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VSU Athletic Hall of Fame
Initiated in 1997, the Valdosta State University Athletic Hall of Fame is an honorary society begun 25 years ago to further enhance the sparkling reputation of VSU athletics. Seven former student-athletes and one former coach/administrator comprised the inaugural class. Since that inaugural ceremony, VSU has held 24 more Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, with 94 individuals and three teams garnering the prestigious honor of being recognized as the “best of the best” among Blazer student-athletes and supporters.
Blazer football is well represented in the VSU Athletics Hall of Fame, as twenty-two former players are members of the Hall. Jessie Tuggle was a member of the inaugural class, while Antonio Edwards followed three years later. Chris Hatcher was enshrined in 2001 and Keith Moore in 2002 before another two-year lay-off among football inductees. Lance Funderburk was added in 2004 before Dusty Bonner, who was inducted in 2007, began a string of eight straight years with a football honoree. The 2008 Class saw a pair of football players enter as C.J. Lofton and Reggie Mosley were inducted while Dallis Smith followed in 2009 and Randy Fisher in 2010. Aaron Jenkins gained the recognition in 2011, as did the 2004 National Championship team, and Antonio Speed and Andre Hampton were honored in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Sherard Reynolds entered the Hall in 2014, leading into a big year in 2016, when Dominique Ross, Coach Hal Mumme, and the 2007 National Championship team all became members. Followiong Ramon Allen's induction in 2018, the 2012 National Championship team was inducted, along with Torry Howard, who played for the Blazers from 2001-2004. In 2020, former football standouts Mark Catano, Larry Dean and York Kurinsky were inducted, while Cedric Jones and Edmond Kugblia were named in 2022, after no class in 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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1997 Class: Eric Anderson, Men’s Tennis, 1988-91; Sam Bowen, Men’s Basketball, 197374; Eddie Brown, Men’s Basketball, 1977-81; Chan Dixon, Women’s Tennis, 1988-91; Joe Germano, Cross Country, 1976-77; Billy Grant, Coach/AD, 1959-84; Susan Taylor, Women’s Basketball, 1976-80; Jessie Tuggle, Football, 1983-86
1998 Class: Gary Colson, Coach, 1958-68; Gene Felts, Baseball, 1971-74; Bobby Ritch, Men’s Basketball, 1962-66; Shannon Williams, Women’s Basketball, 1986-90
1999 Class: Candace Fincher, Women’s Basketball, 1983-87; Nancy Irby, Women’s Tennis, 1979-82; Louise Odom Howell, American Ball, 1931-35; Mike Perry, Baseball/Men’s Basketball, 1960-64; Jackie Studstill, Women’s Basketball, 1931-35; Cecil Whitehead, Baseball, 1976-78
2000 Class: Antonio Edwards, Football, 1989-92; Willie Oxford, Men’s Basketball, 1969-73; Kelly Scott, Baseball, 1979-80; Lyndal Worth, Coach, 1974-81
2001 Class: Briny Baird, Golf, 1994-95; JoJo Blaha, Baseball, 1984-87; Carol Chason, Women’s Basketball, 1975-79; Chris Hatcher, Football, 1991-94
2002 Class: Mike Jones, Baseball, 1982-85; Ray McCully, Men’s Basketball, 1962-66; Keith Moore, Football, 1984-87; Janice Washington, Women’s Basketball, 1980-84
2003 Class: Jeff Agerter, Baseball, 1982-83; Sue Ann Christie, Women’s Basketball, 197478; Masa Oreskovic, Women’s Tennis, 1991-94; Olivia Parks, Softball, 1992-95
2004 Class: Lance Funderburk, Football, 1992-96; Daryl Greenan, Men’s Tennis, 1991-95; Bridgett Moore, Women’s Basketball, 1983-87; Bryan Shover, Baseball, 1992-95
2005 Class: 1979 National Championship Baseball Team; Tim Dominey, Men’s Basketball, 1970-73; Sachin Kirtane, Men’s Tennis, 1995-98; David Yarmitzky, Golf, 1990-92
2006 Class: Klaus Acker, Men’s Tennis, 1997-98; Kevin Durkin, Golf, 1998-99; Tommy Thomas, Coach, 1967-2007; Dawn Wynn, Women’s Basketball, 1991-95
2007 Class: Sal Almadeo, Baseball, 1977-79; Dusty Bonner, Football, 2000-01; Steve Roberts, Sports Information, 1981-2006; Nico Sablowski, Men’s Tennis, 1998-2001; Tracy Sprolden Kimethu, Women’s Basketball, 1998-2001
2008 Class: Dr. Kurt Jacobson, Team Physician, 1984-present; C.J. Lofton, Football, 1999-2002; Kathy Kennedy Matthews, Women’s Basketball, 1993-1997; Reggie Mosley, Football, 1999-2002; Aparna Sreenivasan, Women’s Tennis 1999-2001
2009 Class: Tommy Clark, Supporter, 1966-present; James Dominey, Coach, 1971-2000; Cathy McCurdy Guzay, Women’s Basketball, 1976-79; John Hansen, Coach, 1972-present; Dallis Smith, Football, 1983-86
2010 Class: Nicky Balanis, Coach, 1987-2000; Randy Fisher, Football, 1986-89; Bobby McDonald, Baseball, 1996-98; Dr. Lamar Pearson, Supporter, 1965-present; Kim Southall, Softball, 1991-94; Michael Terry, Men’s Basketball, 1964-68
2011 Class: 2004 National Championship Football Team; Jason Bulger, Baseball, 19962001; Red Cross, Supporter, 1955-present; Jill Ferrell, Women’s Tennis, 1984-87; Aaron Jenkins, Football, 2000-03; Jerome Register, Baseball, 1973-74; Eduardo Rincon, Men’s 2004-05
2012 Class: 2006 National Championship Men’s Tennis Team; Eddie Fischer, Baseball, 1966-1969; Owen Harris, Supporter, 1978-present; Tommy Johnson, Baseball/Men’s Basketball, 1962-66; Eva Petschnig, Women’s Tennis, 2003-05; Christoph Schneider, Men’s Tennis 2003-06; Antonio Speed, Football, 1995-99 ton, Football, 1991-94; Jerry and Kay Jennett, Contributors, 1970s-present; Jim Madaleno, Athletic Trainer, 1982-84, ‘89-97; Robert Morgan, Baseball, 2004-05; Don Reason, Men’s Basketball, 1972-75
2014 Class: Alex Acosta, Softball, 2007-08; Kenny Alston, Men’s Basketball, 1971-75; Wayne Fugett, Baseball, 1980-83; Shirley McCulley, Contributor, 2004-present; Jay Penny, Men’s Tennis, 1978-80; Sherard Reynolds, Football, 2005-08; Bobby Tucker, Administrator, 1970-present; Tevis Upton, Golf, 1997-99; Deidre Williams, Women’s Basketball, 1992-96
2015 Class: Joerg Ekkenga, Men’s Tennis, 2007-09; Marlon Jones, Men’s Basketball, 1982-87; Tom Odom, Contributor, Carley Peterson Kuhns, Women’s Basketball, 2004-08; Bryan Phillips, Men’s Basketball, 1966-68; Dr. F.D. Toth, Contributor; Brent Witcher, Golf, 2008-09
2016 Class: Bob Hagen, Contributor; 2007 National Championship Football Team; Hal Mumme, Football, 1192-96; Leos Jelinek Men’s Tennis, 2007-09; Brandon Decker, Baseball, 2009-10; Kristina Ely, Softball, 2007-08; Dominique Ross, Football, 1992-94; Coretta Bloom, Women’s Basketball, 1975-79
2017 Class: 2011 National Championship Men’s Tennis Team; Marty McGhin, Contributor; Phillip Pakebusch, Men’s Tennis, 2010-11; Daniel Dueren, Men’s Tennis, 2009-11; Alyssa Shirey, Softball, 2010-11; Pam Hand Smith, Women’s Basketball, 1985-88; Frank Gonzalez, Baseball, 1978-79; Ron Fortner, Men’s Basketball/Baseball, 1964-68
2018 Class: 2012 National Championship Softball Team; Ken Ferrell, Contributor; Ramon Allen, Football, 1988-91; Andreas Boberg, Men's Golf, 1997-99; Dennis Fike, Men's Basketball/Baseball, 1962-66; Christian Hansen, Men's Tennis, 2009-11; Sonja Harper, Softball, 1995-99; Ivey Hubbard, Men's Basketball, 1979-83
2019 Class: 2012 National Championship Football Team; Dick Rockey, Contributor; Anna Einarsdottir McCall, Volleyball, 1998-01; Torrey Howard, Football, 2001-04; Pam Johnson, 1981-84 (Posthumously); Leon Jones, Men's Basketball, 1983-87; Konstatin Kutschenko, Men's Tennis, 2010-13; Marti Littlefield, Softball, 2009-12
2020 Class: Mark Catano, Football, 1982-83; Dominique Rothlaender, Women's Tennis, 2007-09; York Kurinsky, Football, 1992-93; Jordanne Helton Cary, Women's Cross Country, 2008-11; Morgan Johnson Faulk, Softball, 2010-13; Larry Dean, Football, 2007-10; Jean Snyder, Supporter; Charles Cooper, Women's Basketball, Coach, 1982-94
2022 Class: Cedric Jones, Football, 2006-09; Candice Ferrell Bryant, Woman's Basketball, 2002-11; Edmond Kugblia, Football, 2009-12; Raphaelle Durante, Women's Tennis, 2007-10; Courtney Albritton Carter, Softball, 2012-15; Mike Chason, Contributor, 1990-Present; Thomas Macera, Softball Coach, 2006-Present
