For three years, football teams from the state of North Carolina have been trying to beat the Jackets. Today, that losing streak extended to four years in a thriller that kept Tech fans on the edge of their seats until the clock hit 0:00.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Jackets were cruising to victory holding a ten point lead. A mixture of poor execution on both sides of the ball led to the game being tied with under a minute left. The Jackets know all too well that the game is not over until it is over – look at their comeback victory against Miami last season – but it started to look like this game would be decided in overtime.. Fortunately, redshirt junior running back Jamal Haynes changed the tone of the game.

The Jackets knew they would need to go carry-for-carry against the Tar Heels. Despite having the best run defense in the ACC,  North Carolina junior running back Omarion Hampton, who accumulated 764 yards in the season so far, is a handful for any defense. Thankfully, the Jackets had a talented runner of their own in Haynes, who had an encore performance after racking up 128 yards on the ground against Duke.

Tech’s run game shredded the UNC defense, led by Tech’s former head coach Geoff Collins, for 371 yards. Haynes led the way for the Jackets with a dominant 170 yards. He delivered the finishing blow for Tech with a 68-yard run with less than 30 seconds left in the game. Sophomore running back Chad Alexander complemented Haynes well with 61 yards as well as running for the first points of the game to make the score 7-0. However, the most impressive rushing display might have been from redshirt junior quarterback Haynes King. King rushed for 107 yards, his most of the season, and capped off his day with two touchdowns on the ground. 

Despite the strong run game, the Jackets struggled to move the ball through the air. King completed just 50% of his passes, by far his worst game of the season from a passing standpoint. King’s poor game could be attributed to an awkward hit that he took early in the first half. His injury kept him from playing in the last two drives of the game. Redshirt sophomore Zach Pyron entered the game for Tech, but offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner chose to keep the ball on the ground to run out the clock. 

The Jackets defense failed to hold up well against the Tar Heels, giving up 417 yards. Despite the abundance of yards, Tech’s defense came up with two big takeaways. After being denied his first takeaway of the season last week due to a pass interference penalty, redshirt sophomore Syeed Gibbs registered a strip sack to set Tech up in excellent field position. The Jackets offense scored in the ensuing drive, exhibiting the complementary football that Key strives to play. The second takeaway was a fumble forced by senior linebacker Trenilyas Tatum. On top of the turnovers, Tech’s pass rush played a major factor registering three sacks, a season high, and tipping numerous passes.

Special teams were inconsistent in the game. Senior punter David Shanahan pinned UNC on their own four yard line for his first punt of the game. However, the punt team gave up a return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Redshirt sophomore Aidan Birr hit two out of his three field goals on the day, missing a 49 yard attempt. 

With the win, Tech’s record moves to 5-2, just one win from clinching a second bowl game in two years. The game was sloppy, but hard-fought in a way that proves Tech football is capable of delivering down the stretch – especially on the money downs.

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The moment that internet sensation Haliey Welch did that notorious street interview, a podcast was inevitable. Plenty of media companies were after her talents, but media mogul Jake Paul won her over thanks to his elaborate content portfolio. Although still relatively new, “Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch” has grown to be one of the most popular podcasts in the world, peaking at No. 3 on the Spotify US charts.

Welch’s newfound fame can be attributed to a viral street interview that was conducted in Nashville, Tenn. The interviewer asked Welch, “What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” Her response would forever live in the annals of history; “You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” Welch said with great emphasis. The interview spread like wildfire with everyone and their mother knowing about this single interview moment. The phrase “hawk tuah” is an onomatopoeia of spitting prior to conducting a fellatory act. The reason the interview became so popular is still unknown, but Welch’s tone and message certainly played a major factor. The meme only grew further when celebrities like Conor McGregor asked to find the “hawk tuah” girl. Welch has taken advantage of her new found fame, and “Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch” is just the start for Welch in search of becoming a cultural icon.

“Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch” is a weekly podcast hosted by Welch and a group of producers that invite guests to discuss a wide variety of important topics. Guests ranged from Internet personality JoJo Siwa, who is known from her “Dance Moms” stardom and other influencer endeavors, to Welch’s friends from her hometown. The conversation captivates the audience by discussing topics from relationships, where Welch tends to bring up her “pookie,” to life experiences. When tuning into the podcast every week, Welch does a good job of keeping her audience on their toes, listeners never know what stories or topics will be brought up next. The podcast itself can be seen as entertaining at times, extracting some interesting stories from guests, but also makes listeners question whether the conversation needs to be broadcasted to a greater audience. Despite the critics, “Talk Tuah” has quite the allegiance of fans that have taken the internet by storm.

Welch’s fans have not yet named their fandom, but her supporters rival that of “Barbz,” with Nicki Minaj, and “Swifties,” with Taylor Swift. “Talk Tuah” fans have edited photos to include “guests” which never appeared on the podcast. The most notable “guests” are Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un and former president and Tech alum, Jimmy Carter. Welch addressed the topic in episode three of the podcast, she called the people that created the doctored images “a*******,” but former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, who was the guest on the episode, pointed out that the fandom was “incredible.” On top of making new “guests,” “Talk Tuah” fans made graphics of Welch addressing topics which were never discussed on the podcast. These graphics range in subject and have reached almost every corner of the internet. The fandom, whether genuine or a façade, helped make “Talk Tuah” into the cultural phenomenon that it is today.

Despite the mixed feelings about the podcast, Welch tackled the topic of her fame in the video announcing her podcast;  “Y’all really thought I was done? I’m just getting started, baby,” she said to her critics. Welch lived up to her promise so far, on top of having the podcast, she also live-streamed on Kick at DreamHack Atlanta. Although “Talk Tuah” may not be everyone’s favorite, Welch will continue to create episodes and make the most of the opportunity that she has been afforded.

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Making the MLB playoffs is not supposed to be easy, but the Atlanta Braves would have preferred a less turbulent path to make the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. Although the result was the same, this season was very different from previous years. Despite a season marred by injuries to star pitcher Spencer Strider, 2023 National League (NL) MVP outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and lineup staples like Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley and outfielder Michael Harris Jr., the Braves were able to fight for a chance to win a World Series.

Entering the season, the Braves were favorites to extend their six-year streak of winning the NL East. Though they saw regular season success, the postseason proved unkind to Atlanta last season, and they were bounced by their fierce rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS. They did make two additions of note that improved their season outlook. Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos made the call to acquire former top prospect Jarred Kelenic  from the Seattle Mariners. Once thought of as one of the sport’s best young prospects, Kelenic was looking for a fresh start in Atlanta after a disappointing tenure in Seattle.. Anthopoulos also made another acquisition that received little attention at the time by landing veteran pitcher Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox. Sale has dealt with injuries throughout his career and looked to put together a season to secure his first Cy Young award.

The Braves started out the season strong and stayed in first place for the first 31 games. Despite the strong start, the warning signs were starting to show. Strider, who finished fourth place in voting for the 2023 NL Cy Young award, got injured in just his second start. This injury kept the ace pitcher from playing for the rest of the season. On a more positive note, designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, propelled the offense. Ozuna started the season scorching hot, accumulating nine home runs and 31 RBIs in March and April while having a 1.036 OPS.

After the strong start, the Braves started to slow, only going two games above 0.500 for the months of May, June, July and Aug. Injuries once again played a factor. Albies injured his hand on a freak play in late July. Harris II suffered a hamstring strain in June which hampered Atlanta’s fielding and hitting. However, Acuna Jr. suffered a torn ACL, which sidelined the Venezuelan super star for the remainder of the season. Despite the significant injury, the Braves were able to stay afloat thanks to the depth of their roster. Players like outfielder Ramon Laureano, infielder Whit Merrifield, infielder Gio Urshela and outfielder Jorge Soler, a former postseason hero for Atlanta who was re-acquired at the trade deadline, all played a major role in keeping the team afloat.

Going into the last month of the season, the Braves had to finish strong to hold onto the playoff spot that seemed secure for the majority of the season. The team continued their cold streak from the previous months to start the month but the experienced roster knew they had to improve.

They were able to pull together when it mattered most. The Braves won seven of their last nine games before a fateful double header against the New York Mets. After the onset of Hurricane Helene, the games of the final double-header were moved to the last day of the regular season. As a result, three teams’ playoff fates were to be determined by the two games between Mets and Braves. For the Braves and Mets, the scenarios were simple: win one game to get in. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the last team fighting for the playoffs, needed one of the teams to win both games of the double header..

Game One of the double header lived up to the billing. Pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach started the game for the Braves and threw seven scoreless innings. Mets pitcher  Tylor Megill could not match Schwellenbach, throwing 5.2 innings and allowing 3 runs. However, the game got dire for Atlanta in the eighth inning. The Mets exploded for six runs to give themselves a 6-3 lead. The offensive explosion was highlighted by outfielder Brandom Nimmo, who scorched a pitch for a two-run home run off of Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias. In just one swing of his bat, Nimmo stopped the hearts of the entire crowd at the Battery. . The bottom of the eighth was highlighted by two moments. The first was when Kelenic delivered a clutch single to knock in a run and narrow the deficit to two. The second was when Albies drove a pitch to left field with the bases loaded to score three runs and give the Braves a 7-6 lead. The Mets answered once again with a two run home run by star shortstop Francisco Lindor. The home run gave the Mets a 8-7 lead. The Braves were unable to respond and were forced to win the following game of the double header in order to extend the season.

Game 2 was less climatic. The Braves took a one run lead in the second inning thanks to an Urshela RBI and never looked back. The Braves won the game 3-0 and secured a playoff series against the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card.

Despite the season being tainted by injuries, the Braves had one bright spot. Sale entered the season just looking to stay on the field. He left the season by adding a Cy Young to a highly decorated career. Sale did not just win the Cy Young, but also secured a pitching triple crown, leading the NL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. The last pitcher to win a triple crown was Clayton Kershaw in 2011. Atlanta has revitalized Sale’s career and he repaid the organization’s trust by pitching one of the best seasons in the 2020s.

After scraping into the playoffs, the Braves had the Padres waiting for them. The Padres are far from a slouch, posting an MLB-best 43-20 record in the second half of the season. The Braves did not have  Sale for the series and are hoping for third baseman Austin Riley to return from injury. As a result, Atlanta needed Ozuna, Olson and catcher Travis d’Arnaud to propel the offense to the NLDS.

They fell short of that goal, falling to the Padres in the Wild Card round in a 2-0 sweep. Atlanta soundly lost Game 1, 4-0, before narrowly dropping Game 2 by a score of 5-4. In the first game, Atlanta’s lineup had no answers for Padres starter Michael King. He went seven innings and struck out 12 batters. Conversely, Braves starter A.J Smith-Shawver gave up three runs in his first inning. An already-weakened Atlanta bullpen was forced to cover the rest of the game, which they did quite well. However, the offense could not pick them up. The Braves left 11 runners on base and struggled to find any sort of spark. Game 2 again started with a suboptimal performance from Atlanta’s starter. Max Fried, a normally reliable part of Atlanta’s rotation, only went two innings as he gave up eight hits and five runs. It did not help that he was forced to leave the game early due to a hip injury. Once again, the bullpen covered things well for Atlanta. Soler and Harris Jr. both knocked home runs in for the Braves to make it a 5-4 game. In particular, Harris’s two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth gave Atlanta some life. However, the comeback fell short at the end.

Although Atlanta lost in the Wild Card, credit must be given for their resilience through a turbulent season. They will use the winter to re-tool the roster and get back into contention for the top of the NL East as they vy for a return to the World Series next October.

The post Injury-depleted Braves suffer playoff exit in 2024 MLB playoffs appeared first on Technique.

On a day marked by steadily falling rain, Tech poured on the points. It served as a nice way to wash out a disappointing, hard-fought loss to Syracuse last week.  “We know we didn’t play up to expectations on the defensive side of the football [against Syracuse]” head coach Brent Key said. . The defense did a better job of answering those expectations  by holding the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Keydets to 104 yards in the 59-7 win.

To be blunt, this is a game Tech was expected to handle. Even ignoring the fact that the Keydets have not beaten Tech since 1950, the Jackets were favored heading into the matchup. The game started off slowly with both teams exchanging three-and-outs. On the Keydets next drive, the Jackets defense shook things up. Redshirt junior cornerback Ahmari Harvey delivered a thunderous hit to force a fumble that Tech recovered to set up the offense.

After the fumble recovery, Tech marched down the field and scored their first points of the game. Redshirt sophomore kicker Aidan Birr nailed a 28-yard field goal, making the score 3-0. On the Jackets’ next drive, the offense showed their big play ability. The Jackets struck fast — sophomore Eric Singleton Jr. ran for 15 yards before redshirt junior quarterback King found redshirt junior Malik Rutherford. The receiver did the rest, slicing through the defense and making his way into the endzone for Tech’s first TD of the afternoon. The Jackets’ barrage continued with redshirt sophomore quarterback Zach Pyron pushing to score his second touchdown of the season. Pyron was set up by Singleton Jr, who hauled in a 50-yard reception from King. The Jackets ended the first quarter up 17-0.

Tech’s defense dominated throughout the first quarter only allowing 11 yards on 12 plays alongside the one turnover. The offense sliced through VMI for 168 yards.

The second quarter was much of the same for the Jackets. Notably, four minutes and 59 seconds into the second quarter, VMI secured their first first down of the day. Their victory was short-lived as Tech  forced them to punt three downs later. The Jackets scored 21 more points before halftime while holding the Keydets to zero, Tech led 38-0 at the break. The scoring was highlighted by senior tight end Avery Boyd who scored his second touchdown of the year on a 33 yard catch and run. Singleton Jr. and Pyron scored the other two touchdowns for the Jackets.

The 38-0 lead was the sixth largest halftime lead in program history. King led the way with 275 yards passing and three touchdowns. The game was in such a state that the coaches agreed to shorten the third and fourth quarters to 10 minutes instead of the normal 15 minutes.

The lead gave Tech the opportunity for some players to get some important game time with many of the starters not seeing the field after the break. “It’s not as much getting the guys rest… [but] it’s getting the other guys the experience to be able to add to the depth and have experienced depth,” Coach Key said.

Despite the new personnel, the Jackets continued to score. On the first drive of the second half, freshman running back Trelain Maddox scored his first touchdown as a Jacket, extending the lead to 45-0. Pyron set Maddox up with his 23 yards rushing. The quarterback continued his dominance, when later on in the quarter, he connected with redshirt junior Leo Blackburn, who has struggled with injury during his time at Tech, for a 24 yard score. The Jackets led 52-0 at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, VMI would put up their first points of the game to make the score 52-7. Freshman quarterback Aaron Philo, Georgia high school football’s all-time leading passer, entered the game for the first time as a Jacket. Philo made his presence felt by connecting with redshirt freshman receiver Chris Elko for a 41 yard gain on fourth down. The Jackets punched the ball in to make the score 59-7. Redshirt junior quarterback Brody Rhodes then came in to run out the clock. Tech dominated from start to finish and won 59-7.

The Jackets defense only allowed five first downs, which is the second fewest allowed in program history and last achieved in 1964. VMI only notched 104 yards of total offense while giving up three sacks. Freshman linebacker Tah’j Butler set a new career high with five tackles. However, the team does not view this as a one-time occurence.  “That’s the standard. That’s what we have to do all year and it has to be consistent” redshirt junior Romello Height said.

Tech moved the ball at will on the offensive side. King posted 275 passing yards  and three touchdown passes in only two quarters. Tech’s 382 total passing yards ranks sixth in program history and is the most since 2001. Maddox rushed for 53 yards in his collegiate debut along with a touchdown. Singleton Jr. notched 117 all-purpose yards leading the team in total yards. Despite his proficient collegiate career, Singleton Jr. ‘s 102 receiving yards was just the second career 100-yard receiving game as a Jacket.

The Jackets’ win moved their record to 3-1, the program’s best start since 2017. Next, they travel to Louisville, Ky. to take on the No. 19 Louisville Cardinals in hopes of preserving their momentum. The Jackets are hoping to avenge their 39-34 loss to the Cardinals last season and recapture a place in the rankings.

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The Jackets went to Provo, UT, with a point to prove. After dropping the first game of the season to UCLA, Tech got their season back on track with wins over the Lipscomb Bison and No. 14 Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars. “I think with BYU, we don’t need to sweep them, we just need to win. Putting effort into every set, no matter how many we’ve won so far,” said junior middle blocker Anna Boezi on the importance of the BYU game.

Boezi, who originates from Ohio, was immediately drawn to Tech thanks to its well rounded nature as a school. “During my recruiting process, I was looking for an academic school. … So obviously, Tech was a really easy choice. Definitely the best combination of high quality volleyball and high quality academics.” Boezi said.

Volleyball has grown to be one of the most successful sports teams at Tech, and that can be drawn from the culture. “I think it’s a continuation of what the coaches preach throughout the players. When I first came in, Breland [Morrissette], Erin [Moss] and Julia [Bergmann] were seniors and had really high standards during practice. … And then obviously, [coach] Michelle [Collier] does a good job of maintaining that … . But, I think our standards are very clear for everybody, and we know when we’re doing something right or wrong.” Boezi said.

These high standards and supportive team environment lead the players to be ready at all times. Last season, due to an injury to junior middle blocker Liv Mogridge, Boezi stepped into the starting line up for the game against Wake Forest. 

“I wasn’t expecting to start at all, but my teammates…  texted me saying, ‘You are ready for this.’ and ‘We are ready to help you.’ And my coaches didn’t put a ton of pressure on me. They just said ‘Go play.’ … I did not have a lights-out game, but I helped the team win, so I was happy with that,” Boezi said. She started every game for the rest of the season and continued to develop.

Despite playing a crucial role last year, Boezi has not seen the court as much this year and has had to shift her mindset. “ It’s honestly really been difficult to go from a starting position to being on the bench for a full game because it’s such a fun experience to play, and it’s just very difficult. But I really love the game, and I want to be there even if I’m not starting.” Boezi said.

The crowd at O’Keefe Gymnasium is known to support the Jackets throughout the season, posting near sellouts consistently creating a raucous atmosphere for the players. “I mostly feel support [from the O’Keefe crowd] and seeing the full crowd, I personally started crying [walking out for the season opener] during our little entry video. … It’s an insane environment and it’s so loud, there’s so much energy, and you feel so much love. … It is definitely an advantage for us.” Boezi said. O’Keefe has become a fortress for the Jackets, compiling a 32-9 home record over the last three seasons.

Despite O’Keefe being the home of the volleyball program, the McCamish Pavilion hosted one game for each of the past two seasons. Those games resulted in two Tech losses to u[sic]ga and the University of Pittsburgh, but the building offers more fans the opportunity to watch the team. “[McCamish Pavilion] makes me more excited. So many more people are coming to that game. … it’s a great opportunity to showcase what Tech volleyball can be.” Boezi said. The Jackets emphatically denied the notion of any “McCamish curse” by sweeping No. 13 Florida 3-0.

The Jackets went to Provo, UT, for match ups against Lipscomb and BYU. Tech’s first match of the weekend was against the Bison. The Jackets pulled to an early 7-2 in the first set, before closing out the set 25-16. Senior outside hitter Tamara Otene powered the Tech offense with six kills to put Tech up one set. Lipscomb kept the second set closer, tying the game up at seven a piece before the Jackets pulled away. Tech went on an 8-0 run to take the second set 25-16. Senior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino accounted for a service ace, and Otene had five kills, leading the team in the set. The third set was a much more tense affair.  The score was tied at 15-15 before Tech showed their resilience once more with a 10-1 run to sweep the Bison, 25-16, 25-16, 25-16. Otene and Bertolino dominated — the duo had more kills than the entire Lipscomb team with 27.

Heading into the matchup, the BYU game was seen as one that Tech needed to win in order to show their capability as a team. The Jackets needed to be resilient to come out on top in a five-set thriller.

The game started off as close as could be, the Jackets and Cougars exchanged points throughout the first set and the game was tied at 10. BYU would eventually pull away and win the set 25-20. The Jackets will categorize the lost set due to lost opportunities, incurring 10 hitting errors compared to the Cougars five. Tech cleaned up those mistakes in the second set to win 25-20. The Jackets committed just three hitting errors while posting a 0.357 hitting percentage. Sophomore right side hitter Larissa Mendes led the team with six kills.

BYU bounced back in the third set to win 25-19. Tech were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, only achieving a 0.139 hitting percentage compared to BYU’s 0.324. The Jackets responded once again, winning the fourth set 25-20. 

After a hard-fought game, a decisive fifth set was needed. Tech got behind early before calling a timeout with the score at 6-3. The Jackets responded with a 6-4 run of their own before the Cougars called a timeout at 9-7 in favor of Tech. Despite BYU’s effort, Tech closed out the game 15-13. The 3-2 win for the Jackets propelled the team to No. 15 in the nation. Otene’s 41 kills over the two games earned her ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

The Jackets have had ups and downs throughout Boezi’s time at Jacket, but the team continues to fight for every win on their schedule. However, one win stands out as Boezi’s favorite as a Jacket.. 

“I gotta say, the Louisville game. That was my best performance, also one of the team’s best performances of that season, and it was our highest ranked win ever. Some games just have a certain feeling while you’re playing or when you’re thinking about it, and that feeling is something I want to capture.” Boezi said. The Jackets will hope to capture more of those games in the future.

The post Boezi, Jackets tame Cougars in five set thriller appeared first on Technique.

Fifth-year runner Kate Jortberg has continued on an upward trajectory throughout her time as a Jacket. Her improvement culminated in an exceptional performance at the 2024 ACC Championships in outdoor track. She recorded a time of 34:16.53 in the 10,000m, was fifth in the conference and earned second-team all-conference honors. After her successful ACC Championship, Jortberg is hoping to build on her performance heading into the cross country season. “Cross country is my favorite. I like it way more than track and I historically have a lot more success in cross country than I did in track. … So now that I have proven to myself that even though track is not my favorite, I had these really good races, and I proved to myself that I can excel there. I know I can bring that momentum into this cross country season.” Jortberg said. Despite her impressive championship performance, Jortberg has loftier goals than performing well within the conference. 

“Indoor and outdoor [track] was really disappointing last season. I was pretty close to the regional cutoff, so even though I was fifth at ACC, the top 48 qualify for regionals. …. So a goal of mine is to get in the top 48 and make it to the NCAA first round regional.” said Jortberg. The track and cross country teams have pushed themselves to new levels of success through friendly competition that fosters an environment of growth. This is best exemplified through Jortberg’s friendly rivalry with fifth year Katy Earwood. 

“Katy is third. And then my old teammate, Liz [Galarza], is fourth best. It’s very upsetting that [Earwood] has already used up all of her eligibility in outdoor track… so she won’t be able to race with me. … Last year, every 10k that I ran, she was there with me and we raced it together. But now next year, I’m going to have to run them alone.” said Jortberg. She joined Tech as a transfer student and found the approach to training to be a refreshing change from her previous experience. The different approach changed her mindset towards training but also has improved her results significantly. “Here, our workouts are not meant to run us into the ground. They’re meant to make us better as an athlete so that we perform our best in our races, instead of overexerting ourselves in workouts. … I proved that to myself this past February, I was not really doing very intense workouts. And then I went and I raced a 5k, and I had a huge personal best,” said Jortberg in reference to her 16:37.16 time in the Music City Challenge 5k.

Not only has the new environment led her to new heights as a competitor, Jortberg appreciates that her coaches, Alan Drosky and Becky Megesi, see her as a developing person rather than just a time on a competition board. “I did not know, honestly, until I came on my official visit at Tech during my sophomore year of college that there were coaches like my current coaches, that are very supportive and want the best for you and see you as a whole person, not just an athlete.” said Jortberg, on her first impression of Tech.

The push to broaden her horizons as an individual comes from her teammates as well as her  coaches. “As for a whole school or a whole team, something that surprised me is how well-rounded my teammates are. Everyone has something going on outside of running, which I really like because it doesn’t make running our whole personality. If you’re injured, say, then it’s not like your entire life is crashing down,” Jortberg said.  “The school really encourages us to be well rounded, so that when we leave and we graduate, we don’t lose our identity.” 

The Track and Cross Country teams are not the only teams that focus on creating well-rounded people. The Tech athletic department has made it a point of emphasis to “educate and empower student-athletes to be champions [in] life….”

Jortberg said “Here [at Tech] we have the Total Person Program, so they really care about our career and professional development, as well as our personal development. That’s a whole athletic department-wide characteristic, I would say that I really appreciate [it], and that’s part of the reason I came to Tech.”

She expounded on the Total Person Program. “It’s run by Kevin Cone, who is our assistant AD, but he’s not the only one. It’s one of the first things that they present to us. It’s a program that puts on resume reviews, headshots, student athlete career fairs — some things that are really helpful.”

Outside of the official Tech programs, student-athletes can relate to each other’s experiences and give guidance once they get in professional roles. “Over the summer, I interned at Boeing and met with someone who ran at Tech who won a company wide award for a Simio model that she created. Because of my background as a runner it gave me an opportunity to meet someone who I wouldn’t have met otherwise and opened doors professionally.” Jortberg said.

The holistic view of student-athletes has led to success for the cross country team as a whole. This past weekend, Tech’s women placed first at the Kennesaw State Invitational with senior Mary Brady winning, followed by fifth-year Grace Driskill and Jortberg rounding out the podium in a Jackets sweep.

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Atlanta United entered the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season with high expectations, having narrowly lost to the eventual MLS Cup Champion, Columbus Crew, in the playoffs last year. From the start of the season, the team failed to live up to the championship expectations set in the offseason After a slow start, head coach Gonzalo Pineda parted ways with the team. Alongside Pineda, star players midfielder Thiago Almada and striker Giorgos Giakoumakis were transferred for $21 million and $10 million, respectively. Despite the losses of Almada and Giakoumakis, winger Saba Lobjanidze and striker Daniel Ríos provided some much needed goals for the team. 

Having played 25 out of 34 games in the MLS, the Five Stripes sit ninth in the Eastern Conference and barely hold onto the last playoff spot. With nine games left in the season, interim manager Rob Valentino has the opportunity to end a turbulent year on a relatively positive note.

Atlanta United experienced some major losses in personnel  throughout the season. The most notable were Pineda, Almada, Giakoumakis and defender Caleb Wiley. Pineda’s tenure at the club is a testament to lost potential. He consistently had one of the most talented rosters in the league but failed to pair that talent with results on the pitch. Pineda  won just 38 out of 108 games as the squad he managed played an uninspiring brand of soccer. It ultimately failed to entertain the fanbase and his departure was hardly a surprise upon being announced.

Almada has been one of the top players in the MLS for the past few seasons, consistently being one of the league’s top scorers and playmakers. The young midfielder  has been rumored to leave for multiple years, but the Five Stripes were only looking to trade him for a fee similar to the one that they got for former star winger Miguel Almirón. Atlanta United collected $21 million that can rise to $30 million from French professional club Olympique Lyonnais. Atlanta United will miss Almada but will be able to use the funds collected from the transfer to further improve the team.

Giakoumakis played just under 38 games for Atlanta United but scored 22 goals. The Greek striker was one of the premier goalscorers in the MLS, emerging as one of the most potent weapons in the Five Stripes’ attack. Atlanta United recouped $10 million from Mexican soccer club Cruz Azul for the striker. Giakoumakis had a short tenure for the Golden Spikes, but he will be remembered for his goals the overall intensity that he brought to the team. 

Wiley has been part of Atlanta United since its inception, being one of the 30 boys on the under-12 team in 2016. Having grown up in Morningside, Wiley has been one of the few Atlanta natives on the team. Wiley first appeared as a substitute throughout the 2022 season but became an integral member of the squad in 2023. Atlanta United cashed out on Wiley this season when Chelsea paid almost $11 million for his transfer. He will be truly missed in Atlanta, but his success paves the way for other members of the Golden Spikes to find their way to the biggest clubs in the world.

After losing key contributors throughout the squad, Atlanta United had to find replacements in order to preserve their playoff hopes. The major addition for the 17’s came in the form of Ríos, who  joined the team after spending the first part of his Atlanta United tenure on loan at Chivas. The Mexican striker has started his tenure strong, becoming a key member of the squad. Alongside Ríos, the Five Stripes acquired Alexey Miranchuk from Atalanta BC in Italy. Miranchuk should help fill the void left by Almada and contribute to Atlanta for many seasons to come.

Despite the losses in talent, Atlanta United has a few bright spots. Lobjanidze has been electric for the 17’s. The Georgian notched six goals and three assists in this season so far as one of the team’s top goalscorers. Wingback Brooks Lennon continued to be a creative outlet on the right hand side and leads the team in assists with five. Stian Gregersen and Derrick Williams have done an impressive job of leading the back line and contributing towards a strong defense. 

After being knocked out of the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup, Atlanta United only has the MLS postseason left. The Five Stripes sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just one point ahead of tenth, and currently have a playoff berth. 

With nine games remaining in the season, the 17’s have six games against teams that are currently in playoff positions. Atlanta United has a tough schedule ahead of them, and they will need to prove their worth and show the league that they belong in the playoffs. Plenty is still at stake for Atlanta United, and the final games of the season should be some of the season’s best as they look to salvage their season and make the playoffs.

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Spain and England faced off in a highly anticipated match up in Berlin to determine the winner of the 2024 European Championship. Each team took their own distinct path to the final. In theory, Spain had the tougher draw, coming up against the likes of Italy, Croatia, Germany and France en route to the final. England had relatively easier matchups, facing Denmark, Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Everything these teams had fought for came down to just 90 minutes on Sunday, July 14. Both teams understood their performances on the pitch would be remembered by history, whether triumphant or tragic..

Heading into the final, Spain was the clear favorite. Riding a six-game winning streak, they dominated five of their opponents within 90 minutes. The only game that went into extra time was Spain’s 2-1 thrilling win over Germany. Spain looked to dominate the ball, only being out-possessed in their games against Germany and Croatia in the tournament. With the possession, Spain had three main attacking outlets: dynamic winger Nico Williams, shifty forward Dani Olmo and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. Williams and Yamal played on the wing terrorizing defenders while Olmo used pockets of space on the field to create scoring chances out of nothing. From the midfield, Rodri lived up to his status as one of the game’s best by constantly funneling the ball to attackers. He both stopped opponent attacks and launched Spain forward. Heading into the final, Spain had scored a tournament-leading 13 goals.

England, by contrast, clawed their way through the tournament standings. Only 60 seconds stood between England and  elimination in the round of 16 match up against Slovakia. Of course, that was before superstar midfielder Jude Bellingham scored a wonder goal to send the game to extra time. England would go on to beat Slovakia 2-1 and progress to the next round. In the quarterfinals, England once again conceded first but a moment of magic from winger Bukayo Saka tied the game with 10 minutes remaining. England forced the game to a penalty shootout where they won thanks to five strong penalties. The Three Lions fell behind for a third time in the semifinal against the Netherlands, thanks to a thunderous strike from Dutch winger Xavi Simons. England equalized the score  thanks to a Harry Kane penalty, and in the dying moments of regular time, striker Ollie Watkins lashed in a goal to secure England’s spot in the final. Despite a shaky set of performances, they secured their second European Championship final in as many tournaments. It would be reductive to say England was lucky to be in the final. Rather, their impressive collection of talent led to moments of magic from individuals rather than complete teamplay. 

In the final, both teams were able to field their strongest starting XIs. Spain remained unchanged with the exception of defenders Robin Le Normand and Dani Carvajal returning from suspension. England made one change by substituting defender Luke Shaw, who recovered from injury, in for  defender Kieran Trippier. The game started with Spain controlling much of the ball and England sitting back absorbing the pressure. Both teams had chances in the first half but neither capitalized. Williams produced the best of Spain’s chances while England’s best chance came on a shot off the foot of  Phil Foden. However, Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón comfortably saved the shot, and Williams failed to threaten English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The half was a back and forth affair with Spain having most of the ball but England threatened on their limited opportunities.

Starting the second half, Spain threatened immediately with Yamal slicing through the England defense to lay a perfect ball for Williams. The winger slotted the ball away into the net to give Spain a 1-0 advantage. England’s defense lacked the organization that was present throughout the first half. After Spain’s goal, England’s manager Gareth Southgate made two changes. Southgate brought on Watkins and superstar Cole Palmer. The substitutions instantly made England more threatening. Just three minutes after getting introduced, Palmer scored to tie the game at one apiece. The goal came from Bellingham, who layed off a pass to Palmer that thundered into the Spanish net. After England scored, Spain raised the pressure once again. 13 minutes after Palmer’s goal, Mikel Oyarzabal redirected a cross from Marc Cucerella to put Spain ahead one final time. The chance seemingly came out of nowhere, but the end result was undeniable. England threw everything in desperate hopes of equalizing, but Simón’s goalkeeping and a goal line clearance from Olmo secured the win for Spain. 

Spain played the best soccer in the tournament and rightfully came out victorious. Rodri earned Player of the Tournament thanks to his dominance in the midfield. Yamal was the best young player throughout Euros 2024, leading the tournament with five assists. Olmo’s three goals tied him with Kane, the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo, Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz, Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze as the tournament’s top goalscorers. Spain’s powerful youth, namely 17 year old Yamal and 22 year old Williams, make them a team to fear for the future.

England, on the other hand, leaves with more questions than answers. Despite his impressive tournament results, Southgate has failed to get the England team to live up to expectations. Southgate set the team up in a very defensive manner despite having some of the best attacking players in the world. He failed to extract the most out of his players as a manager, most notably Foden. The Manchester City midfielder failed to register a single goal contribution in the tournament. Following the heartbreaking loss to Spain, Southgate resigned as England coach. This decision was not all too surprising; he produced some of the best results in English soccer history but could not meet fan expectations for their national team. With two years until the World Cup, England has to decide the direction of the team and find the right person to guide them to the trophies.

The 2024 European Championship’s storylines captivated audiences from the first match to the final. The country of Georgia qualified to the round of 16 in their first ever European Championship appearance. Turkey finally delivered on their potential and made the quarterfinal led by the talented Arda Güler. The tournament showcased the talent around Europe and brought new eyes to previously under-appreciated nations.

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The Copa América is an international soccer tournament held every four years where South American national teams compete to be named the best team on the continent. Regular participants include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,n Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The Copa América also regularly invites national teams from outside South America. In this year’s tournament, the United States, Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica and Canada all earned invitations. The matches are spread across the United States, with games being played in 13 different cities.  Atlanta hosts two games — the opening match of the tournament, – Argentina vs. Canada on June 20, and the United States vs. Panama on June. 27. 

The 2024 Copa América is set to be one of the most intriguing in recent history, with most teams having a case to make a deep run. Leading the pack is Argentina. Argentina are favorites thanks to them winning the 2022 World Cup and the last Copa América in 2021. They are led by strong players, including one of the best ever in Lionel Messi. Brazil are also favorites despite having a weaker side than in previous years. The Brazilians are led by Vinicius Jr., who is arguably the best player in the world, and his dynamic Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo. 

Despite not having the best roster on paper, Colombia might be the most in-form team in the tournament. Led by the electric winger Luis Díaz, Colombia have not lost in  23 matches. 

Uruguay went into the tournament expecting  a strong showing courtesy of  enigmatic forward Darwin Núñez and midfield dynamo Federico Valverde. Finally, the last of the favorites is the United States. Despite not being a traditional soccer power, the United States have plenty of talent, especially captain Christian Pulisic and creative midfielder Gio Reyna. Even outside of the favorites, the tournament is filled with some of the best players in the world.

The tournament kicked off in Atlanta with Argentina playing Canada. Argentina are one of the favorites for the tournament thanks in large part to Messi. Canada is in the process of rebuilding, with new manager Jesse Marsch taking over earlier this year. The game started off evenly with both teams creating chances. Argentina eventually settled into the game but failed to score. The best chance of the first half came from Argentina attacker Ángel Di María whose  shot was smothered by Canadian Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau. Canada also had several good opportunities but failed to truly threaten the Argentina goal. At the end of the first half, the score was still tied at zero. Canada was  happier going into the half with Argentina disappointed at their missed opportunities. 

In the second half, Argentina immediately capitalized on their first chance with forward Julián Álvarez putting them ahead 1-0, thanks to a terrific pass from midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. After going down 1-0, Canada needed to equalize in the second half, but their efforts were not fruitful. With less than two minutes left to play, Argentina secured  the win thanks to striker Lautaro Martínez finishing off a tremendous pass from Messi. Argentina started the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Canada in the hope of once again being Copa América champions.

In the second and final game hosted in Atlanta, the United States will take on Panama. The United States are heavy favorites in the game thanks to dominating North and Central American teams in recent matchups. However, they will face a Panama team that hasn’t lost since playing Trinidad and Tobago in Nov. 2023.. Panama is a team that can upset anyone, beating  the United States in penalties the last time they played. The United States’ squad looks to dominate possession and allow Pulisic and Reyna to pick teams apart. But Panama likely plans to absorb the United States’ pressure. Once they have done so, they can  counter-attack to snatch a win against the run of play.

Overall, the 2024 Copa América will give the United States a chance to showcase the passion they have for soccer. This tournament will be important for Atlanta, too — with the World Cup only a year away, the city can  show why the United States National Team is moving their headquarters to Georgia and prove that it is one of the nation’s premier soccer cities.

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Although they had one of the 20 strongest schedules in college baseball, Tech finished the season with a 33-25 record and secured the No. 10 seed in the ACC tournament with a 15-15 record in conference play. The Jackets played in a pool alongside the Virginia Cavaliers and Florida State, where the winner of the pool would move onto a single elimination bracket. Tech could not secure wins against either the Seminoles or the Cavaliers and headed back to Atlanta, hoping they showed enough to compete in the College World Series (CWS). Fortunately, Tech was selected  and earned a berth in the Athens regional alongside the University of Georgia Bulldogs, University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks and the Army Golden Knights. The Jackets came within one inning of winning their regional but fell short in the end. Despite the disappointing season finale, the Jackets made an exciting return to the CWS qualifiers after one season out of it.

Tech started off their quest for an ACC title with a game against a familiar opponent in Florida State. Tech started the game off in trouble — sophomore designated hitter Marco Dinges smacked a two-run home run over the fence at the bottom of the first inning. Superstar freshman outfielder Drew Burress answered two innings later with a solo homer of his own to pull the Jackets within one. The Seminoles blew the game open in the fourth and fifth innings, hitting three home runs and scoring six runs to make the score 8-1. The Jackets battled back in the seventh, scoring five runs thanks to RBIs from freshman catcher Vahn Lackey, senior designated hitter Matthew Ellis, senior outfielder Cam Jones, senior second baseman Mike Becchetti and Burress. Florida State tacked on four more runs to push their advantage to 6 in the eighth inning with the score 12-6. Tech scored three runs in the ninth thanks to a homer from Jones and RBIs from Lackey and Burress. Unfortunately, Tech was unable to overcome the deficit and the game ended 9-12 in favor of Florida State. 

The Jackets did not have much time to absorb the loss; they took on Virginia in their second game of the ACC Championship tournament the very next day. Tech held serve in the first inning, but the game soon got out of hand. From the second to sixth inning, Virginia diced up Tech’s pitchers, scoring 13 unanswered runs. The Cavaliers sealed their victory  with a scoreless seventh inning to eliminate the Jackets from the ACC Championship. Tech only mustered five hits against Virginia’s pitching staff in a disappointing end to the ACC journey.

Despite a short ACC Championship run, the Jackets still had  more baseball to play. Initially projected to miss the CWS, the case against the Jackets came down to their record not being as strong as the others vying for a spot in the CWS. However, the committee recognized their strength of schedule was one of the toughest in the nation and ultimately gave Tech the nod. They were placed in the Athens Regional against a competition pool of UNC-Wilmington, Army and a familiar foe in Georgia.

After a shutout loss in their last game against the Bulldogs, Tech hoped to start the Athens Regional hot against UNC-Wilmington. They fell short of that goal. Their game against the Seahawks came down to two half-innings where Tech failed to execute. UNC Wilmington tagged the Jackets’ pitchers for four runs in the second and five runs in the eighth. The Jackets lost 9-0, forcing them to play an elimination game with their season in the balance against the Army Black Knights.

Thankfully, Tech came out swinging. The Jackets scored two runs in the first thanks to homers from Burress and senior third baseman John Giesler. Those two runs broke Tech’s 16 inning scoreless streak. Becchetti added on another run for the Jackets to make the score 3-0 in the fourth inning. Army responded with two runs of their own in the sixth to make it a one run game. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Giesler drew a walk to add a security run for Tech. With the Jackets up two and only needing three more outs, freshman pitcher Tate McKee took the mound. McKee had never secured a save in his career, but with the season on the line, he pitched a tremendous ninth inning to secure the save for the Jackets and kept their season alive with a 4-2 win over Army.

For their second straight elimination game, Tech rematched UNC Wilmington for a spot to play in the regional final. UNC Wilmington started the scoring for the teams in the third, but Tech would immediately respond with a Burress homer to tie the score at one. In the next inning, Becchetti hit the biggest home run of the season to give the  Jackets a 3-1 lead. Jones started the game on the mound for Tech, putting up pitched seven innings and yielding one run to give  the Jackets a chance to advance to the regional final. From there, senior pitcher Dawson Brown got the ball in the eighth and delivered a gem of  two innings to win the game for the Jackets.

After two tough wins against Army and UNC Wilmington, Tech faced Georgia for a chance to go to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.. Georgia started the game off strong, scoring two in the first. Tech responded with an RBI off of Ellis’s bat to make the score 1-2. The Jackets took a three run lead in the following inning thanks to a three-run blast from Lackey and a Giesler RBI. Georgia scored in the fifth to make the score 5-3. The Bulldogs scored runs in both the eighth and ninth to push the game to extra innings. The Jackets had bases loaded in the ninth, but Georgia escaped  the jam. The game went into extra innings, but Georgia came up with  three runs in the tenth inning, while Tech only mustered  one. Georgia won 8-6 in one of the most entertaining games in the College World Series and advanced to Omaha.

Despite the heartbreaking loss to Georgia, the Jackets — especially Burress — earned recognition for their season. Burress’s sensational freshman performance was the highlight of the season. He led Division I freshmen in home runs, slugging percentage, total bases and walks. Along with a strong hitting season, Burress registered a program-record 10 outfield assists. Due to his impressive season, Burress earned ACC Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-American, All-ACC, Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-American with more accolades surely on the way in his college career. Alongside Burress, Jones was a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and Ellis was named All-Region.

Despite a turbulent year, Tech has a lot of positives to take away from the season. The Jackets have a budding superstar in Burress and came within two innings of pushing the regional to a game seven. Overall, the Jackets should be a team to look out for in 2025.

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