Hulse takes over as VSU baseball’s seventh head coach
Published 1:29 pm Friday, June 20, 2025
VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University has officially promoted JD Hulse to head coach of Blazer Baseball.
Hulse, who served on the Blazers’ coaching staff during the 2025 season, steps into the role following the departure of Jan Weisberg. Together with Weisberg, the Blazers brought Hulse in from Birmingham-Southern College (BSC), where he was instrumental in building one of the top Division III programs in the country. His impact was immediate—Valdosta State posted a 30-22 overall record and finished second in the GSC regular season standings, their best conference finish since 2022.
“Valdosta State, even though it’s new, it’s starting to become familiar to me as well,” Hulse said. “So I feel confident in what we did this past season.”
Hulse brings over a decade of coaching experience, including multiple NCAA tournament appearances, regional titles, and a national runner-up finish. He earned recognition in 2024 as the ABCA/Marines Assistant Coach of the Year after helping lead BSC to a NCAA Division III College World Series appearance.
Hulse’s resume also includes time at Louisiana Tech, where he helped produce several MLB draft picks and contributed to the Bulldogs’ 2016 regional final appearance. As a player, he was a four-year starter at Birmingham-Southern and a three-time All-Conference selection.
“I’m a Georgia native, I know all about Valdosta, I know that it’s called Titletown for a reason,” said Hulse.
This past season, Hulse wore many hats; he managed recruiting, coordinated the offense, coached outfielders, and served as the team’s third-base coach. Hulse becomes just the seventh head coach in the 70-year history of the program. Hulse said he intends to honor legacies left behind by coaches like the legendary Tommy Thomas, while pushing the standard even higher.
“What is that standard, you might ask? The best is the standard,” Hulse said. “Plain and simple—the best.”
As he prepares for the 2026 season, Hulse emphasized the importance of developing not only athletes but also high-character individuals. It may be a new chapter for Blazer Nation, but it is one with a familiar face at the helm—one committed to excellence, tradition, and a return to a national-level team.
