Charger News

Women’s Basketball

Georgia Highlands College women’s basketball is led by Athletics Director and Head Coach Brandan Harrell and Assistant Coaches Consuelo Saxton and Eric Burkhalter. The team competes in Region XVII of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1. The team is based at the Floyd campus and plays all home games at the Floyd gymnasium in Rome. For a full game schedule, team roster, and season updates, visit ghcchargers.com.

Charger News

Men’s Basketball

Georgia Highlands College men’s basketball is led by Head Coach J.J. Merritt and Assistant Coaches Greg Schiefen, Julian Reinhart, Reymond Savage, and John Williams. The team competes in Region XVII of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association of the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1. The team is based at the Floyd campus and plays all home games at the Floyd gymnasium in Rome. For a full game schedule, team roster, and season updates, visit ghcchargers.com.

Charger News

SEASON RECAP Charger Baseball

They say that baseball is a game of inches. That proved to be the case as Palmer Sapp’s bottom of the ninth blast in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XVII title game was pulled back into the field to end the Chargers’ record breaking 2021 season. While mere inches prevented GHC’s season from continuing, skipper Dash O’Neill reflected on a historic season full of highlights and shattered records.

“This team was just so much fun to be a part of, and I don’t know if I have ever had a group that I’ve been more proud of,” O’Neill said. “With a season getting cut short for these guys last year and so many different obstacles to navigate, this was a remarkable group of young men. They are conference champions, they are all over the post season award boards, and we have another group of sophomores moving on to great 4-year schools. I love these guys so much, and the season they put together will be something they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”

The list of post season accolades continues to pile up for the Chargers who landed a program best six players on the All-Conference Team: David Smith (C), Palmer Sapp (IF), Joe Sutton (IF), Conner Todaro (OF), Johnny Dow (P), and Conner Perry (P). Johnny Dow was also named Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA)/NJCAA Region 17 Pitcher of the Year. David Smith and Conner Todaro earned GCAA Gold Glove Awards for their excellence in the field, and Johnny Dow, Joe Sutton, and Conner Todaro were each named to the Region 17 All-Tournament team. Brandon Prince was the baseball program’s 5th consecutive Male Scholar Athlete recipient. GHC Head Coach Dash O’Neill was named GCAA Coach of the Year for leading the Chargers to the regular season title and league best 42 wins.

A bevy of program records fell in 2021, particularly on offense where the Chargers shined brightest. GHC set new marks in the following team categories: Wins (42), GCAA Wins (18), Complete Games (14), Walks Allowed (153), Hits (591), Runs (456), Runs Per Game (8.0), Doubles (125), Triples (24), Home Runs (56), RBI (414), Walks (253), Batting Average (.351), On Base Percentage (.451), Slugging Percentage (.553), OPS (1.004), Extra Base Hits (205), and Total Bases (932).

A slew of individual records fell in 2021 as well as Conner Todaro set new season marks for Batting Average (.435), Hits (87), Runs (66), Doubles (18), Triples (6), and On Base Percentage (.519). David Smith set a new record for RBIs with 62 on the year, and Brandon Prince shattered the stolen bases record by swiping 40 bags this season. Johnny Dow tossed a record five complete games, including the first no-hitter by a single pitcher in GHC history. Conner Perry established a new record for strikeouts with 76 on the year, and his nine wins are also the most in program history. Chase Townsend added the program’s second no hitter a few weeks after Dow’s gem.

As a team, the Chargers led the GCAA in eight different primary offensive categories and five major pitching categories. They set a new standard for winning streaks as well in 2021 after rattling off 15 consecutive victories in March. Ten Chargers will be moving on to continue their careers at four-year institutions next year: Johnny Dow (Georgia State), Omar Daniels (Dayton), Joe Sutton (South Alabama), Chase Townsend (Kennesaw State), Brandon Prince (Georgia Tech), Trace Twardoski (Columbus State), Nic Castonguay (Montevallo), Gavin Harmon (Georgia Gwinnett), Palmer Sapp (Georgia College), and Carter Lott (Middle Georgia).

Here’s to celebrating the 2021 Georgia Highlands College Chargers, GCAA Champions, Trojan Horse Series Champions, and NJCAA Region XVII Runner Up.

SEASON RECAPSEASON RECAP Charger Softball

After having the 2020 season cut short due to COVID, the return to play in the season of 2021 was filled with hope and a special kind of excitement to be back on the field again. The team faced a tough schedule highlighting some of the best teams in the nation. There were many obstacles to face through rain, schedule changes, and new COVID protocols, but the team remained resilient and showcased all the hard work they put in to prepare throughout the fall.

Georgia Highlands Softball, led by Head Coach Savannah Sloan and Assistant Coach Jordan Fortel, finished the 2021 season with an overall record of 23-21, and a record of 17-9 in GCAA Conference play. In 44 games, the Chargers batted .292, scoring 221 runs, while blasting 41 homeruns over the season. The pitching staff for the Chargers held it down in the circle amassing 234 strikeouts in 281 innings of play, charting a 3.78 ERA for the season.

In the post season, the Chargers split with Georgia Military College in the first two matches of a best of three series. Returning the following day for the finisher, the Chargers put up a fight, but the Bulldogs came out on top going on the win the GCAA tournament.

“This team has been through and overcome a lot in their time together between COVID, seemingly endless amounts of rain, and schedule changes galore. We could not be prouder of this Charger team as they displayed an excellent level of resilience returning from the canceled 2020 season” Coach Sloan said.

Several players were awarded Player of the Week awards throughout the season. Lacey Rutledge (SS), Madalyn Morton (RHP), Natalia Herrera (3B), Izzy Marcotte (C), and Montana Ledbetter (RHP). Three Chargers received first team All-Region accolades: Lacey Rutledge (SS), Madison Bennett (2B), and Hailey Cronic (1B). Four more Chargers received second team All-Region accolades: Allie Daffron (OF), Montana Ledbetter (RHP), Madalyn Morton (RHP), and Izzy Marcotte (C).

Charger Softball had several players move on to fouryear homes. Right-handed pitcher from Illinois, Montana Ledbetter, is now playing at Georgia College. She is joined by Georgia resident and short stop Madison Bennett. Madalyn Morton, a right-handed pitcher and Virginia native, moved on to continue her career at Warner University. Hard hitting first baseman, Taryn Hitchcock moved on to continue at Brenau University. Natalia Herrera, Izzy Marcotte, and Lacey Rutledge all joined the Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern to continue their softball careers. Second baseman, Georgia native Madeline Hairston continued her career at Middle Georgia State University.

Charger News

Charger News

More to the game Student-athletes honored with national academic awards

Sixteen of GHC’s student-athletes were recently recognized for their work in the classroom in addition to their abilities on the field and court by receiving National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Academic honors.

Student-athletes are eligible to earn academic honors by achieving an overall GPA of 3.60 or higher for the 2020-21 academic year. A 4.0 GPA is required for the NJCAA All-Academic First Team, a 3.80-3.99 GPA is required for the All-Academic Second Team, and a 3.60-3.79 GPA is required for the All-Academic Third Team.

“These individuals not only represented GHC on the court and the field of play, but they excelled in the classroom as well,” retired GHC Athletics Director David Mathis said.

Student-athletes on the All-Academic First Team are ShaoTung Lin, Women’s Basketball; Brandon Prince, Baseball; Natalia Herrera, Softball; Madalyn Morton, Softball; and Lacey Rutledge, Softball.

The All-Academic Second Team includes Caleb Carter, Baseball; Chase Townsend, Baseball; Montana Ledbetter, Softball; Maggie Schandera, Softball; and Allison Daffron, Softball.

Student-athletes on the All-Academic Third Team are Carter Lott, Baseball; Michael Moody, Baseball; Taryn Hitchcock, Softball; Isabel Marcotte, Softball; Haley Overton, Softball; and Mitchell Walker, Baseball.

Three GHC coaches named “Coach of the Year” by GCAA

Three athletic coaches at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) were recently named “Coach of the Year” by the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA).

Brandan Harrell was selected as “Coach of the Year for Women’s Division I Basketball.” JJ Merritt was named “Coach of the Year for Men’s Division I Basketball.” And Dash O’Neill was named “Coach of the Year for Men’s Division I Baseball.”

“Receiving these awards means that our coaches are respected across our conference and are working hard to make their respective sports successful both on the field or court and in the classroom,” recently retired GHC Director of Athletics David Mathis said.

The GCAA is a collegiate athletic conference and is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) / Region XVII. The GCAA’s twelve members are comprised of four-year colleges, two-year community colleges, and technical colleges. GCAA members compete in fifteen sports for both men and women.

The “Coach of the Year” awards are voted on by the other coaches in the conference.

“Our coaches have been through one of the toughest years due to COVID and other obstacles, but they have done a remarkable job,” Mathis said. “They have had the health and safety of our student athletes as a priority and have been successful both athletically and academically.”