Basketball teams enter seasons with optimism
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia's (UNG) basketball teams are preparing to tip off their seasons Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 in a pair of road contests.
Women's basketball head coach Buffie Burson enters her 29th season fresh off an NCAA Division II Final Four appearance. Her team opens the year at 1 p.m. Nov. 12 against Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
Despite the loss of four seniors, Burson's program maintains high goals for the 2022-23 season. It was picked to finish second in the preseason Peach Belt Conference (PBC) poll. Junior guard Caroline Martin is a preseason All-PBC selection after securing first-team All-PBC honors in 2021-22.
"It was a great team last year. Everybody understands what we're missing," Burson said. "But at the same time, the people we brought in and the returnees we have are not trying to be anyone but themselves. I feel like we have a good nucleus of returnees."
Men's basketball coach Dan Evans' team starts his fourth season at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 against Limestone College in Tigerville, South Carolina.
"The environment and the spirit of our team are where they need to be," Evans said. "Our older guys are leading and helping set the right tone on and off the floor."
The UNG women will welcome Tusculum University to the Convocation Center at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 15 for their home opener, with the Nighthawks men facing Lincoln Memorial University at noon Nov. 19 for theirs.
Burson's program has earned five consecutive NCAA tournament berths and advanced to at least the regional final in the four years the tournament was played — the 2020 event was canceled at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UNG women have also won four of the past five PBC tournaments. Burson knows this year's team will have to take its own path to success.
"This team has taken every challenge and accepted it, and they keep getting better," Burson said.
Evans' group is coming off a 14-14 campaign and a seventh-place finish in the PBC and is picked sixth in this year's preseason PBC poll. Sophomore forward Frank Champion is a preseason All-PBC selection after earning first-team All-PBC honors last season. Evans is excited to see the way his program is able to take advantage of his first typical offseason since coming to UNG, and he expects versatility to be a strength.
"We have some flexibility with some guys who can play different positions," Evans said.
Nighthawks wrap up season in Sweet 16
The UNG 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 UNG 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.
Nighthawks make NCAA tournament
The UNG women's soccer team has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southeast Region of the NCAA Division II tournament, marking its fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
Basketball teams aim high in 2024-25
The UNG men’s and women’s basketball teams tip off their seasons in early November. Both teams return all-conference performers as they aim for national and PBC supremacy.