Athens, Ga. — Former student-athletes Dave Bliss and Nic Fink and former football staff member Mike Macdonald were included on the University of Georgia’s 40 Under 40 for 2025, which was announced on Wednesday. The 40 Under 40 program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful UGA graduates under the age of 40.

Bliss is the lead assistant coach and defensive coordinator the Oklahoma City Thunder, which won the 2025 NBA Championship last month. He was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs who helped Georgia capture the 2008 SEC Tournament title during his senior season. Bliss, who earned degrees in both Political Science and Real Estate from UGA, was named the SEC’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s basketball in 2008. Bliss is in his 12th season and second stint with the Thunder. He has served as lead assistant since 2019 after previous roles in player development with the franchise from 2018-19 and from 2010-15. The Thunder have reached the Playoffs in eight of Bliss’ 12 seasons, including the 2012 NBA Finals and the 2011 and 2014 Western Conference Finals. Bliss began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at UGA in 2008-09 and was a graduate assistant at VCU during the 2009-10 campaign. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks from 2015-18.

Fink, a 2016 graduate of the College of Engineering, is a two-time Olympian and three-time medalist for the United States swimming team. During his collegiate career at Georgia, the Morristown, New Jersey native earned 19 All-America citations and six Southeastern Conference championships, including 100-yard breaststroke titles in all four of his seasons as a Bulldog. Following graduation, he became one of the world’s top breaststrokers, breaking out with a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2019 Pan American Games. He then qualified for his first Olympic Games in 2021, placing fifth in the 200m breaststroke, followed by 10 gold medals at the World Championships over the next four years. Last year in Paris, he earned gold for Team USA in the 4x100m mixed medley relay, along with silver medals in the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley relay, becoming the first Georgia men’s swimmer to earn multiple medals at a single Olympic Games. Along with his swimming exploits, Fink earned a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering and currently works as a project manager for Quanta Utilities Engineering Services in Dallas.

Macdonald is the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and one of the youngest head coaches in the NFL. His coaching career began as a graduate assistant and then defensive quality control analyst on the Georgia Football staff under Mark Richt. Macdonald joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2014 and ascended to become the team’s defensive backs coach in 2018 and linebackers coach from 2018-20. Macdonald spent one season as the defensive coordinator at Michigan and helped the Wolverines capture the 2021 Big Ten Championship. He returned to the Ravens in 2022 as defensive coordinator and helped produce the NFL’s top-ranked defense in 2023 before being named the Seahawks’ head coach in 2024. A graduate of Centennial High School in Roswell, Macdonald is a “double Dawg,” with a bachelor’s degree in Finance for the Terry College of Business and a master’s in Sport Management.

The 2025 group represents the 15th edition of UGA’s 40 Under 40 dating back to the accolade’s inception in 2011. In order to be eligible, nominees must meet the following criteria:

• Earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from UGA.

• Is under the age of 40 as of September 1, 2026.

• Is willing to submit a headshot that can be published by units within the University of Georgia.

• Aspires to uphold the principles manifested in the three Pillars of the Arch.

• Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with UGA.

• Has made an impact in their professional and/or philanthropic endeavors.

A complete list of the 2025 honorees can be found here.