Yellow Jacket Roundup: Is Greatly Exaggerated

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Since February 1st, Yellow Jacket Roundup has visited eight other states in the pursuit of non-revenue and club sports, as well as, you know, life things, but I promise news of its death are greatly exaggerated. To be honest, I don’t even think there were any death-related rumors, but I like the allusion to Mark Twain, so we’re rolling with it. In the meantime, softball has seen its RPI go on a rollercoaster ride, women’s basketball has hopped on the coaching carousel, and men’s tennis knocked off no. 7 North Carolina. Let’s see what’s up in this special return of the weekly feature equivalent of a tchotchke shop on Panama City Beach. There’s something for everyone.

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No. 19/NR Swimming and Diving

Since we last checked in on the Jackets after ACCs, the men hadn’t actually done any swimming until this weekend, when seven young men traveled to Austin, Texas for the 2019 NCAA Men’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championships.

In a meet that saw California unseat the hosts for the first time in four years, Tech had its most productive meet in several years. Notably, several swimmers came home honorable mention All-Americans, when Caio Pumputis scored Tech’s first All-American award since 2015, its first two-time championship finalist since 2010, and its first-ever three time All-American. He truly is a transcendent talent that was a massive part of Tech’s 24th place finish at NCAAs. Though that’s a little lower than their national ranking, which has hovered at 19 for the past few months, it was a productive last weekend of a long season for the Yellow Jackets.

This week: That’s a wrap for this year’s edition of the swimmin’ Jackets after finishing 24th at NCAAs.

No. 9 Men’s Golf

Tech has hit a bit of a snag of late, finishing in 12th against one of the best fields they will see all year at the Valspar Collegiate. Andy Ogletree led the way with a career-low 63 on day three, but there wasn’t much going on for the rest of the Jackets as they slid all the way to twelfth, Luckily, there’s plenty of weeks left for the Jackets to figure things out more before the postseason.

This week: Tech hits the links again in Salem, NC, at the Clemson Invitational.

Men’s Tennis

Though Tech has lost three straight, including a tough loss to a comparable VPISU team and another to the defending champion Wake Forest Deamon Deacons, Tech was on a two match win streak, with both coming against ranked opponents - no. 33 Duke and no. 7 North Carolina. The upset of the Tar Heels was Tech’s best match win in many years and could very well see them get a tournament look at the end of the year if they hold serve the rest of the schedule. The team isn’t the greatest Tech has seen, but they’re young, and improving, and they pass the eye test. It’ll be interesting to watch them grow.

This week: Tech hosts Louisville Friday night.

No. 33 Women’s Tennis

It’s been a middling let down of a season for a team that hit if not the highest of heights last year, but something pretty darn close. They’ve beaten the meh teams for the most part, but haven’t had a stand-out win in a while. Their most recent contest wound up in a sweep at the hands of Virginia, but was preceded by wins over Boston College and VPISU.

This week: Tech has a midday doubleheader at North Alabama and a weekend trip to Clemson.

Softball

Tech was swept by a still almost brand new Duke softball team, after narrowly falling to no. 4 Alabama 4-3 on the road midweek. Their RPI, which was at 45 last week, representing a high-water mark of the past few years, is trending back down now, subsequently, but having preceded that with series wins over North Carolina, who knocked them out of the ACC tournament last year, and Virginia, as well as midweek wins against Troy, Furman, and Mercer alleviates the recent woes. Breanna Roper is hitting like an absolute stud, one of the best in the conference and the sport, which is great to see, if only Tech could pull out a few more wins to play themselves into a tournament at-large bid. Quite honestly, their situation reminds me of a parallel example: the 2018 Georgia Tech baseball season, for perspective. But, big picture, they are certainly trending up, fast.

This week: The Jackets head to Ames, Iowa, for some reason, to face off against a rare Big 12 team this weekend after a slightly shorter jaunt to Panthersville to check in on Georgia State.

Track and Field

Hosted their invite over spring break, which was decently successful, and haven’t been in action since.

This week: The Jackets head to Auburn for the Tiger Track Classic.

Volleyball

Tech beat Auburn and Alabama in spring action.

This week: Tech gets three at home this weekend for a spring tune-up.

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From Elsewhere on the Flats:

It’s been a while since we took a look at club athletics at Tech:

• Women’s Lacrosse, who have had quite the season for themselves, have officially qualified for SWLL and the postseason. They’ve been steamrolling through opponents for a couple months now and look quite solid heading into the back stretch of the season.
• Men’s Lacrosse is ranked number one in the nation. I could leave it there, but one does not simply become the best without pulling out some great wins. Their last two have been dozen-plus goal routs of Alabama and Auburn, but the real gem of the season came in their upset of then-no. 1 Chapman. They schedule aggressively and it pays off with gutty wins like that one. They look excellent with the postseason rapidly approaching.
• Saving the best, most near and dear to my heart for last, the Georgia Tech Swim Club traveled to Columbus, Ohio to defend their national championship at Ohio State. This year’s host was Tech’s next closest competitor, and though the Jackets led them by almost 200 points through the distance events on Friday, they mounted a furious comeback on Sunday. However, the reigning champs were able to keep all comers at bay and walked out with their second straight national championship. Top 10 finishes came from Alex Rieger, Ellie Ridgeway, Rebecca Durham, Lindsay Knapp, Mathias Zacarias, Andrew Rowheder, Luke Teverino, Michael Quillen, Ally Nastasi, Derek Wu, Carson Fregosi, Makenna Laffey, Maddie Sibilia, Blake Bunnell, Olivia Fassett, Abbie Cochell, Landon Eisenhunt, Sterling Ralph, Nick Jozwiak, Eddie Cochell, and Jake Grant. The women won all five relays in dominant fashion, setting several national records in the process, and Tech walked out with the men in second place, the women’s title, and the overall championship trophy.

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For baseball coverage:

click here

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This Week on the Flats:

BOLD for home, REGULAR for away, ITALIC for time and location

Monday: OFF

Tuesday:
Women’s Tennis at North Alabama
11:00 AM, Florence, AL
1:00 PM, Florence, AL

Baseball at Auburn
7:00 PM, Auburn, AL, SEC Network+ and WREK 91.1

Softball vs. Jacksonville State

5:00 PM, Mewborn Field

Wednesday:
Softball at Georgia State
6:00 PM, Panthersvilee, GA, Watch Live via RamblinWreck.com

Thursday: OFF

Friday:
Baseball vs. North Carolina
4:00 PM, The Rusty C, ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1

Men’s Golf at Clemson Invitational
All day, Salem, NC

Saturday:
Softball at Iowa State
2:00 PM, Ames, IA
4:30 PM, Ames, IA

Baseball vs. North Carolina
4:00 PM, The Rusty C, ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1

Men’s Golf at Clemson Invitational
All day, Salem, NC

Track and Field and the Tiger Track Classic
All day, Auburn, AL

Sunday:
Men’s Tennis vs. Louisville
12:00 PM, Ken Byers Tennis Complex

Baseball vs. North Carolina
1:00 PM, The Rusty C, ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1

Softball at Iowa State
3:00 PM, Ames, IA

Women’s Tennis at Clemson
3:00 PM, Clemson, SC

Men’s Golf at Clemson Invitational
All day, Salem, NC

Track and Field and the Tiger Track Classic
All day, Auburn, AL