GSC Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Former Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner was announced as part of the 2019 Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame Class, by the league office Thursday.
This is the sixth class to enter the GSC Hall of Fame since its inception in 2014. For more on the GSC Hall of Fame, click the link at the top of the page.
The honorees will officially be inducted on Wednesday, May 29, in Pensacola, Fla., at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Hotel. As the ceremony draws closer, check back with gscsports.org and on the league's social media platforms.
"The GSC Hall of Fame celebrates the individuals who have helped us develop into one of the premier conferences at any level of the NCAA," said GSC Commissioner Matt Wilson. "This year's class has played a key role in building the Gulf South's legacy. We look forward to reliving and celebrating their accomplishments at next month's induction ceremony."
Bonner becomes the fourth Blazer to earn the honor of being enshrined in the GSC Hall of Fame. In the inaugural class in 2014, former football head coach Chris Hater was inducted, while long time baseball coach Tommy Thomas was inducted in 2015. Last year, former softball standout Marti Littlefield was inducted into the 2018 class.
The storied career of Bonner included back-to-back Harlon Hill Award accolades in 2000 and 2001 as the top Division II football player in the nation. He completed 649 of 913 passes in his two seasons at Valdosta State and threw for 8,163 yards, while tossing 107 touchdown passes against just 22 interceptions, leading the Blazers to the playoffs both years.
He was a three-time Gulf South Conference Player of the Week and a three-time NCAA Division II National Player of the Week, earning first team all-league honors and GSC Co-Offensive Player of the Year accolades as a junior. For his senior campaign, he threw for 4,037 yards and 52 touchdown passes leading VSU to a perfect 11-0 regular season and the first No. 1 ranking in school history. He earned GSC Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season, and earned All-America honors from Daktronics, D2Football.com and Don Hansen.
Bonner owns the school-record for passing yards in a game (497), total offensive yards (495), while tying for the school-record in passing touchdowns for a season (55). He is third in school-history in career passing yards (8,163), second in passing touchdowns (107) and second in total offense (8,000). During his two seasons in Titletown, Bonner helped guide the Blazers to 22-3 record and a 2-2 mark in the NCAA playoffs.
He earned the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Division II Hall of Fame in 2013, becoming the third Blazer to receive the honor, along with Jessie Tuggle (2002) and Chris Hatcher (2005).
After graduating in 2001 with a business management degree, Bonner signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons and played three seasons with the Lexington Horesmen of the Indoor Football League. There, he was named North Atlantic Conference Most Valuable Player in 2003, throwing for 2,833 yards and 63 touchdowns. In 2004, he led the team to the league championship and threw for 2,695 yards and a league-record 72 touchdowns. Bonner served as General Manager of the Horesmen and worked for Medtronic in Lexington, Ky., for 11 years as an area sales manager. He currently is employed by Karl Storz as a sales executive in the area of medical device sales.
