25 LC 129 0270 Senate Resolution 353 By: Senators Goodman of the 8th, Summers of the 13th, Watson of the 11th, Echols of the 49th, Hickman of the 4th and others A RESOLUTION Congratulating the Valdosta State University football team for winning the 2024 Gulf South 1 Conference Championship, the Super Region Two Title, and reaching the NCAA Division2 II National Championship Game; and for other purposes.3 WHEREAS, Valdosta State University is nationally known for its tradition of athletic and4 academic excellence, having won nine national championships and 57 Gulf South5 Conference titles in multiple sports, as well as having numerous athletes win Academic6 All-Conference and Academic All-American titles; and7 8 WHEREAS, The 2024 Valdosta State football team won the program's 11th Gulf South9 Conference Championship, marking the most of any school in Gulf South Conference10 history; and11 WHEREAS, the Blazers reached the national championship game for the seventh time in12 program history and third time since 2018, while the seven appearances in the title game are13 second-most all-time in NCAA Division II history; and14 WHEREAS, the Valdosta State University football team has established and maintained a15 proud tradition of excellence with equal emphases on character and academics; and16 S. R. 353 - 1 - 25 LC 129 0270 WHEREAS, this outstanding team has completed another championship season football 17 competition by posting an outstanding record of 13 wins and only one loss, marking the fifth18 time in program history of winning 13 or more games in a season; and19 WHEREAS, this season also marked the team's 20th appearance in the NCAA post-season,20 the 34 post-season victories are the fourth-most all-time in Division II; and21 22 WHEREAS, the football team has now had five different Blazer head coaches reach the23 NCAA title game, marking the most number of coaches reaching the championship at one24 school in Division II history; and25 WHEREAS, the phenomenal performance of the 2024 season saw the team go undefeated26 in league play for the sixth time in program history, finished the season with five27 All-America selections, and recognized quarterback Sammy Edwards as a finalist for the28 prestigious Harlon Hill Award for the second-straight year; and29 WHEREAS, the Blazer football team now stands at 346 victories with 138 defeats and four30 ties in 42 playing seasons of football, with the 2024 team posting the 15th season of31 double-digit victories in program history; and32 WHEREAS, as this magnificent team earned its well-deserved reputation for excellence by33 performing with courage and precision over months of training and competition, it is 34 abundantly proper to call them champions. 35 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body36 congratulate the Valdosta State University football team for winning the 2024 Gulf South37 S. R. 353 - 2 - 25 LC 129 0270 Conference Championship, the Super Region Two Title, and qualifying for the NCAA 38 Division II National Championship game, and extend best wishes for continued success. 39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed40 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Valdosta State41 University football team.42 S. R. 353 - 3 -