VALDOSTA - Valdosta State received the No. 1 seed in the Southeast Region for the NCAA Division II playoffs, earning a first-round bye.
Albany State also got into the 24-team field. The Golden Rams (8-2) will open the playoffs at Catawba (10-1) next Saturday.
Valdosta State (9-1) will host the winner of that game on Nov. 17.
Under rookie head coach David Dean, the Blazers are returning to the playoffs after missing out last season for the first time in seven seasons.
Dean, the team's former offensive coordinator, inherited an experienced team after Chris Hatcher left for Georgia Southern. The Blazers didn't miss a beat, finishing second in the Gulf South Conference behind Delta State the team that handed them their only loss on Oct. 11.
Albany State coach Mike White expected a rebuilding season, but his team proved him wrong by returning to the playoffs even though its streak of five straight Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles was snapped by a 40-28 loss to Tuskegee on Oct. 20.
Tuesday
January 21st, 2025
8:07PM
