VALDOSTA, Ga. – The award-winning Blazer Spotlight Podcast will begin its second season Friday produced and hosted by Assistant Athletic Director for Development Matt Malone and Assistant Professor of Digital Production Dr. Colin Walker.  The first edition of the podcast will feature former Blazer baseball coach Tommy  Thomas.
 
Malone and Walker teamed up last year to bring the Blazer Spotlight Podcast to life and won Best of Competition 2020 Broadcast Education Association Faculty Sports Radio Competition for the episode featuring VSU head women's soccer coach Stephen Andrew.  Last season's podcast had 23 episodes featuring numerous Blazer coaches, student-athletes and more.  
 
Thomas has been a legend for VSU Athletics in a career that spanned 40 years as head coach of the Blazers baseball program and he guided the Blazers to their first national title in any sport in 1979.  In 2017, Thomas' named was added to Billy Grant Field, where the Blazers play baseball, as it now is known as Billy Grant Field  at Tommy Thomas Park.  
 
The storied career of Coach Thomas came to its conclusion in 2007, when he finished his time at the helm of Blazer baseball with 1,308 victories. At the time of his retirement, the impressive number earned him the title of NCAA Division II baseball's winningest coach and placed him 18^th among NCAA coaches regardless of division. Only one Division II coach, Joe Roberts of Armstrong State, has surpassed his mark since 2007.  
 
Thomas currently is 23^rd all-time in collegiate baseball in wins among each of the three NCAA divisions.  In NCAA Division II, he currently sits third all-time in victories behind Roberts (1,314) and Mike Metheny, who coached Southeastern Oklahoma State from 1981-2017, with 1,324 victories.
 
During his tenure, which included 25 years as a member of the Gulf South Conference, Thomas led Valdosta State to two GSC Championships and a 1979 National Championship. He ranks third all-time in the conference record books with 759 league wins, and he led VSU's baseball program to winning seasons in all but six of his 40 years at the helm.
 
Since retiring, Thomas' has been inducted into the Valdosta State Athletic Hall of Fame, the Gulf South Conference Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and most recently, into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
 
Check back each Friday throughout the season for new Blazer Spotlight Podcasts from Malone and Walker as they interview exciting new guests.