bass

Alyssa DiCarlo

Jordan Doggett

Alysen Febrey

Justice Milz

Savana Sikes