North Georgia Nighthawks North Georgia Nighthawks The North Georgia Nighthawks are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Georgia (formed after the merger of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College in 2013), located in Dahlonega, Georgia, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Nighthawks compete as members of the Peach Belt Conference in 12 of their 13 varsity sports; with rifle competing in the Division I Southern Conference. All 13 intercollegiate programs are hosted on the university's Dahlonega campus. The merged school inherited the athletic legacy of NGCSU, which competed under the nickname "Saints" with a mascot
Empire State Empire State The U.S. state of New York has been known by many nicknames, most notably as the Empire State, adopted as late as the 19th century. This nickname has been incorporated into the names of several state buildings and events, and is commonly believed to refer to the state's wealth and resources. However, the origin of the term remains unclear. There are several theories on the origin of the name. Two of them involve George Washington, one credits aggressive trade routes, and another associates the nickname with New York exceeding Virginia in population. None has been proven. One commonly