Bulldogs Set To Open Outdoor Season at UCF, Georgia Tech

Friday, March 21

Atlanta, Ga.

University of Georgia

Yellow Jacket Invitational

Bulldogs Set To Open Outdoor Season at UCF, Georgia Tech

March 20, 2025 | Track & Field

2025 Black and Gold Invitational - Schedule 2025 Yellow Jacket Invitational - Schedule 2025 Black and Gold Invitational - Start Lists 2025 Yellow Jacket Invitational - Start Lists

ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia track & field will open the 2025 outdoor season this weekend, splitting the squads between the Black and Gold Invitational and the Yellow Jacket Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

The Black and Gold Invitational, hosted by UCF, will serve as the outdoor season-opener for most of Georgia's squad while a group of five throwers and five distance runners will begin their season at Georgia Tech's Yellow Jacket Invitational. Friday marks the first of six regular-season competition weekends for the Bulldogs during the 2025 season.

Who's The Competition?: Georgia will join over 40 teams in competing at the Black and Gold Invitational to kick off the outdoor season. The Yellow Jacket Invitational will feature a smaller field of 15 teams which includes Auburn, Austin Peay, Belmont, Connecticut, Georgia, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri, North Georgia, SCAD, Thomas, and UAB.

When Do The Bulldogs Start?: Georgia will open competition at the Yellow Jacket Invitational as Stephanie Ratcliffe competes in the women's hammer throw, which will begin following the men's hammer throw competition at 11 a.m. Georgia's first track event in Atlanta will begin at 7 p.m. as Nina Ouellette competes in the women's 1500-meter run.

At the Black and Gold Invitational, Ella Rush will open Friday's field events in the women's javelin throw at 12 p.m. Michelle Smith will open Georgia's day on the track in Orlando in the women's 400-meter relay at 5 p.m.

Live Results: For results throughout the weekend from the Black and Gold Invitational, please visit:https://gado.gs/cuo.

For results throughout the weekend from the Yellow Jacket Invitational, please visit: https://gado.gs/cup.

Coach Caryl's Comments: "Track and field is one of the most unique collegiate sports," Georgia head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said. "We finished second on both the men and women's side at the NCAA Indoor Championships, and less than a week later, we are opening up outdoors. We are confident that our indoor momentum will carry over outdoors, and we are anxious to debut a new group to our lineups who should be pivotal in the postseason. I look forward to more progress being made from top to bottom on our rosters. GO DAWGS!"

What Bulldogs Are Competing?: Georgia's women's squad at the Black and Gold Invitational will consist of T'oni Birden, Sanaa Frederick, Sole Frederick, Kieley Gayle, Alisa Gordon, Adaejah Hodge, Kaila Jackson, Danah Nembhard, Karsen Phillips, Reign Redmond, Michelle Smith, Haley Tate, and Skylynn Townsend.

The Georgia men will be represented by Brody Buffington, Jacob Carruthers, Shemar Chambers, London Costen, Jordan Fick, Will Floyd, Jehlani Gordon, Ian Hodge, Chance Jones, Jayden Keys, Eddie Kurjak, Micah Larry, Luther Mogelvang, Ervin Pearson, Xai Ricks, Alon Rogow, Maximus Tucker, Nikolai van Huyssteen, and Zavien Wolfe in Orlando.

Five Bulldog throwers – Lianna Davidson, Erin McMeniman, Kelsie Murrell-Ross, Stephanie Ratcliffe, and Manuela Rotundo - will open their outdoor seasons at the Yellow Jacket Invitational. Additionally, Distance Dawgs Conor Clifford, Cole Heron, Kayla Dickerson, Katherine Law, and Nina Ouellette will make the trip to Atlanta to represent the Bulldogs.

LAST WEEK'S FLASHBACK – NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14-15): The Bulldogs wrapped up the 2025 indoor season with a pair of NCAA team runner-up finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Va., last Friday and Saturday. Georgia was paced by 10 scoring performances – six by the women and four on the men's side – as the Bulldogs brought home three individual national titles. Elena Kulichenko cleared 1.94 meters/6 feet, 4.25 inches to earn a share of the indoor high jump title to lead the women's team. On the men's side, Will Floyd posted a 45.43 to claim Georgia's third-straight national title in the men's 400-meter dash. He also ran the opening leg on the Bulldogs' 4x400-meter relay (3:03.44) to help Georgia bring home the first national title in program history in the event alongside Shemar Chambers, Xai Ricks, and Ervin Pearson.

Indoor SEC Honors: Aaliyah Butler and Will Floyd each picked up SEC annual awards for their performances during the indoor season. Butler earned SEC Women's Runner of the Year following SEC titles and NCAA runner-up finishes in the 400m and 4x400m, becoming the first woman in program history to earn the award. Floyd took home the inaugural SEC Men's Newcomer of the Year award after picking up national titles in the 400m and 4x400m along with a silver medal in the 400m at the SEC Indoor Championships.

Where This Season Will Take The Dogs: Following this weekend's competition, the Distance Dawgs will travel to NC State for the Raleigh Relays on March 27-29. Georgia will then head to Gainesville, Fla., to compete at the Pepsi Florida Relays on April 4-5. The multi-event athletes will compete at the 44 Farms Team Invitational, hosted by Texas A&M, on April 11-12. Georgia will split squads for the second time this season as the Distance Dawgs compete at the Wake Forest Invitational on April 17-18 while the remainder of the team returns to Gainesville for the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational on April 18-19. Georgia will wrap up the outdoor regular season at the one-day Tiger Track Classic on April 26.

The SEC Outdoor Championships will kick off postseason competition for the Bulldogs on May 15-17 in Lexington, Ky. Georgia will then compete at the NCAA East Regionals in Jacksonville, Fla., on May 28-31 before wrapping up the outdoor season at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., on June 11-14.

Where To Find Bulldogs News: Results and recaps from the Bulldogs' outdoor season will be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track & field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.