Birmingham, AL- Valdosta State football earned six selections on the 2026 Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Team. The team was selected by the league's head coaches and recognizes the conference's top returning student-athletes entering the 2026 season..The Blazers were represented by junior QB Jameson Holcomb, senior OT Ty Merkle, senior LB Julius Pascal, and senior DB Rickey Ransom. Shawn Paschall earned multiple selections, receiving preseason recognition at both RB and RS.

Holcomb returns after leading the Blazers through nine games in 2025, completing 129-of-211 passes for 1,539 yards and 12 touchdowns while posting a 61.1% completion rate. He capped the regular season with a career-best performance at West Florida, throwing for 331 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-44 victory.

Paschall made an immediate impact during his freshman season, earning GSC Offensive Freshman of the year while rushing for 225 yards, four touchdowns and averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also established himself as one of the league's premier return specialists, averaging 34.8 yards on 11 kickoff returns and returning two kickoffs 95 yards for touchdowns.

Merkle returns as one of the veterans on the Blazers' offensive line after helping to anchor the unit throughout the 2025 season. He played a key role in an offense that averaged 366.2 total yards and 29.6 points per game while generating 1,634 rushing yards and 2,394 passing yards. Merkle will again provide leadership and experience up front as Valdosta State enters the 2026 campaign. 

Pascal enters the season as one of the conference's top returning linebackers after leading Valdosta State with 88 total tackles in 2025. He added 49 solo stops, 6.0 tackles for loss, one sack, five pass breakups and six quarterback hurries while serving as the centerpiece of the Blazer defense.

Ransom rounds out the Blazer honorees after another productive season in the secondary. The senior defensive back recorded 42 tackles, including 21 solo stops, while adding two tackles for loss, one interception, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry during the 2025 campaign.

The Blazers will be at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Thursday, August 27th to kick off their 2026 season, playing against Emory and Henry University.

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2026 Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Selections

Offense:
QB: Jameson Holcomb, Valdosta State
RB: Nick Clark, Delta State
RB: Shawn Paschall, Valdosta State
AP: Brayden Jenkins, West Alabama
WR: TD Parker, West Alabama
WR: Lawrence Armstrong, Delta State
TE: Carter Coullard, Delta State
C: Ben Newton, West Alabama
OG: Barrett Cain, West Alabama
OT: Ty Merkle, Valdosta State
OT: Mason Hiller, West Alabama

Defense:
DL: Xavier McDowell, West Alabama
DL: Anthony Oatis, West Alabama
DL: Chris Brown, Delta State
DL: Maliek Robertson, Delta State
LB: Julius Pascal, Valdosta State
LB: Tavian Moore, Delta State
LB: Austin Collins, Delta State
LB: Lake Gurley, West Alabama
DB: Rickey Ransom, Valdosta State
DB: Chrissean Jones, West Alabama
DB: Jacobi Green, West Alabama

Specialists:
K: Elijah Guyton, West Alabama
P: Price Nixon, Delta State
RS: Shawn Paschall, Valdosta State
STU: Bradin Tally, Delta State