VALDOSTA, Ga. –  Tickets are on sale now for the 26^th Annual Valdosta State Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Brunch is scheduled for Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 10 a.m., at the VSU Student Union Ballroom located the intersection of N. Oak Street and Baytree Road, at 1500 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA, 31698.  
 
Fans can purchase tickets for the brunch at the link to the right of this article or by clicking here.  Tickets for the brunch are $25 per person and the brunch ticket also will allow access to the VSU basketball doubleheader at The Complex that afternoon versus Delta State at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
 
The 26^th edition of the Athletic Hall of Fame includes an outstanding class, featuring six former student-athletes, a former VSU President and First Lady and a long-time athletic trainer.  Below is information on the 2023 induction class.
 
Federico "Freddy" Arango (Men's Golf, 1998-2000) – This Blazer men's golfer had an outstanding two-year career for the Blazers earning two All-America honors in 1999 and 2000.  He earned All-GSC honors in both 1999 and 2000, and competed in the NCAA National Championship tournament in 1999, where he recorded the third-best 72-hole score in program history at +6, 294. Freddy helped the team to fourth overall at the NCAA National Championship in 1999.
 
Dr. and Mrs. Hugh C. Bailey (Contributor, 1978-2001) – Dr. Bailey served as President of Valdosta State for 23 years, was responsible for the start of football, the construction of the Student Recreation Center, The Complex and guided Valdosta State to University status in 1993, among many other notable contributions to Valdosta State.  His lovely wife, Joan, served as the University's First Lady and was known as "Mama" to over 32,000 graduates and was loved and respected by all.  The couple was married for over 50 years and both were keenly instrumental in the success of Valdosta State as a whole and the success of Blazer athletics. 
 
Jessica Codato (Volleyball, 2013-2015) – A trailblazer for the Blazer volleyball team, Jessica became the first VSU player to be named All-America in 2014 and 2015.  She has had the most storied career in program history as she was named to the Gulf South Conference All-Decade First Team in 2020, was named GSC Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015 and earned first team all-league honors for three seasons.  Jessica helped guide the Blazers to the program's first league title in 2015.  As a junior, in 2014, she helped lead the Blazers to the program's first NCAA postseason appearance.  For her career, Jessica played in 96 matches with 93 starts and finished with 3,176 assists, 118 service aces and 465 kills.  A steady presence defensively she tallied 1,008 digs and recorded 211 total blocks with 21 solo rejections.  Jessica had a triple-double in VSU's first round win against Saint Leo in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA South Regional and was a member of the GSC All-Tournament Team in 2014.  
 
Russ Hoff (Athletic Trainer, 1997-2017) – Long-time VSU Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer, Russ was named the 2004 NCAA Division II Athletic Trainer of the Year and was responsible for building VSU'sreputation for outstanding athletic training in addition to having one of the top athletic training academic programs in the country.  Russ came to Titletown in August of 1997 from a similar capacity at Capital (Ohio) University.  He served as head athletic trainer for the Blazers until 2017 and was an integral part of helping with the state-of-the-art VSUAthletic Field House which opened in 2009.  In 2017, he moved into a full-time faculty role in the Department of Health Sciences within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.  He began his career in collegiate athletics as the Assistant Professor in the department of Health and Sports Sciences at Capital University in 1987. During his ten years at Capital, his efforts caught statewide attention, as he was named the Ohio Athletic Trainer of the Year in 1993. The trend continued after his transition to VSU, when he earned another Athletic Trainer of the Year honor in the state of Georgia in 2001.  He helped countless VSU student-athletes over his 20 years within the athletic department to earn numerous individual and team awards and was part of six of the school's eight national titles.  
 
Sean Pender (Football, 1992-1996) – Reliability and versatility are adjectives to describe this Blazer football alum who had a standout career for Valdosta State University where he earned All-America and All-Gulf South Conference honors.  He led NCAA Division II in receptions in 1995 with 111 and broke several school and GSC records, including the game with 20 catches in 1995 against Mississippi College for a school record. He was part of the Blazers' first two NCAA postseason football teams in 1994 and 1996, and earned first team all-league honors in 1995 and 1996.  For his career, he finished with 247 receptions for second all-time in school history, while he had 2,072 yards receiving for ninth all-time in program history.
 
Butch Shelman (Men's Basketball, 1988-1992) – This inductee is a member of the Blazer men's basketball 1,000-point club having scored 1,579 points.  Butch averaged 15 points per game during his career in the red and black and was named GSC Freshman of the Year in 1989.  His 1,579 points are good for eighth all-time in program history.  For his career, he played in 105 games and went 584 of 1234 from the field for a .473 average, was 142 of 355 from distance for a .400 clip and was 269 of 330 from the line for a .815 average. His 269 made free throws places him sixth all-time in school history.  He had 289 assists and 105 steals while averaging 30 minutes per game for his career.
 
George Whitmire (Cross Country, 1975-1977) – This inductee was part of Valdosta State's inaugural cross country team.  He competed at the NCAA Division II Cross-Country Championship meets, earned all-state and all-conference honors in 1975 and 1976.  In 1975, he finished 28^th at the national championship meet, while he was 36^th in 1976.  He won individual South Atlantic Conference titles in both 1975 and 1976, while narrowly missing All-America status by just 10 seconds in 1975 and 14 seconds in 1976.  He is a teammate of current Hall of Fame member Joe Germano. 
 
Robert Williams (Football, 1991-1994) – Nicknamed "Bean Pole," this Blazer gridder is tied for sixth all-time in receptions in program history with 185, while his 2,726 yards receiving yards is sixth all-time and his 31 receiving touchdowns places him fifth all-time in program history.  He earned all-GSC honors as a senior and led the team in receptions in 1994 with 86 good for 1,187 yards for third all-time in school history for receiving yards in a season.  Robert spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs following his stellar VSU career.