By: Trinity Thomas
VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State Men's Basketball unveiled its 2026-27 schedule, a 28-game slate that features 20 Gulf South Conference contests, 15 home games, and a trip to Florida for the GSC/SSC/SIAC Challenge.
"Our opening night is a little earlier this year on Monday Nov. 9th, so I hope we will have a great turnout for our team. We have 12 new faces and I am excited to see them compete in front of the best fans in all of D2." said head men's basketball coach Mike Helfer.
The season tips off Monday, Nov. 9, when the Blazers host Thomas University at 7 p.m. in Valdosta. That is the first of three home games in the season's opening three weeks.
Valdosta State then heads to Melbourne, Fla., for the GSC/SSC/SIAC Challenge at Florida Tech. The Blazers face the host Panthers on Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. and Edward Waters on Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. VSU closes the road portion of its non-conference slate on Nov. 18 at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Ga.
The Blazers return home for a Nov. 24 matchup with Georgia College & State University at 6 p.m. and host Embry-Riddle on Nov. 28 at 2 p.m.
Conference play begins Dec. 2 with a visit from UAH at 8 p.m., followed by West Alabama on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. Valdosta State hosts ABAC on Dec. 7 before its first GSC road trip of the season, with stops at AUM on Dec. 10 and Montevallo on Dec. 12. The Blazers close the first half of the year at home against Christian Brothers on Dec. 16 and Union on Dec. 19.
VSU opens the new year on the road in Mississippi, playing at Delta State on Jan. 2 and at Mississippi Chrisitian on Jan. 4. The Blazers then return home to host Lee on Jan. 8 and Trevecca Nazarene on Jan. 10, followed by a non-conference matchup with Baptist University of Florida on Jan. 14.
Valdosta State travels to Alabama for the next round of league play, visiting West Alabama on Jan. 21 and UAH on Jan. 23. The Blazers finish the month with two more home contests, hosting Montevallo on Jan. 27 and AUM on Jan. 30.
February begins with a road swing through Tennessee, where the Blazers play at Union in Jackson on Feb. 4 and at Christian Brothers in Memphis on Feb. 6. VSU returns to Valdosta to host Mississippi Christian on Feb. 10 and Delta State on Feb. 13 to close out the home schedule. The regular season wraps up with trips to Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville on Feb. 18 and Lee in Cleveland, Tenn., on Feb. 20.
The GSC Tournament follows, with the quarterfinals on March 1, the semifinals on March 4, and the championship game on March 7. The higher seed hosts each round. The NCAA Division II South Regional and Elite Eight dates will be announced at a later time.
"We always try to play a very competitive non-conference schedule and that is the case again this year. said Helfer. We believe that prepares us for the always tough GSC schedule. The GSC is one of the best D2 conferences in the nation and I expect every game to be difficult and challenging. I also have a tremendous amount of respect for the coaches in our conference. They always have their teams prepared and ready to play."
Stay up to date on all Blazer Athletics news by downloading the Blazer mobile app for exclusive content, gameday notifications, schedules, rosters and more. Fans can also follow @VState_Blazers on Instagram and X and like the Valdosta State Blazers Facebook page.
