Davenport resigns as softball head coach

The University of North Georgia (UNG) has announced a vacancy in its decorated softball program as long-time head coach Mike Davenport resigned to become an assistant coach on the University of Georgia softball staff.

The 27-year veteran coach won over 1,000 games at North Georgia and in the last decade led the North Georgia softball program to a pair of NCAA Division II national championships and 10 consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) regular-season championships.  

"Coach Davenport has given over two and a half decades of distinguished service to the University of North Georgia and helped build the nation's premier NCAA Division II softball program," Director of Athletics Mary Rob Plunkett said. "His impact on our athletes and the legacy he leaves behind will not be forgotten."

From 2014 to 2023, he coached numerous All-Americans, including two National Players of the Year in Courtney Poole (2015) and Kylee Smith (2018). The Nighthawks have won every PBC regular-season and tournament championship during that time, breaking the records for consecutive titles in both categories.

A nine-time PBC Coach of the Year, Davenport helped establish a culture of championships at North Georgia, winning 15 conference regular-season titles, 14 conference tournaments, eight NCAA Southeast Region championships and two NCAA DII national championships. He established UNG as a powerhouse in NCAA Division II softball, taking North Georgia to three consecutive Division II Championship appearances twice from 2009-11 and again in 2021-23.

Davenport's achievements were further accentuated with his induction into the Georgia Dugout Club Softball Hall of Fame in January 2020.

On the heels of its most accomplished year, collectively Nighthawk Athletics continues to position as one of country's most value-added programs. The year saw the men's basketball team advance to the Elite Eight and the women's tennis team reach the Final Four — both program firsts. The men's golf team was ranked No. 1 in the country for nearly the entire season, and was the national championship runner-up, going further in the NCAA tournament than the program ever had before. All the success ultimately culminated in North Georgia winning the PBC Commissioner's Cup, which recognizes the best athletic program in the conference.

A national search for the next softball head coach will launch immediately. The Nighthawks open their fall schedule Oct. 4 with a road trip to The Flats to face Georgia Tech.