UGA Sports Roundup

From around the UGA sporting universe....

GYM DOGS OPEN No. 1

(from UGA release)

The five-time defending national champion Georgia gymnastics team was voted preseason No. 1 in the GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday. Utah was voted No. 2 followed by Alabama, Florida, UCLA, LSU, Stanford, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Oregon State to round out the top-10.

“At this point the polls don’t mean a lot; it’s just an opinion,” head coach Jay Clark said. “Certainly we are accustomed to being No. 1 and the important thing is that’s where we want to finish. I would have thought Alabama would have been voted No. 1 based on how they finished last year and who they have returning, but we are excited that people have such a high opinion of us. Now we just have to work hard every day to live up to the No. 1 ranking.”

The Gym Dogs received 13 first place votes, five more than third-ranked Alabama. Utah had six while Florida and UCLA received two apiece. This is the fifth straight season Georgia has been voted preseason No. 1.

Georgia will face nine opponents in the preseason top-14 including No. 2 Utah, No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Florida, No. 5 UCLA, No. 6 LSU, No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 12 Michigan and No. 14 Auburn. The Gym Dogs open the season at home against Stanford on Jan. 9.

CHANCE VEAZEY UPDATE

Doctors will be holding a news conference tomorrow to update Chance Veazey's condition. The Georgia baseball player was hit by a car last month. If you're interested in learning more or helping the family with medical expenses, here's all the info you'll need...

In lieu of flowers and food, the family has set up a “Prayers for Chance” fund to help offset medical expenses through Athens First Bank and Trust Company (AFB&T). Donations may be sent to AFB&T, attention Phil Bettendorf, Senior Vice President, P.O. Box 1747, Athens, Ga., 30603. Donations can also be dropped off at any Athens First Bank location.

A website where individuals can send Chance messages and check for updates has been set up by the family. To send a note to Chance and the family, please visit: www.caringbridge.org/visit/chanceveazey.

The son of Todd and Darby Veazey, Chance arrived at Georgia this fall as an Honor student out of Tift County High School. He is a Pre-Business major. Georgia recently completed fall baseball workouts with Veazey in contention for a starting position at second base.

BASEBALL ADDS THREE

Pitchers Taylor Hicks and Joe Robinson along with first baseman/outfielder Austin Wheeler all have signed a national letter-of-intent to attend UGA, Bulldog coach David Perno announced Wednesday.

Hicks, a 6-3, 207-pound right-hander, is the son of Kent and Sheila Hicks of Watkinsville, Ga. Since his freshman year, he has been a two-way standout as a pitcher/first baseman for the North Oconee Titans and coach Dwayne Sapp. He went 3-4 with a 3.10 ERA and 58 strikeouts and hit .400 with seven home runs and 27 RBI as a junior. He earned All Northeast Georgia honors, played on the national champion Team Georgia squad this past summer and participated in the Underclassmen Top 100 showcase. As a sophomore, he posted a 10-2 record with a 2.39 ERA, fanning 92 in 79 innings while batting .367-11-53. He holds numerous season and career records as a pitcher and hitter for the Titans who have gone 60-29 with a pair of Region 8-AA titles and a state semifinal appearance during his prep career.

“I’m very excited about becoming a Georgia Bulldog, it’s been a dream of mine all my life,” said Hicks.

“Taylor is a local pitcher who is really moving in the right direction as a big, physical, power right-hander with a tremendous upside,” said Perno.

Robinson, a 6-2, 190-pound right-hander, is the son of Edward and Katherine Robinson of Henderson, Nevada. Currently a sophomore at the College of Southern Nevada, he helped the Coyotes to a 35-20 mark in 2009. As a freshman for Tim Chambers’ squad, he posted a team-best 1.99 ERA, going 6-2 with one save in 14 appearances including six starts. He had three complete games and registered 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54.1 innings pitched. He earned first team All-Conference and All-Region honors. He enjoyed a solid prep career at Green Valley High School for coach Nick Garritano. As a senior for the Gators, he went 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA and 53 strikeouts to earn second team All-State honors.

“Joe emerged as the number one pitcher and All-Conference selection as a freshman at Southern Nevada, the same school as former Bulldog Bryce Massanari,” said Perno. “He is an impact guy with a high ceiling and a potential premium draft pick too.”

Wheeler, a 6-3, 185-pound left-handed hitter, is the son of Phillip and Kim Wheeler of Lilburn, Ga. An All-Gwinnett County selection by the Gwinnett Daily Post and Gwinnett Dugout Club, Wheeler batted .409 with seven home runs, 12 doubles and 36 RBI as a junior for the Parkview Panthers and coach Chan Brown. Also, he went 1-0 on the mound with a 2.91 ERA in 12 innings pitched. The Panthers went 15-13 last season and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs. Wheeler was a member of Junior Team Georgia last summer that captured the Sun Belt Classic national title. He earned All-Tournament honors after batting .500-5-15 in helping the squad post a perfect 10-0 record against teams from 10 different states. As a sophomore, he batted .310 in helping Parkview to a 20-8 mark.

“Austin will provide another solid left-handed bat in the lineup, and he is poised for a breakout senior season,” said Perno. “He comes from a great program where their student-athletes have gone on to enjoy successful careers at Georgia.”