Georgia Southern Celebrating Military Appreciation Day, Family Weekend

September 26, 2008

The Georgia Southern Eagles’ key Southern Conference showdown with Wofford at Paulson Stadium Saturday night is just part of a busy weekend on campus.

Saturday’s game is part of the University’s Family Weekend festivities as well as Military Appreciation Day.

The pre-game military salute will include one of Georgia Southern’s own Scott Courdin, the curator of the University’s Center for Wildlife Education. A member of the Georgia Army National Guard, 121st Infantry, Courdin will be wearing his battle dress uniform as he releases Georgia Southern’s American bald eagle, Freedom, for his traditional pre-game flight from the top of the press box onto the field. Courdin served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005-06 as a rifleman.

Also as part of the pre-game festivities, seven honorary captains will be recognized along with Georgia Southern’s team captains. They include Brig. Gen. Maria Britt, Commanding General of the Georgia Army National Guard, and Lt. Col. Tom Bright, Commander of the 48th Brigade Special Troops Battalion.

The honorary captains also include five soldiers who fought for our country and were injured in the line of duty Danny Hill, Adam Mattis, Angel Johnson, Jeremy Wilczek and Sean Long. Georgia Southern is recognizing them as part of the NCAA’s involvement in the Wounded Warrior Project, a program to raise the awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women.

The military will be well-represented in the stands as well. The community has donated about 500 tickets to Saturday’s game to members of the military, including 250 purchased and donated by Heritage Bank.

In addition, Paulson Stadium will welcome a big crowd of family members of Georgia Southern students. About 1,300 Family Weekend game tickets have been purchased, according to Georgia Southern sports marketing director Brent Jones. For a complete list of Family Weekend activities, visit www.georgiasouthern.edu.

A halftime ceremony will honor this year’s six inductees into the Georgia Southern Athletics Department Hall of Fame. The members of the 2008 Hall of Fame class are: Richie Bryant (golf, 1985-89), Anita Buggins (women’s tennis, 1994-98), Alexis Dankulic-Manhertz (volleyball, 1991-94), Tommy Peterman (baseball, 1994-96), Rob Stockton (football, 1992-95) and Charlton Young (men’s basketball, 1989-93).

The Georgia Southern-Wofford game wraps up a four-game homestand for the Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised live on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS).