South Georgia Tech Booster Club honors Jets and Lady Jets

  South Georgia Technical College Jets Booster Club President Doug Goodin thanked the Jets Booster Club members and the 2025 -2026 Jets and Lady Jets for a great season at the Booster Club Recognition Banquet held in the Hangar recently on the Americus campus.

   Booster Club members along with SGTC Campus Safety officers grilled ribs and chicken for the banquet and booster club members provided the deserts and trimmings for the meal.

   SGTC President Dr. John Watford echoed Goodin’s comments and thanked the coaches and players for their hard work in the classroom as well as on the court.  “We are very thankful that you chose to continue your academic and athletic careers at South Georgia Technical College and we know that you all have a very bright future.  Thank you for a great season and for allowing us to be a part of your journey,” said Dr. Watford.

   SGTC Athletic Director Lady Jets head coach Jason Carpenter and Jets head coach Chris Balleuer both thanked the SGTC administration and Booster Club members for their support of the basketball teams and gave a few highlights from the 2025 – 2026 season.  A highlight reel from the Jets and Lady Jets seasons played during the meal.

   “Obviously, this year did not turn out exactly as we had planned,” said Lady Jets Coach Carpenter.  “We won the regular season title and were ranked number one going into the end of the season tournament.  We didn’t win, but we never quit.  At one time this season, the Lady Jets were 5 – 10.  But they didn’t give up.  We came back and finished the conference with a 14 – 1 record and were 20 – 12 overall.  That usually doesn’t happen when you start 5 – 10.”

   Coach Carpenter then highlighted three of the top players and their accomplishments.  Sophomore Jaidyn Elam set the single game steals record this season with 11 against Cleveland State.  Sophomore Taja Bennett finished the season with the second most free throws made in a season with 165 and missed the record by two shots.

   Freshman Ja’Niya Broome set the school record and led the nation for total field goals made with 269.  She also broke the single season points record and led the nation with 722 points.  She led the nation in single season three pointers made with 94 and tied the schools single season record.  Her points per game average of 22.6 was a Lady Jets single season record and was second in the NJCAA national rankings.

   After brief remarks by Coach Carpenter, Jets Head Coach Chris Ballauer thanked the Booster Club members for their support.  The Jets finished the season in third place and lost to the eventual NJCAA Region XVII Champions South Georgia State College.  The Jets finished 16 – 16 overall and 11 – 5 in conference play.

   Several of the Jets and Lady Jets will be signing letters of intent to play basketball at the next level in the coming weeks.