MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. |  The Georgia College & State University Department of Athletics is proud to announce Return of Champions Weekend, a multi-sport celebration recognizing some of the most accomplished teams in Bobcat history.

The weekend will kick off with basketball honors during Homecoming Weekend, celebrating the 1996 and 2006 women's basketball teams and the 1976, 2000, and 2006 men's basketball teams, with on-court recognition held during Homecoming basketball games Feb. 21.
 

The 1996 women's team captured both the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles before advancing to the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional. The Bobcats won the PBC Tournament crown in 2006 before advancing to the regional tournament.

The 2000 men's squad won the conference regular season championship before claiming the South Atlantic Regional title with a win over Columbus State University. The Bobcats them advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, before falling to Seattle Pacific University. The 2006 team won the PBC regular season title  before losing to Virginia Union University in the finals of the South Atlantic Regional.

The celebration continues into the spring as GCSU Athletics invites alumni, fans, and families to save the date April 18, when the Return of Champions spotlight turns to softball and baseball. The 2003 and 2006 Softball World Series teams and the 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002 baseball teams will be honored during home contests at West Campus.

The 2003 and 2006 softball teams won regional titles before advancing to their NCAA Division II Softball National Championship. A 13-inning win in the 2003 South Atlantic Regional over Armstrong State University propelled the Bobcats to Salem, Oregon, when they lost to University of California, Davis in the national championship game. A thrilling 16-inning victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University in the 2006 Southeast Regional sent GCSU to Salem, Virginia, for the national tournament where they advanced to the third round.

The Bobcats earned berths to the NCAA baseball tournament in 2000, 2001 and 2002. The 2000 team advanced to the South Atlantic Regional final, before falling to the University of North Florida.

All baseball and softball alumni are invited to return to campus to cheer on today's Bobcats and celebrate past championship teams. A BBQ social at West Campus will be hosted during the games, providing an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with teammates, coaches, and the Bobcat community.

For more information and to register for the Basketball Return of the Champions, please click here.

For more information and to register for the Baseball/Softball Return of the Champions, please click here.

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.