LOUISVILLE, Ky. – National champion University of North Georgia was named 2023 ATEC/NFCA NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced on Tuesday afternoon.
The Nighthawks (64-7) put together a 10-1 postseason record on their way to the program's second NCAA Division II crown. Under the guidance of head coach Mike Davenport and assistant coach Alea White, UNG rolled through Southeast Regional and Super Regional action with four shutouts and a 33-3 scoring differential.
As the No. 3 overall seed in Chattanooga, North Georgia opened with wins over No. 6 East Stroudsburg and No. 2 Central Oklahoma, and after a defeat in semifinal game No. 1 to top-seeded UT Tyler, they blanked the Patriots to advance to the Championship Series where they swept No. 5 Grand Valley State in the Championship Series.
UNG, which shared the Peach Belt regular season and won the tournament title, finished with a program-record 64 victories, the top win total across all three NCAA divisions. Davenport, who concluded his 23rd year, reached the 1,000-win milestone on March 6 following a doubleheader sweep of Barry and now owns a 1,042-267 (.796) career record.
The 64 wins this season were the most in program history, eclipsing the 2018 team's total of 62. UNG ranked first in hits and runs with the sixth-best batting average in NCAA DII, using a deep pitching staff featuring four pitchers with 75 or more innings pitched.
