University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Sofia Yaker/UGAAA
Georgia Shortstop Kolby Branch Earns Gold Glove Award By ABCA/Rawlings
June 17, 2026 | Baseball
OMAHA, NEB.-----University of Georgia senior shortstop Kolby Branch is a Gold Glove winner after being named to the NCAA Division 1 Gold Glove team, it was announced Wednesday by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Rawlings Sporting Goods.
Branch becomes the fourth Bulldog in program history to earn a Gold Glove Award, joining Jonathan Wyatt (OF, 2007), Rich Poythress (1B, 2008) and Cam Shepherd (SS, 2019). The players and their schools receive a Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
Branch has started all 66 games for the Bulldogs who are 53-13 and playing in the College World Series. He owns a .975 fielding percentage in 275 total chances in leading Georgia to the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles. Branch helped Georgia to its first SEC title and College World Series appearance since 2008 and its first-ever SEC Tournament title. He has registered 79 putouts, 189 assists and seven errors on the year. At the plate, he is batting .286 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs and 58 RBI.
Branch, a 5-11, 202-pound native of Lucas, Texas, was one of three finalists at shortstop along with Dylan Carey (Nebraska) and Roch Cholowsky (UCLA). Branch is an Academic All-America candidate as well with the first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees slated to be announced on June 23.
The Gold Glove Team was announced Wednesday on the X account of Rawlings and ABCA, and Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Wes Johnson shared the news with Branch and the team during Wednesday's pre-game batting practice.
Branch, and his younger brother Kyle, a second baseman for Oklahoma, made College World Series history Monday night when they became the first brothers to play in a CWS game against each other.
The Gold Glove Team was voted on and selected by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America & Coach of the Year Committee. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.
Up next, third-seeded Georgia faces Oklahoma here Wednesday at the College World Series. First pitch will be at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and be available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS: For the latest Georgia baseball news, visit www.georgiadogs.com and follow the Bulldogs on X (@BaseballUGA), Facebook (@GeorgiaBaseball) and Instagram (@baseballuga).
Branch becomes the fourth Bulldog in program history to earn a Gold Glove Award, joining Jonathan Wyatt (OF, 2007), Rich Poythress (1B, 2008) and Cam Shepherd (SS, 2019). The players and their schools receive a Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
Branch has started all 66 games for the Bulldogs who are 53-13 and playing in the College World Series. He owns a .975 fielding percentage in 275 total chances in leading Georgia to the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament titles. Branch helped Georgia to its first SEC title and College World Series appearance since 2008 and its first-ever SEC Tournament title. He has registered 79 putouts, 189 assists and seven errors on the year. At the plate, he is batting .286 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs and 58 RBI.
Branch, a 5-11, 202-pound native of Lucas, Texas, was one of three finalists at shortstop along with Dylan Carey (Nebraska) and Roch Cholowsky (UCLA). Branch is an Academic All-America candidate as well with the first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees slated to be announced on June 23.
The Gold Glove Team was announced Wednesday on the X account of Rawlings and ABCA, and Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Wes Johnson shared the news with Branch and the team during Wednesday's pre-game batting practice.
Branch, and his younger brother Kyle, a second baseman for Oklahoma, made College World Series history Monday night when they became the first brothers to play in a CWS game against each other.
The Gold Glove Team was voted on and selected by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America & Coach of the Year Committee. The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.
Up next, third-seeded Georgia faces Oklahoma here Wednesday at the College World Series. First pitch will be at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and be available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS: For the latest Georgia baseball news, visit www.georgiadogs.com and follow the Bulldogs on X (@BaseballUGA), Facebook (@GeorgiaBaseball) and Instagram (@baseballuga).
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