What’s up, everyone — it’s Olivia here, and I’m excited to be filling in for Sarah this week!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, as Georgia athletics certainly did.

The baseball team, which is busy reloading after its College World Series run, received two more commitments through the transfer portal. Florida State catcher Hunter Carns and Utah outfielder Jet Gilliam both announced their intentions, bringing Georgia’s additions to seven in this cycle.

The Bulldogs also learned of their finish in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings, which came in the top 10 for the third time in the last five years. It’s a credit to the consistency within the athletic department, as most of UGA’s sports programs vie for a championship each year.

So let’s dive in!

Tracking Georgia baseball’s transfer portal haul

Those who know me know my passion for college baseball, so it’s only fitting we start off with the latest transfer portal news:

Georgia posted its strongest season in 2026 — setting a new program record with 53 wins — but there is no rest for the weary.

Especially for a group like the Bulldogs, who have 22 of 25 players to appear in the College World Series eligible for the MLB Draft.

Georgia likely won’t lose all of those candidates, but the Bulldogs will have to replace a bunch of talent.

To help keep track of all the additions and departures, intern Hunter DeLauder put together a tracker:

Transfer portal commitments

Transfer portal departures

Georgia finishes inside top 10 of final Learfield Directors’ Cup standings

Georgia baseball was not the only program to post a successful season during the last academic year. The football team made the College Football Playoff, while both basketball programs earned bids to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs also won three national championships, including two for coach Caryl Smith Gilbert’s women’s track and field teams.

Georgia’s success was reflected within its Learfield Directors’ Cup placement, which ranks athletic departments around the country.

The Bulldogs finished eighth in the standings with a school-record 1,081.25 points, which ranked third among SEC teams. It also marked Georgia’s third top-10 finish in the last five years.

Here are the full rankings:

Even more impressive, nine of Georgia’s 20 NCAA-sponsored sports teams scored in the Directors’ Cup top 10 in their respective standings/rankings:

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is handed the SEC trophy by Commissioner Greg Sankey as the team celebrates its win over Alabama in the 2025 SEC championship game. (Mike Stewart/AP) (Mike Stewart/Associated Press)

Georgia pitcher Justin Byrd reacts after an NCAA baseball College World Series elimination game against Texas on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Vera Nieuwenhuis/AP) (Vera Nieuwenhuis/AJC)

Georgia guard Marcus Millender (center) looks to shoot over Saint Louis center Robbie Avila (right) and guard Quentin Jones (left) during the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Buffalo, New York. (Yuki Iwamura/AP) (Yuki Iwamura/Dawgnation)

A photo from the University of Georgia's match against Florida A&M in the first round of the 2025 NCAA DI women's tennis championship at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens. (Sofia Yaker/UGAAA) (Sofia Yaker/Dawgnation)

Georgia basketball SEC opponents announced for 2026-27 season

Switching over to some men’s basketball: The SEC released Georgia’s game locations for the upcoming 2026-27 season Thursday.

And talk about a gantlet.

The Bulldogs will face yearly rivals Florida and South Carolina twice, while Oklahoma was added to the rotation for home-and-away matchups.

Along with those games, Georgia will host Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas and Vanderbilt at Stegeman Coliseum. Other SEC road games include at Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Tennessee.

While dates and times are to be determined, one thing is certain: The Bulldogs will have their work cut out for them. Ten of the 15 conference foes Georgia will play made the NCAA Tournament last season, with five of those games coming at home.

Trivia section

What movie did Uga V (the university’s mascot) cameo in?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

The Georgia mascot Uga XI prowls the end zone before the Bulldogs' game against Ole Miss in the 2026 Sugar Bowl. (Hyosub Shin/AJC) (Hyosub Shin/AJC Freelancer)

Georgia mascot UGA XI patrols the field prior to the 2025 SEC championship game, in which The Bulldogs beat Alabama 28-7. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation) (Jeff Sentell/Dawgnation)

Mascots like Uga XI, aka Boom, are part of the attraction of college football to fans. (Courtesy of University of Georgia) (University of Georgia/Dawgnation)

Some positive news

Let’s end this with some positive news because who couldn’t use a pick-me-up to begin this week?

I wanted to share something that baseball sports information director Christopher Lakos sent out titled “2026 Georgia Baseball: A Season To Remember.”

Most Georgia fans know the Bulldogs strung together a special season, but not many recognize the number of accolades reached.

Here are just a few of the highlighted accomplishments:

And those are just the team accomplishments. Maybe tomorrow we’ll dive into the individual ones.

But for now, enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Trivia answer

“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”