Who is UGA’s top recruiter? Not who you might guess…

In the spirit of the season — Signing Day is Wednesday, you might have heard — ESPNU and ESPN The Magazine have ranked the 20 best recruiters in college sports.

There’s a University of Georgia coach on the list, and you might guess the UGA rep would be a football coach, given that program’s recent roll on the recruiting trail.

But guess again.

Georgia gymnastics coach Jay Clark is the ninth best recruiter in all of college sports, according to the rankings compiled by a panel of three dozen “experts.” He is the only gymnastics coach -– and the only coach from a Georgia school –- on the list.

Clark is in his second season as the Gym Dogs’ head coach and was a long-time assistant and lead recruiter under former coach Suzanne Yoculan.

Here’s the ESPNU/ESPN The Magazine list of college sports’ top 20 recruiters:

1. Pat Henry, Texas A&M men’s and women’s cross-country/indoor and outdoor track

2. Anson Dorrance, North Carolina women’s soccer

3. Ed Orgeron, USC football assistant

4. Chris Dailey, Connecticut women’s basketball assistant

5. Missy Meharg, Maryland field hockey

6. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke men’s basketball

7. Russ Rose, Penn State women’s volleyball

8. Burton Burns, Alabama football assistant

9. Jay Clark, Georgia gymnastics

10. Chad Holbrook, South Carolina baseball assistant

11. Dan Jordan, Alaska rifle

12. John Calipari, Kentucky men’s basketball

13. Mike McGraw, Oklahoma State men’s golf

14. Jovan Vavic, USC men’s and women’s water polo

15. Thad Matta, Ohio State men’s basketball

16. Kelly Inouye-Perez, UCLA softball

17. Mike LoPresti, Fairleigh Dickinson women’s bowling

18. Tosh Lupoi, Cal football assistant

19. Kelly Amonte Hiller, Northwestern women’s lacrosse

20. J Robinson, Minnesota wrestling

66 comments Add your comment

Logic 05

February 1st, 2011
1:20 pm

I think the pretty coeds at UGA are the best recruiters.
It also explains the problems over at GT.

puppydawg

February 1st, 2011
1:20 pm

Ed Orgeron, #3 recruiter but #1 a-hole.

Hewitt

February 1st, 2011
1:29 pm

Ummmmm I think I should be #1 on this list….SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!

You can't be serious

February 1st, 2011
1:34 pm

I thought this was February 1, not April Fool’s Day.

Dawg Fud

February 1st, 2011
1:37 pm

Dom Starsia, Head Coach Men’s Lacrosse at Virginia.

Definitely should be on the list.

Go Jackets

February 1st, 2011
1:38 pm

As a GT fan I must say, Men’s Tennis Coach Manny Diaz is both an excellent recruiter and head coach. He was my guess for best recruiter…

Boca Baby

February 1st, 2011
1:42 pm

Here is another usless list of “Best” from ESPN. Note: this whole thing is full of political correctness. This is compiled by an organization which included a horse in its top one-hundred athletes of all time.

GTGolf

February 1st, 2011
1:45 pm

No love for Bruce Heppler with GT Golf? Seems like he’s constantly recruiting some top talent while being in the hunt for championships.

You can't be serious

February 1st, 2011
1:49 pm

I agree with UVa Lacrosse comment – anyone who can bring the talent he has so far south is amazing.

REMinds me

February 1st, 2011
1:50 pm

I heard Ed Orgeron challenged some of his players to a fight when he was at Ole Miss. He was in the locker room.

JASon

February 1st, 2011
1:55 pm

Thanks to everyone who comes on here and posts like 8 straight comments in a four minute span. You people are a gift to the world.

JD

February 1st, 2011
1:56 pm

Roy Williams-UNC

Even though they had a down year by Carolina standards last year and are coming around now, you cannot forget about ‘Ole Roy. How many schools can have that many players from one team, not once, but twice, leave early for the NBA and still bounce back with 5 star recruits? That takes a lot of recruiting and convincing of young talent.

Atlantan

February 1st, 2011
2:07 pm

Not the Clarke County Correctional Department?

Dawghater

February 1st, 2011
2:12 pm

The answer to this one is easy – MONEY!

Blaster

February 1st, 2011
2:19 pm

gbal

February 1st, 2011
2:22 pm

Tim –

Time to take this down. A waste and embarasment to the family.

Talk late honey – MOM