Amanda Knapp
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University, with the university's men's basketball team currently competing in the Sun Belt Conference. The Eagles have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament three times, in 1983, 1987, and 1992, and have also featured in the NIT tournament on three occasions. The team's current coach, Charlie Henry, was introduced in 2023 as the fifteenth head coach in the program's history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Division | I - Statesboro, GA |
| Conference | Sun Belt |
| Nickname | Eagles |
| Colors | Blue & White |
| Head Coach | Charlie Henry |
| University | Georgia Southern University |
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What You'll Learn
Georgia Southern Eagles: the team's name and mascot
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University. The Eagles compete in Division I, in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and are members of the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference. The team's nickname is the Eagles, and their colours are blue and white.
Georgia Southern fielded its first football team in 1910, though play was suspended during World War II and did not resume until 1981. The team's first year playing in Division I was in 1971. The Eagles have a rich history of success, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, winning six national championships and six NCAA FCS (I-AA) National Championships. They have also won ten Southern Conference championships and one Sun Belt Conference championship in 2014, their first year in the FBS level.
The Eagles have had several notable coaches throughout their history. Erk Russell, who led the team to three national championships, is remembered for his winning record and unique traditions, such as bringing a jug of "magical" water to away games. Tim Stowers succeeded Russell and won the 1990 national title, and Paul Johnson added two more in 1999 and 2000. Clay Helton is the current head coach of the Eagles.
Live eagle appearances have been a part of Georgia Southern home games since the 1990s, with a female bald eagle named Glory appearing at university events until 2007. In 2004, the university rescued a young male bald eagle, named Freedom, who had fallen from his nest. Freedom survived a permanent injury and a near-fatal infection and went on to appear at Georgia Southern games.
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NCAA Division I Tournament: the team's current division
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University (GSU). The men's basketball team currently competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Sun Belt Conference.
The Eagles first joined Division I in 1971 and have since appeared in three NCAA Division I Tournaments, in 1983, 1987, and 1992. They have also participated in three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), in 1988, 1989, and 2006, and one College Basketball Invitational (CBI), where their record is 0-1.
The Eagles have had success in other sports as well. They have won six NCAA FCS (I-AA) National Championships in football and ten Southern Conference championships. In 2014, they won their first Sun Belt Conference championship after joining the conference that year.
The team's head coach, Charlie Henry, was introduced on March 29, 2023, and is the 15th head coach in the program's history. The Eagles' nickname was chosen by a student vote in 1959, narrowly beating out "Colonels." The team's colours are blue and white, and their uniforms consist of blue jerseys and plain white pants.
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History of the team: from Blue Tide to Professors to Eagles
The Georgia Southern Eagles men's basketball team has represented Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, since the late 1920s. The team's history can be traced back to when the university was known as Georgia Normal School. During their inaugural 1926-27 season, the team was called the "Blue Tide" and secured their first victory with a 26-7 win over Benedictine.
The team's name was changed to the "Professors" in the late 1920s, and they kept this name until the late 1950s when they adopted the Eagles as their new mascot. From 1955 to 1968, Georgia Southern competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, making five national tournament appearances. During this period, the team played at Hanner Fieldhouse on the school campus, attracting the largest crowd in school history (5,303 attendees) on March 4, 1989, against Arkansas–Little Rock.
In 1980, the Eagles joined the Trans America Athletic Conference, where they remained until 1992 when they moved to the Southern Conference. The Eagles have enjoyed notable success in NCAA tournaments, appearing three times with a combined record of 0-3. They have also competed in three National Invitation Tournaments with a combined record of 0-3.
Georgia Southern's basketball program has produced several notable players, including Julius Jenkins, the team's all-time top scorer with 1,870 points, and Michael Curry, who played for the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. The Eagles currently compete in Division I, representing Georgia Southern University in the Sun Belt Conference.
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Coaches: from J. B. Scearce to Charlie Henry
Georgia Southern University's basketball team, the Eagles, compete in Division I of the NCAA. The Eagles have had 15 head coaches in their 92-season history. J. B. Scearce was the Eagles' head coach until his resignation on February 4, 1980. He was replaced by a coach with the surname Nelson, who was named head coach on a permanent basis.
Over the next few decades, the Eagles saw several coaches come and go. In the 1994-95 season, Kerns resigned just one game into the season, and Durham was named interim coach for the remainder of the year. More recently, Brian Burg was fired after the 2022-2023 season, and Charlie Henry was hired as the Eagles' new head coach in March 2023. Henry is the current head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles, leading the team into a new era of Division I basketball.
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Achievements: from national championships to NBA players
The Georgia Southern Eagles men's basketball team represents Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. The team competes in the Division I Sun Belt Conference and is currently coached by Charlie Henry.
The Eagles have made three appearances in the NCAA tournament, most recently in 1992, with a combined record of 0-3. They have also competed in one Division II tournament, achieving a 1-1 record. In addition, the team has participated in three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) and one College Basketball Invitational (CBI), but were unable to secure any wins in these tournaments.
Despite their lack of tournament success, the Georgia Southern Eagles have still managed to produce NBA talent. Three former players have gone on to play in the NBA, showcasing the program's ability to develop players who can compete at the highest level.
While the specific names of these NBA players are not readily available, their presence in the league speaks to the potential that the Georgia Southern Eagles men's basketball team has to offer. The team's history, though lacking in championship titles, includes several tournament appearances and the development of players who have gone on to compete at the game's pinnacle.
The Eagles' achievements demonstrate a program that, while not consistently winning championships, has the capacity to nurture and produce talented players who can excel in the sport, leaving their mark on the NBA.
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Frequently asked questions
Georgia Southern University's basketball team, the Georgia Southern Eagles, competes in Division I.
The Eagles are members of the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference.
The Georgia Southern Eagles' colors are blue and white.
Charlie Henry is the head coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles, he is the 15th head coach in the program's history.
