Georgia Southern Extra: Major facilities under construction, along with football program

The talk has really picked up in the past week about construction projects on the Georgia Southern University campus in Statesboro.

The groundbreaking ceremony was Saturday, April 23, for the Anthony P. Tippins Family Indoor Practice Facility — a $12.3 million projected expected to be completed in time for the spring 2023 football camp. It will provide shelter from the elements (lightning, rain, heat) for other sports as well, and also serve as a revenue source with tailgating suites for an enhanced game-day experience.

The university announced details Monday, April 26, on the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center. The future home of the Eagles women's and men's basketball teams — as well as serving other purposes for academics, athletics and other events — has a construction cost estimated at just more than $50 million, while the total project budget is set at $64.46 million.

The football program also continues to build under new head coach Clay Helton, with roster management perhaps demanding more attention than ever before. That's because NCAA rules for the transfer portal now allow players a one-time, no-wait eligibility when transferring to another university at the same level. In the past, players in those circumstances had to sit out a year.

Players have until May 1 to enter the transfer portal for the 2021-22 academic year. Those in the portal can transfer after that date, while anyone else will have to wait until the portal reopens Aug. 1 for the 2022-23 academic year.

Helton has discussed the transfer portal on several occasions since being hired in November and taking over the program in full after the 2021 season ended. Helton said he expected a rise in portal entries nationally following the regular season and after spring intrasquad games conclude camp, as players have a better gauge of where they fit in their teams' plans.

And that's what's happening across the country, including in Statesboro, where there had been only a few transfers since 2021. Tuesday was a busy day.

Most attention, understandably because of his position, went to Cam Ransom's announcement on Twitter that he had entered the portal. As a true freshman in 2021, Ransom paid his dues and showed more than a few glimpses of his great potential as a strong-armed, athletic quarterback.

However, changes in the coaching staff, the offensive system and the stable of contenders appeared to slow Ransom's progress on the depth chart. The left-hander played behind sixth-year graduate transfer Kyle Vantrease and redshirt sophomore Connor Cigelske in the spring game, where Ransom was 4 of 6 for 44 yards (with a long of 22).

Ransom was the Eagles' quarterback of the future. Now he will be somewhere else, still with a great future possible.

Also entering the portal from GS are rising sophomore linebacker Michael Edwards III, who played in 11 games and made 27 solo tackles and 32 assisted tackles for 59 total (third on the team); junior tight end Sean Pelkisson; redshirt-freshmen cornerback Josh Trice and defensive lineman Nick Mercer, who each played in two games and were able to redshirt; and redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Jordan Bennett, who did not see game action the past two seasons.

Freshman safety Montae Maxwell, who played in three games last season and was able to redshirt, entered the portal on April 19.

Freshman Eldrick Robinson II, the second-leading tackler last season with 75 in 11 games, entered the transfer portal Feb. 25.

Convocation Center coming in 2024

With final budget approval from the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents, Georgia Southern has completed planning and is moving forward with development of the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

The 95,000-square-foot center is named in honor of the late Senator Jack Hill and his wife of 46 years, Ruth Ann Hill. Both are Georgia Southern graduates.

The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will be the largest event venue space between Savannah and Macon. Serving as the signature building on Georgia Southern's south campus, it will be located on university-owned land on the southwest side of the intersection of Lanier Drive and Veterans Memorial Parkway (U.S. 301 bypass).

Funding for the project comes from a combination of state and privately raised funds. Some site work has already begun but construction will not begin in earnest until this fall with a construction completion target of spring 2024. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for May 26.

The center will be a multi-story complex that fills two needs:

1. Approximately 7,000 square feet of additional instructional space for the Waters College of Health Professions, specifically for the sports and exercise psychology and sports management programs.

2. A multipurpose arena that can be utilized for large-scale events such as commencement ceremonies, speakers, concerts, job fairs and other university and community assemblies. The arena will replace Hanner Fieldhouse as the new home court for the Georgia Southern men's and women's basketball games.

The academic space expansion is needed to keep up with enrollment in the Waters College of Health Professions, which has gone from 5,085 in 2018 to 5656 in 2021, and to support Georgia Southern's commitment to expand its nursing cohort by 30% over the next five years.

For convocations, graduation ceremonies and other events that use the floor, the center occupancy tops out at almost 5,900. For athletic events including basketball games, the center will seat approximately 5,500 spectators.

The center also will include full office suites and locker rooms for Georgia Southern's men's and women's basketball teams.

"The Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center is a true game-changer for Georgia Southern University, the Statesboro community and Southeast Georgia," said director of athletics Jared Benko.

"Our men's and women's basketball teams will transition to the facility full-time upon its opening. With new locker rooms, team spaces, training rooms, a strength and conditioning area and fueling stations coming on board, it will create a best-in-class student-athlete experience. We are also excited to partner with the faculty and staff in the Waters College of Health Professionals on new projects and initiatives."

The building is named for Jack Hill (Class of 1966), who was the longest-serving Georgia senator when he died in April 2020. His wife of 48 years, Ruth Ann, focused her life on public education and retired as principal of Reidsville Elementary School. She was a triple Eagle, earning degrees from Georgia Southern in 1973, 1990 and 1991.

SOFTBALL

Milestone for coach Sharon Perkins

Georgia Southern first-year head softball coach Sharon Perkins reached and surpassed a milestone Tuesday in Macon, where the Eagles swept a doubleheader at Mercer, 17-4 and 6-5.

Perkins now had a career head coaching record of 301-167 (.643). The non-conference wins also halted a a nine-game losing streak for the Eagles (11-29). Mercer fell to 13-34 with the losses.

The Eagles visit Sun Belt Conference foe South Alabama at 7 p.m. Friday to begin a three-game series in Mobile.

GS won the opener Tuesday, 17-5 in six innings — their most runs in a single game in more than four years. Their 18 hits tied for the third-most in a single game in school history, and are the most since Georgia Southern had 18 hits against Binghamton on Feb. 13, 2015.

Kastin Belogorska, a South Effingham High School graduate, improved to 4-11 in the circle with the complete-game win. She gave up seven hits and five runs (four earned) over six innings, walking one while striking out two.

In Game 2, Jess Mazur's two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Eagles to a 6-5 victory.

Belogorska (5-11) went 6 1/3 innings in Game 2, scattering seven hits and one run to earn the victory in both games of the doubleheader.

BASEBALL

National rankings for Eagles

As of April 25, Georgia Southern was recognized throughout national college baseball rankings.

The Eagles were 24th in D1Baseball.com, 17th in Baseball America, 25th in the USA Today/Coaches poll, 24 according to the NCBWA and Perfect Game, and third in the NCAA RPI ratings for Division I.

Georgia Southern slipped to No. 4 in RPI after losing 5-3 at home to Kennesaw State on Tuesday. The Eagles through Tuesday were 27-13 (.675) overall, 14-4 in the Sun Belt Conference and 15-4 at J.I. Clements Stadium.

For more coverage of Georgia Southern athletics, go to https://www.savannahnow.com/sports/college/georgia-southern/

Nathan Dominitz is the Sports Content Editor of the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow.com. Email him at ndominitz@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @NathanDominitz

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia Southern athletics football transfer portal coach clay helton