Augusta, GA
PBC Releases Baseball Team of Academic Distinction
AUGUSTA, GA — The Peach Belt Conference has released the 2024 baseball Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College. The team is a part of the PBC’s larger initiative to celebrate the academic achievements of PBC student-athletes.
To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.
Barnes & Noble College currently operates more than 1,400 campus bookstores and their school-branded e-commerce sites, serving more than 6 million college students and faculty nationwide. As a strategic partner, Barnes & Noble College is a retail and learning company. The company is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.
| Name | Institution | Year | Hometown | GPA | Major (Minor) |
| Jorge Arispuro | North Georgia | Sr. | Lawrenceville, Ga. | 3.731 | Finance |
| Koby Ayala | Augusta | Jr. | Lilburn, Ga. | 3.75 | Business Administration |
| Michael Bailey | Claflin | Grad. | St. Matthews, S.C. | 3.95 | Business Administration |
| Daniel Barcena | Georgia Southwestern | Jr. | Cape Coral, Fla. | 3.60 | Communications & Emerging Media |
| Sebastian Biggs | USC Beaufort | Jr. | Painfield, Ill. | 4.00 | History |
| Jacob Bodkin | USC Aiken | So. | Tyrone, Ga. | 3.888 | Exercise & Sport Science |
| Colby Brabson | Columbus State | Sr. | Columbus, Ga. | 3.74 | Kinesiology |
| Peyton Burton | Columbus State | Jr. | Phenix City, Ala. | 3.68 | Health & Physical Education |
| Jacob Butler | USC Aiken | So. | Windsor, S.C. | 3.653 | Exercise & Sport Science |
| Jackson Chizek | Columbus State | So. | Loganville, Ga. | 3.96 | General Business |
| Michael Coit | Claflin | Sr. | PG County, Md. | 3.57 | Sport Management |
| Evan Cowan | Georgia College & State University | So. | Richmond Hill, Ga. | 3.60 | Finance |
| AJ Deibel | USC Aiken | Sr. | Aiken, S.C. | 3.695 | Business Administration |
| Doom Dennis | USC Aiken | So. | Charleston, S.C. | 3.879 | Business Administration |
| Aiden Driscoll-Sadusky | USC Beaufort | Sr. | Carwfordville, Fla. | 3.782 | Interdisciplinary Studies |
| Jacob Fletcher | USC Aiken | Jr. | Acworth, Ga. | 3.869 | Business Administration |
| Nick Foray | Lander | Grad. | Wesley Chapel, N.C. | 4.00 | Business Administration |
| Gary Garrett | Lander | Grad. | Snellville, Ga. | 3.93 | Business Administration |
| Leo Giannoni | Columbus State | Jr. | Marietta, Ga. | 3.85 | Finance |
| Joey Gill | Columbus State | Jr. | Navarre, Fla. | 3.61 | General Business |
| Mason Gray | Flagler | Jr. | Lake City, Fla. | 3.93 | Business Administration |
| Justin Haskins | Flagler | So. | Suwanee, Ga. | 3.60 | Finance |
| Parker Ingram | Augusta | Jr. | Gray, Ga. | 3.51 | Kinesiology |
| Win Johns | Columbus State | Sr. | Savannah, Ga. | 3.62 | Business Administration |
| Britt Kelly | Augusta | Sr. | Roswell, Ga. | 3.72 | Communication |
| Jacob Lassiat | North Georgia | Sr. | Alpharetta, Ga. | 4.00 | Marketing |
| John Leland | USC Beaufort | Jr. | Pensacola, Fla. | 3.678 | Interdisciplinary Studies |
| AJ Mathis | Georgia College & State University | Sr. | Dublin, Ga. | 3.68 | Exercise Science |
| Kobe Miller | Claflin | Grad. | Chesnee, S.C. | 3.78 | Business Administration |
| Taichi Nakao | Lander | Jr. | Auckland, New Zealand | 4.00 | Exercise Science |
| Bennett Nance | Lander | Grad. | Eden, N.C. | 3.91 | Business Administration |
| Andrews Opata | North Georgia | Jr. | Lawrenceville, Ga. | 3.848 | Elementary & Special Education |
| Tyler Overholt | Lander | So. | Abbeville, S.C. | 3.90 | Business Administration |
| Luke Parker | USC Aiken | Jr. | Kingsland, Ga. | 3.685 | Business Administration |
| Steven Reiss | Flagler | Jr. | Green Cove Springs, Fla. | 3.55 | Business Administration |
| Seth Robinson | USC Beaufort | So. | Summerville, S.C. | 3.687 | Business Administration |
| Kurt Rogers | Lander | So. | Westminster, S.C. | 3.70 | Business Administration |
| Joshua Sharp | USC Aiken | Jr. | Lawrenceville, Ga. | 3.984 | Applied Computer Science |
| Cooper Smith | Flagler | Jr. | Tallahassee, Fla. | 3.78 | Sport Management (Psychology) |
| Hunter Steger | USC Aiken | Grad. | North Augusta, S.C. | 3.519 | Master of Business Administration |
| Will Taylor | Flagler | So. | Mobile, Ala. | 3.71 | Business Administration (Marketing) |
| Zach Thomas | Flagler | Jr. | Fort Meyers, Fla. | 3.80 | Criminology (Business Administration) |
| Isaiah Wellman | Flagler | Jr. | Brunswick, Ga. | 3.89 | Sport Management |
| Jordan Wilke | Augusta | Sr. | Cartersville, Ga. | 3.74 | Political Science |
| Brayton Wilmes | USC Beaufort | So. | Monument, Colo. | 3.60 | Business Administration |
| Gabriel Wuerth | Georgia College & State University | So. | Woodstock, Ga. | 3.54 | Marketing |
Augusta, GA
Multiple teens arrested in deadly shooting on Warren Road
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has made multiple arrests in a deadly shooting that left one teenager dead and another injured early Saturday morning.
According to deputies, the incident happened June 20, at approximately 12:50 a.m. in the 200 block of Warren Road, where authorities responded to reports of shots fired involving two gunshot victims.
When deputies arrived, they located two 18-year-old men from Augusta.
Officials identified the victims as Eric Markquis Bartley Miller and Joseph Lamar Thomas.
Investigators say Miller sustained at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thomas was also found with at least one gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation.
As of Saturday afternoon, three teenage suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
18-year-old Dmihjay Collins, 17-year-old Tayshaun Thomas, and 17-year-old Joseph Thomas have all been arrested and charged with Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of Machine Guns. They are all currently being held at the Webster Detention Center.
A fourth teenager, 17-year-old Reante Byrd was also arrested, but investigators have not linked him to the murder case. Byrd has been charged with Possession of a Pistol or Revolver by a Person Under the Age of 18. He is also being held in the Webster Detention Center.
No further details in the investigation have been released.
Augusta, GA
Augusta Regional Airport hosts drone camp for students
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival draws crowds despite heat
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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