Being a “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” is much more than just going to sleep, class and repeat. It is all about expressing school spirit and bleeding white and gold, and there is no better way to do this than to cheer on the Jackets athletic teams as they take on schools from around the country. Tech is home to 14 Division I programs that represent the Jackets in the Atlantic Coast Conference. With some of the most storied programs in the country, Tech has a rich history of traditions and success in sports.
A lot revolves around the football team in the fall where the Jackets play in Bobby-Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, the longest-used on-campus stadium in the country. Tech has a new coach at the helm this season: Brent Key. Key is an alumnus of Tech, and his love and passion for the school bring a new fire to the team. Key served as the interim head coach for eight games last season, where the team beat two ranked teams on the road for the first time since 2005. With big wins like that, there are high expectations for this coming season, and the team looks to be in for an exciting ride. They open their season on Friday, September 1st against the Louisville Cardinals in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Downtown Atlanta.
Aside from football, the volleyball team also competes in the fall. Playing in O’Keefe Gymnasium, Michelle Collier leads the volleyball team for her tenth season. The Jackets have been quite successful recently, with three straight NCAA tournament appearances and an Elite Eight finish in 2021. The team is full of veterans this season, and with a schedule that hosts three of last year’s Final Four teams in Atlanta, the Jackets look to have a big year.
Basketball heats up in the latter parts of the fall semester and goes into the spring as the teams host their games in McCamish Pavilion. The men’s team this year will see Damon Stoudamire take the reins for his inaugural season. Tech returns the top talent from the previous year and has brought in a lot of new talent as well, providing several reasons to be excited about basketball season. The men pulled some stellar upsets last season, toppling Miami, a final-four team, in Atlanta.
Olympic gold-medal-winning coach Nell Forter leads the women’s team and has built up the program to a great stature. The women have beat some of the nation’s most storied programs in the past two years: Connecticut in 2021 and North Carolina State in 2022. The Jackets have been a consistently ranked program and look to return to that point this year.
The spring sees the most sports come to fruition with baseball, softball, golf, tennis, track and field and swim and dive all competing at once. The baseball team has been Tech’s pride in the past few years as Head Coach Danny Hall continues to keep the program competing at a high level in Russ Chandler Stadium. The Jackets have been a consistent top-25 team and frequently compete for the annual ACC Championship. The Jackets return top talent this year and welcome a new pitching coach, inspiring many to believe it will be a stellar year for the team.
Softball plays on Mewborn Field under the direction of Aileen Morales. The Jackets have made great strides in recent years and are returning to the national stage as a team. The pitching for this team has been stellar in recent years, and this season should be no different with a majority of the starters returning. The challenge arises in the Jackets’ schedule as the ACC is one of the most competitive conferences in the country in softball, with top teams like Florida State and Duke coming to call every year.
Golf just had their best year ever as they won their 19th ACC Championship, tied for the most of any school in the conference, and a Salem Regional Championship all on their way to the National Championship match. The Jackets fell just short against Florida as they finished as NCAA runner-ups for the fifth time in program history. Golf has been a dynasty in recent years and is showing no signs of falling off as they go into the year looking to finally claim a national crown.
Tennis has seen some of the most exciting stories in recent years, with Carol Lee of the women’s team getting to the quarter-finals of the NCAA singles tournament, along with Andres Martin and Marcus McDaniel of the men’s team making it to the semifinals of the NCAA doubles tournament. Look for these three seniors to have amazing seasons this year and lead their respective teams to a great year.
Track and Field and Swim and Dive both had national qualifiers who all return to the teams this season, looking to continue their successes. On top of these sports, Tech also has club sports that compete against other schools, such as soccer, lacrosse and men’s volleyball. The teams play at the Campus Recreation Center and provide a fun atmosphere for any casual player to enjoy the sport.
Tech sports have long stood as a storied part of the school’s history, and they continue to add and bolster to the Tech brand year after year. Welcome to the Institute new Jackets, and make sure to show your school pride at all the athletic events you can!