VALDOSTA —
The Valdosta State football team has been picked to win the Gulf South Conference, according to the conference’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while the women’s soccer team has been picked to finish third.
The Blazer football team received three first place votes and one second place vote for a total of 15 points. West Alabama was picked to finish second after receiving two first place and two second place votes for a total of 14 points. Delta State was picked to finish third, followed by North Alabama and West Georgia. Shorter is not eligible to win the conference as the school is still in the transition to the Division II ranks.
Topping the GSC coaches’ soccer list was defending conference champion North Alabama, which received five of a possible seven first place votes. West Florida came in second with three first place and three second place votes. The Blazers received one second place vote, four third place votes and two fourth place votes in the poll.
In the past 37 preseason polls compiled by the conference for football, only 13 teams picked to win the conference prior to the start of the season actually went on to win the conference. Delta State was the most recent team to accomplish the feat last season.
The conference also announced its Preseason All-GSC Teams. In football, West Alabama placed 10 players on the team, followed by VSU, which had eight players.
Offensively, wide receiver Gerald Ford, who missed last season due to academic issues and returns this season, was selected along with offensive linemen Edmund Kugbila, Mesh Wokomaty and Ryan Schraeder.
Defensively, defensive end Tyler Josey and tackle Lawrence Virgil received the nod, along with linebacker Chris Pope and cornerback Matt Pierce.
West Georgia’s Kelly Dawsey, a former Lowndes Viking, was also named to the team.
In soccer, Arielle Sabina and 2011 GSC Freshman of the Year Abbi Edwards were named to the All-GSC Team.
Kim Caitlin Alderman, Arista Hott and Shelby Jennings were all named to the Top Newcomers List, also released by the conference on Thursday.
The Blazer football team opens camp Monday, while the soccer and volleyball teams open camp Wednesday.
Local Sports
Blazer football picked to win GSC; soccer to finish third
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VSU eliminated
Valdosta State softball’s bid for a national title repeat came up short this season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament Saturday with a 7-5 loss in nine innings to Armstrong Atlantic University, a school based off the Georgia coast in Savannah. -
Win or go home
The Valdosta State softball team faces Armstrong Atlantic University in an elimination game for the 2013 Division II Softball Championship Tournament today at noon.
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HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
I haven’t written a column in quite some time, largely because there has been so much going on and we haven’t always had the space, nor have I felt up to it after writing so many other stories.
But today, I am writing this column and taking up the inches in the daily sports section and giving a little love to the upcoming football season. -
Blazers fall to Molloy in eight innings
With only one out remaining and trailing by three, the Molloy Lions strung together four hits to plate three runs in the seventh followed by another run in the eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State’s softball team 5-4 in the first round of the 2013 Division II Softball National Championship Tournament on Thursday in Salem, Va.
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Albritton, Johnson earn All-America honors
Valdosta State softball players Courtney Albritton and Morgan Johnson gathered multiple All-America honors late Wednesday night.
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Golfers take course for Wounded Warriors
Local patrons participated in the Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament at Stone Creek Golf Club in Valdosta on Thursday.
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Valwood football hosting 4-man scramble golf tourney
Head coach Ashley Henderson and the Valwood football team will be hosting a 4-man scramble golf tournament at Valdosta Country Club Friday, June 14.
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VHS football cheerleaders to host Junior Cheer Camp
The Valdosta High School football cheerleaders will be hosting a Junior Cheer Camp June 5 through June 7 at the W.G. Nunn Elementary School gymnasium.
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Gillespie, McPherson pleased with spring practices
Valdosta’s Rance Gillespie and Lowndes’ Randy McPherson both think their football teams got better during the recent 10 days of spring practice.
Then again, both coaches know their teams have a ways to go before the start of the football season. -
Signing day at VHS
It was signing day galore at Valdosta High School Wednesday.
Six student-athletes signed national letter of intents to compete at the next level, while two VHS athletes both signed academic scholarships to Division I universities. - More Local Sports Headlines
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