1979 NCAA Division II National Champions
National Champions
1979 Baseball
VSC 3 Florida Southern 2
2004 Football
VSU 36 Pittsburg State (KS) 31
2006 Men's Tennis
VSU 5 Lynn (FL) 2
2007 Football
VSU 25 NW Missouri St 20
2011 Men's Tennis
VSU 5 Barry (FL) 2
2012 Football
VSU 35 Winston-Salem State 7
2012 Softball
VSU 4 UC San Diego (CA) 1
2018 Football
VSU 49 Ferris State (MI) 47
Kneeling (L to R): Head Coach Tommy Thomas, Terry Reynolds, David Raffensberger, Mark Brown, Chuck Rigoni, Frank Gonzalez, Kelly Scott,
Sal Amadeo, Andy Micacchione, Jimmy Wall, David Slacks, Bart Shuman, Pepe Sanchez, Frank DeGennaro, Asst. Coach Steve McDiffitt.
Standing (L to R): ?, ?, ?, Bud Manning, Ronnie Lundell, Mike Raines, Carl Owen, Pat Kelly, Theron Cooper, Tim Harris, Rick Mitchell, Rick Gorey,
Kip McLeod, Tim Carroll, David Rogers, Louise Romaine, Becky Godsey
KD Batgirls (L to R): Leigh Amos, Anita Cobb, Rozanne Rahn, Jane Anne Deloach, ?, Jennie Roberts, Pennye Godsey, Becky
Shuman, Becky Taylor, Ruby Romaine, Bari Ennis, ?, Sharon Roberts, Carol McMahan, Becky Edwards, ?, ?
At the 1979 College World Series in Springfield, IL, Thomas's Blazers set a College World Series
record for most runs scored in an inning when they plated 13 in the top of the 9th to bury Jacksonville State (AL) 15-4 in the opening game, then dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to New
Haven University (CT) to fall into the losers bracket. The Blazers beat Cal Poly-Pomona (CA) 6-3
to stave off elimination, then pounded defending national champion Florida Southern (FL)
11-3 later that evening, setting up three teams with one loss. VSC dispensed with LeMoyne
College (NY) 8-3, then brought home Valdosta State's first National Championship on May 30, 1979, defeating Florida Southern 3-2 for the crown. Frank DeGennaro was named to the All-Tournament Team and MVP of the 1979 World Series, with Bart Shuman and Mark Brown also being named to the All-Tournament Team.
When Tommy Thomas retired after the end of the 2007 season as the Head Baseball Coach at
Valdosta State University, he was the nineteenth winningest mentor in NCAA history, posting a
1308-825-6 mark over 40 seasons, which included the 1979 NCAA Division II Baseball National
Championship, along with numerous league and conference championships, district, area, and
region crowns and eight College World Series appearances.
A Valdosta, GA native, Thomas starred at Valdosta High School (VHS) as a pitcher and catcher.
After graduation, he was recruited to Valdosta State College (VSC) by his former VHS coach Billy
Grant, who had assumed the head coaching position for the then Rebels. Thomas led the team
in hitting his last three years, which included the Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Championship (GIAC) in 1960.
In the fall of 1967, Grant, who was now also the VSC Athletic Director, hired Thomas to be his
assistant coach and subsequently made him the head man for the 1968 season. After a string of
conference titles in the GIAC with the Rebels banner, the school’s nickname was changed to the
Blazers for the 1972-73 academic year. The 1973 season gave VSC its first All-American, in
outfielder Gene Felts, and first trip to a College World Series (NAIA), where the team finished
third. The school became an official member of the NCAA in 1973-74, with All-American CF/P
Sam Bowen leading the team to a fifth-place World Series finish. VSC Baseball had back to back
4th place finishes in the 1977 & 1978 NCAA Division II College World Series and made
appearances in the NCAA College World Series in 1983, 1985, and 1995. Thomas coached 28 All-
Americans and 76 All-Gulf South Conference (GSC) honorees and was named ABCA National Coach of
the Year in 1979 and GSC Coach of the Year in 1995 and 2002.
Thomas is a member of the Valdosta State University Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches
Association Hall of Fame and the National College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Archive Book
ALL AMERICANS
Sal Amadeo
1st Team - 1978
2nd Team - 1979
Frank Gonzalez
2nd Team - 1979
Kelly Scott
2nd Team - 1980
Jimmy Wall
3rd Team-1979
VALDOSTA STATE
HALL OF FAMERS
1979 Baseball National
Championship Team (*2005)
Sal Amadeo (*2007)
Kelly Scott (*2000)
Frank Gonzalez (*2017)
SIGNED
PROFESSIONAL
CONTRACTS
Frank Gonzalez - San Diego Padres
Rick Gorey - Atlanta Braves
Kelly Scott - New York Yankees
Mike Raines - Cincinnati Reds
Rick Mitchell - New York Yankees
*indicates induction year
1979 Valdosta State Roster
No.
1
4
5
7
9
12
17
19
21
22
23
24
26
27
29
30
34
35
37
39
41
43
44
46
54
Name
Sal Amadeo
Kelly Scott
Andy Micacchione
Frank Gonzalez
Bart Shuman
Carl Owen
Jimmy Wall
Chuck Rigoni
Kip McLeod
David Raffensberger
Frank DeGennaro
Mike Raines
Terry Reynolds
Tim Harris
Pepe Sanchez
Mark Brown
Ronnie Lundell
David Rogers
Theron Cooper
David Slacks
Rick Gorey
Tim Carroll
Pat Kelley
Bud Manning
Rick Mitchell
Pos.
CF
RHP
3B
2B
SS
C
LHP
LF
RHP
LHP
LF
RHP
LF
C
RF
1B
RHP
3B
RHP
CF
RHP
RHP
RHP
RHP
RHP
Ht.
5-8
5-9
5-7
5-8
5-11
6-1
6-0
5-10
6-3
6-0
5-10
6-2
5-11
6-2
6-0
5-11
6-0
6-1
6-4
5-10
6-3
6-0
6-3
6-2
6-3
Tommy Thomas-Head Coach
Wt.
160
145
170
165
170
195
175
150
190
170
185
170
170
195
175
185
165
180
180
165
205
200
180
190
190
B-T
R-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
L-R
R-R
R-L
R-R
R-R
L-L
R-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
L-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
L-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
R-R
Class
SR
JR
JR
SR
SR
JR
JR
SO
JR
SO
JR
JR
JR
SR
JR
JR
SR
JR
FR
FR
SR
SR
SR
FR
SO
Steven McDiffitt - Assistant Coach
Hometown
Miami, FL
Key West, FL
Marietta, GA
Hialeah, FL
Monticello, FL
Ludowici, GA
Jacksonville, FL
Perry, FL
Valdosta, GA
Ft. Pierce, FL
Orange, CT
Shellman, GA
Orlando, FL
Leesburg, GA
Guaynabo, P.R.
Lake City, FL
Reidsville, GA
Orlando, FL
Macon, GA
Mystic, GA
Imlay City, MI
Merritt Island,FL
Decatur, GA
Wheeling, W.V.
Sarasota, FL
1979 Valdosta State Schedule and Results
VSC 0, Clemson 5 (Kelly 1-0)
VSC 2, Clemson 6
VSC 13, Rose-Hulman 0
VSC 8, West Virginia 0
VSC 2, Florida State 0
VSC 13, West Virginia 0
VSC 14, Florida State 12
VSC 0, Florida State 6
VSC 16, Rose-Hulman 5
VSC 8, Rose-Hulman 5
VSC 3, St. Francis 0
VSC 5, St. Francis 0
VSC 2, St. Francis 1
VSC 1, St. Francis 4
VSC 11, Morris Harvey 10
VSC 12, Morris Harvey 1
VSC 9, Illinois Benedictine 2 (Mitchell 3-1)
VSC 2, Illinois Benedictine 1
VSC 10, Illinois Benedictine 8
VSC 7, Illinois Benedictine 3
VSC 11, Jacksonville University 3
VSC 10, Albany State 3
VSC 15, Albany State 5
VSC 8, St. Xavier 4
VSC 9, St. Xavier 1
VSC 12, St. Xavier 10
VSC 8, St. Xavier 4
VSC 12, Armstrong State 0
VSC 3, Armstrong State 2
(Scott 1-0)
(Mitchell 2-1)
(Scott 3-0)
(Kelly 4-2)
VSC 3, Armstrong State 0
VSC 0, Georgia Southern 21 (Raines 2-1)
VSC 9, Georgia Southern 3
VSC 5, West Georgia 1
VSC 14, West Georgia 2 (Wall 5-0)
VSC 3, West Georgia 0
VSC 1, Jacksonville University 6
VSC 5, Quincy University 2
VSC 7, Flagler University 3
VSC 9, Albany State 3
VSC 2, Albany State 1
VSC 4, Georgia Southwestern 3
VSC 6, Columbus State 7
VSC 7, Columbus State 10 (Wall 6-1)
VSC 2, Columbus State 6
VSC 2, Flagler University 0
VSC 14, Florida State 14
VSC 0, Augusta State 1 (Mitchell 7-3)
VSC 18, Augusta State 4 (Scott 7-0)
VSC 15, Augusta State 4
VSC 7, Georgia Southwestern 4
VSC 1, Mercer 5 (Wall 6-2)
VSC 8, Mercer 11
VSC 2, University of Florida 11
VSC 6, Rollins University 5
VSC 8, Columbus State 4
VSC 3, Columbus State 2
*Underline denotes link to story from that game
(Mitchell 7-1)
1979 NCAA Division II
College World Series - Springfield, IL
VSC 15, Jacksonville State 4
VSC 3, New Haven University 4
VSC 6, Cal-Poly Pomona 3
VSC 11, Florida Southern 3
VSC 8, Lemoyne College 3
VSC 3, Florida Southern 2
(Gorey 9-1)
Special Thanks
Mario Meadows
Platinum Sound Studios
Heather Bradley, Website Design
Bradley Brands
Douglas Carlson
VSU Archives & Special Collections
Herb Reinhard
VSU Athletic Director
Linda Reinhard
VSU Foundation
Kit Strief
VSU Sports Information Director
Dr. Dave Waples former VSC Head Cross Country Coach & Assistant Baseball Coach
