GCSU Reserve Program Gone

Georgia College Ends Reserve Team Program

Thursday, May 5, 2008
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Citing the maturation of the varsity Georgia College & State University women’s soccer team, head coach Juan Pablo Favero and interim director of athletics Jimmy Wilson announced today (June 4) the termination of the Bobcat Women’s Soccer Reserve Team.

“We have spent the last three months evaluating the program,” said Favero. “In looking at where we are today and where we want to be in the next five years, it is clear that the JV program has outlived its benefit and we can now focus our efforts solely on building a varsity program that will compete for championships. We are excited about the strong foundation that has been set in place, and we have already begun the work to take the program to the next level.”

Created in the first varsity season for women’s soccer in 2004, the Reserve Team helped the growth of the program by seasoning players to compete at the NCAA Division II level. The squad played an abbreviated schedule, usually consisting of Division I club teams, junior college programs and the like.

With the recent breakthrough of the soccer program, including a 13-5 season advancing to the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) semifinals, recruits are entering Georgia College with the skill set to compete for playing time right away.

“When we started our soccer program in 2003, we used our junior varsity program as a vehicle to help develop players,” said Wilson. “We have reached a point in our program where the junior varsity program is no longer a necessity. We are excited about our program’s development through the first five years and are looking forward to continued growth and success under our new coach, Juan Pablo Favero.”

2007 was a breakthrough season for the Bobcats, the most successful in the program’s four-year history. The team shattered the school mark for wins (13) and junior forward Hayley Ferrell (Hampton, Ga.) set the individual season marks for goals (16) and points (34). Jamie Nevin (Grovetown, Ga.), Ferrell and Morgan Cobb (Cataula, Ga.) all earned All-PBC Team selections for their efforts. The team also scored the most goals (46) and gave up the fewest (17) in school history, while Cobb became the first all-region performer for the Bobcats.

The GCSU Department of Athletics sponsors 10 NCAA Division II athletic programs over three seasons. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats’ multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Follow the Bobcats and their positive impact on the Milledgeville community at www.gcsu.edu/bobcats.