Valdosta State Lady Blazer basketball has a long tradition of success on both the conference level and a national level.
During the 2011-12 season, the Lady Blazers played all the way to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen, missing the Elite Eight by just two points in a 56-54 loss to Rollins, a Final Four participant. Valdosta State finished the season at an impressive 22-8 on the season and 10-4 in the Gulf South Conference. Brittany Ferguson had a compelling season, finishing as an All-American with 11 double-doubles throughout the season, including 27 points and 19 rebounds at Alabama-Huntsville. Guard Sczeny Hartry joined Ferguson as All-Region and All-GSC honorees.
Along with those individual honorees, was Head Coach
Kiley Hill. He was recognized as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association South Region Coach of the Year.
Before the 2011-12 season, the Lady Blazers were part of a GSC that was split into two divisions, the East and the West. The Lady Blazers have finished as Gulf South Conference East Division Champions eight times: 1983, 1984, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2007 and 2009-10. The most recent GSC East Championship came in 2010 when Valdosta State ran through the competition to an undefeated 10-0 conference record. The feat led to Hill being recognized as the GSC East Coach of the Year.
Valdosta State doesn't just settle for success within the conference though. The Lady Blazers have participated in the NCAA Tournament 10 times in its history. Those years include 1983, 1984, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2007-10 and last season in 2012. Valdosta State earned its way to the tournament four consecutive seasons and six times in eight years. In 2008, VSU was an NCAA Sweet 16 participant and earned the NCAA South Regional Championship in consecutive years in 1983-84. In 1984, the Lady Blazers fell in the NCAA Division II Final Four.
While success on the court is important to the student-athletes and coaches at VSU, success in the classroom is just as integral to the team's success. Valdosta State was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association's Academic Honor Roll in 2001 and 2006. In fact, just last season Ferguson and Courtney Mitchell were named to the GSCA All-Academic Team. Six other Lady Blazers joined the duo as part of the 2011-12 Academic Honor Roll.
In Hill's tenure, the Lady Blazers have never won less than 10 games. In fact, Valdosta State has averaged 18.8 wins over 12 seasons under Hill.
