MISSION STATEMENT
The Georgia State University Department of Athletics dedicates itself to the mission of shaping champions for today and leaders for tomorrow.
VISION STATEMENT
Our vision is to be a championship-caliber athletics program recognized nationally for uncompromising academic and competitive excellence.
CORE VALUES
Integrity • Integrity is the single defining characteristic of Georgia State Athletics. We follow the spirit and the letter of rules and regulations of our governing bodies. We are honest in dealings with athletes, coaches, opponents and the university community.
Excellence • We strive for excellence in the
classroom and success at every competition. We have a passion for continuous quality improvement. We expect to win.
Determination and Innovation We embrace our determined spirit while encouraging innovation and resourcefulness in all that we do.
Diversity and Equality • We provide a
climate of mutual respect and diversity by recognizing each individual’s contribution to the department. We foster and empower a culture that provides equal access to athletic opportunities, facilities and student support services.
Community and Service • We establish an
organizational culture that fosters collaboration and partnership with stakeholders, and promotes responsible and caring citizens
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 NATIONAL HONORS 4 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS 6 CONFERENCE ACCOLADES 8 IN THE CLASSROOM 9 IN THE COMMUNITY 10 PANTHER SPORTS TEAMS
20 IN THE NEWS 22 ON THE INTERNET 24 INSIDE THE NUMBERS 26 FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS 27 FUTURE EXPANSION 28 PANTHER ATHLETIC CLUB
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NATIONAL HONORS FIVE PANTHERS EARNED ALL-AMERICA HONORS FROM THE COACHES OR MEDIA IN 2013-14 WITH WOMEN’S TENNIS STAR ABIGAIL TERE-APISAH BRINGING HOME FIRST-TEAM HONORS. THE TOTAL OF
FIVE ALL-AMERICANS IS THE MOST
IN ONE ACADEMIC YEAR FOR GEORGIA STATE IN PROGRAM HISTORY.
R.J. Hunter (above) was only the third men’s basketball player in school history to earn All-America honors as he was an honorable-mention selection in 2014.
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Abigail Tere-Apisah made history by reaching the national semifinals in singles play, the highest individual NCAA finish by a Panther ever. She also became the first female studentathlete at GSU to earn All-America honors twice in a career.
Albert Wilson was GSU’s “Mr. Do-Everything” and was honored by Sports Illustrated as an honorable-mention AllAmerican as an all-purpose player.
Nic Wilson belted 18 home runs to rank fourth in the nation, and was among the national leaders in doubles (20), RBI (52) and runs scored (50).
Chase Raffield became just the third two-time All-American in school history (any sport) after ranking seventh in the NCAA with 14 home runs and 15th with 59 RBI.
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CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS Georgia State improved its total to five Sun Belt titles in two years by winning championships in men’s basketball (regular season), women’s tennis and men’s golf in 2013-14. Women’s tennis went on to win its first-round match at the NCAA team tournament to become the first women’s team at Georgia State to advance at an NCAA Championship event. The Panthers defeated No. 31 Tennessee before falling to No. 7 North Carolina. The men’s golf squad also reached the NCAA Championship for the fifth time in school history after taking second at the San Antonio Regional. GSU finished the championship event in 22nd place in the final standings.
2013-14 MEMBERS
SUN BELT SPORTS*
UALR Arkansas State Georgia State UL Lafayette UL Monroe South Alabama Texas Arlington Texas State Troy Western Kentucky
* Western Kentucky will leave the Sun Belt Conference on July 1, 2014, while New Mexico State and Idaho are added as football-only members. Also new in 2014-15 as full members will be Georgia Southern and Appalachian State.
Baseball Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Women’s Cross Country Football Men’s Golf Women’s Golf Women’s Soccer Softball Men’s Tennis Women’s Tennis Women’s Indoor Track and Field Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Volleyball
BUBAS CUP STANDINGS Rk. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Team Western Kentucky South Alabama Texas State UL Lafayette Arkansas State UT Arlington Georgia State Troy UL Monroe UALR
Pts. 108.5 95.5 89.0 88.5 87.0 85.5 79.0 58.5 47.0 46.5
*GSU-sponsored sports only. GSU men’s soccer joins the Sun Belt as a championship sport in 2014-15, while sand volleyball competes as an NCAA emerging sport.
Men’s golf advanced to the NCAA Championship for the fifth time in school history after recording a school-best second-place finish at the San Antonio Regional and winning the Sun Belt title.
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Georgia State ran away with the men’s basketball regular-season title at 17-1 in the standings and earned a second postseason bid in three years with a berth in the NIT before ending with a 25-9 record.
Women’s tennis earned the second league title in program history behind Abigail Tere-Apisah, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, and Sun Belt Coach of the Year Robin Stephenson.
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Sophomore guard R.J. Hunter was named the top male athlete in the Sun Belt Conference for the 2013-14 academic year. The award, which includes athletes from all league-sponsored sports, capped a historic year for the Panther men’s basketball program.
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CONFERENCE ACCOLADES 1 2 3 32 45
SUN BELT MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD-WINNER (R.J. Hunter, Men’s Basketball)
SUN BELT STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR HONORS (R.J. Hunter, Men’s Basketball; Abigail Tere-Apisah, Women’s Tennis)
SUN BELT COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS
(Ron Hunter, Men’s Basketball; Robin Stephenson, Women’s Tennis; Joe Inman, Men’s Golf)
SUN BELT PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
PANTHERS ON ALL-SUN BELT TEAMS BASEBALL
MEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Nic Wilson (first team, 1B) Chase Raffield (first team, OF) Joey Roach (first team, C)
Kendra Long (third team, G)
Davin White (first team) J.J. Grey (first team) Damon Stephenson (second team)
Ashley Nagy (first team)
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SOFTBALL
CROSS COUNTRY
WOMEN’S TENNIS
R.J. Hunter (first team, G) Ryan Harrow (first team, G) Manny Atkins (second team, F) Devonta White (third team, G)
Hannah Stefanoff (first team) Niamh Kearney (second team)
FOOTBALL
Albert Wilson (first team, WR/ST) Ulrick John (honorable mention, OT) Joseph Peterson (honorable mention, LB)
WOMEN’S GOLF
Maria Palacios (first team) Lauren Court (second team) Laura Sanchez (second team)
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Naimh Kearney (first team, mile) Tatiana Colbert (first team, 400m, 4x400m) Talia Colbert (first team, 400m, 4x400m) Aniya Moore (first team, pentathlon, 4x400m) Jasmyne Robinson (first team, 4x400m)
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Lauren Coleman (first team, 1B) Callie Alford (second team, C) Ashley Christy (second team, OF) Kaitlyn Medlam (second team, P)
Abigail Tere-Apisah (first-team singles) Linn Timmermann (second-team singles) Abigail Tere-Apisah (first-team doubles) Masa Grgan (first-team doubles) Marcia Tere-Apisah (first-team doubles) Tarani Kamoe (first-team doubles)
Katharine Showalter (first team, Steeplechase) Carole Idolphine (first team, 400m hurdles, 4x400m) Tatiana Colbert (first team, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m) Talia Colbert (first team, 4x400m) Wande Brewer (first team, 4x100m, 4x400m) Katherine Randolph (first team, 4x100m) Ravin Gilbert (first team, 4x100m)
VOLLEYBALL
Dede Bohannon (second team, OH)
MEN’S TENNIS
Robert Schulze (first-team doubles) Sofiane Chevallier (first-team doubles) Jannis Koeke (first-team singles)
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IN THE CLASSROOM 43 PRESIDENT’S LIST SELECTIONS 149 DEAN’S LIST HONOREES 150 ATHLETIC DIRECTOR’S HONOR ROLL SELECTIONS
3.06
SEMESTER GPA FOR ALL STUDENTATHLETES DURING THE 2014 SPRING SEMESTER, THE HIGHEST ON RECORD
1,000 MEN’S GOLF POSTED A PERFECT APR SCORE OF 1,000 TO RANK IN THE TOP 10 PERCENT NATIONALLY IN 2014
GEORGIA STATE LED THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE WITH AN 86 PERCENT GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE FROM THE DATA RELEASED IN 2013. THAT TOTAL MAKES GSU THE ONLY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE TO TOP 80 PERCENT, AND IS ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 81 PERCENT.
A total of 20 Panther student-athletes graduated in the Spring semester of 2014.
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IN THE COMMUNITY DURING 2013-14, PANTHER STUDENTATHLETES COMBINED TO PRODUCE MORE THAN
5,000 HOURS OF
COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE METRO ATLANTA AREA FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
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FOOTBALL -- In the program’s first year at the FBS level, wide receiver Albert Wilson continued his record-setting ways and finished numerous school records -- including 6,235 all-purpose yards to rank among the national leaders -- before signing as a free agent with Kansas City in May. Offensive tackle Ulrick John became the second Panther selected in the NFL Draft as he was taken in the seventh round by the Indianapolis Colts.
CROSS COUNTRY -- Hannah Stefanoff and Niamh Kearney each earned firstteam All-Sun Belt honors while helping the Panthers to a final No. 15 South Region ranking.
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VOLLEYBALL -- Georgia State more than doubled its win total from the previous year as Dede Bohannon earned secondteam All-Sun Belt honors as a sophomore.
WOMEN’S SOCCER -- Georgia State earned a .500 record in conference play for the first time since 2010 while Ashley Nagy was selected first-team All-Sun Belt.
MEN’S SOCCER -- Amiri Abraham led the team in scoring as a freshman while senior defender Michael Nwiloh went on to become the first Panther selected in the MLS Draft.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL -- The Panthers finished fifth in the Sun Belt as Kendra Long earned third-team all-league honors.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD -- Five Panthers earned All-Sun Belt honors while helping GSU to a fifth-place finish.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
SUN BELT REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPION | NIT FIRST ROUND Enjoying one of its most successful seasons in program history, the men’s basketball team won the Sun Belt Regular Season Championship, advanced to the Postseason NIT for just the second time and won 25 games, the second most in school history. The Panthers won a school-record 14 straight games and ran off a stretch of 22 of 23 en route to a 17-1 record in Sun Belt play. Georgia State won the third regularseason championship in program history and first since 2001-02. A record four players earned all-conference honors, highlighted by Sun Belt Coach of the Year Ron Hunter and Player of the Year R.J. Hunter. The Panthers finished in the top-5 in the NCAA in fewest turnovers, free throw percentage, assist/turnover ratio, turnovers per game and turnover margin. Georgia State was one of just three teams in the country with four 1,000-point scorers. 12 | GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS | 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT
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WOMEN’S TENNIS
SUN BELT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION | NCAA SECOND ROUND The women’s tennis program set records and reached levels never before attained by a female team in Georgia State history. The most historic moment came as the Panthers defeated No. 31 Tennessee in the first round of the team tournament to become the first Georgia State women’s squad to advance in NCAA postseason play. It was also the highest ranked opponent the Panthers had ever beaten, giving them wins over two top-35 teams during the season. Individually, Abigail Tere-Apisah (singles and doubles) and Masa Grgan (doubles) competed in the NCAA individual championships, with Tere-Apisah’s incredible run to the singles national semifinals setting the standard for best NCAA finish by a Panther in history. Tere-Apisah and Grgan also earned the program’s first doubles win in NCAA play, and along with Marcia TereApisah and Tarani Kamoe, helped GSU have two ranked doubles teams in the same week for the first time ever.
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MEN’S GOLF
SUN BELT TOURNAMENT CHAMPION | NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANT Capped by a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Championship, the men’s golf team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in program history and easily their most rewarding under head coach Joe Inman. GSU finished No. 42 in the country. The Panthers won the Sun Belt Championship to cap a school-record stretch of three straight wins. It was their fourth win of the season, also a school record. Following the conference title, Georgia State finished second at the San Antonio Regional, the program’s best finish in NCAA play to advance to its fifth national championship appearance. Three Panthers earned all-conference honors, while it was a senior who started his career as a walk-on, Tyler Gruca, who finished a school-best third at the San Antonio Regional to propel the Panthers in postseason play. The team combined for 13 top-10 individual finishes during the year, including three second-place finishes. 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT
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WOMEN’S GOLF -- Maria Palacios and Melissa Siviter each won individual titles and the Panthers had three team runner-up finishes.
SAND VOLLEYBALL -- Georgia State entered the national top 10 of the AVCA poll for the first time in program history.
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD -- Georgia State raced to second place in the conference meet standings as Katharine Showalter won the title in the steeplechase.
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BASEBALL -- Nic Wilson and Chase Raffield each earned All-America honors before being selected in the MLB Draft.
MEN’S TENNIS -- Georgia State picked up wins vs. two ranked teams and finished third at the Sun Belt championship.
SOFTBALL -- Kaitlyn Medlam set the school record for wins (62) in the circle, while the offense crushed the team mark for home runs with 59 on the season. Georgia State finished third in the Sun Belt Conference and won at least 30 games for the eighth consecutive season.
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IN THE NEWS MOVE TO THE SUN BELT BECOMES OFFICIAL
On July 1, 2013, Georgia State officially became a full member of the Sun Belt Conference, moving 14 of its 16 varsity sports into the league. The Panthers’ trek to join the conference began with an announcement on April 9, 2012.
Three affiliate members (NJIT, Howard and Hartwick) will join the fulltime trio to form the six-team league, with the winner of the conference tournament receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA SALLY POLHAMUSstarting BRETT Championship thisROSS fall.
TRANSITION TO FBS STATUS NOW COMPLETE
Along with the move to the Sun Belt, the Panther football team made the jump from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to join the ranks of the highest level of play in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The transition was part of a two-year process that was completed with the final paperwork being submitted to the NCAA on May 31, 2014.
SUN BELT ADDS MEN’S SOCCER FOR 2014
The Georgia State administration worked with incoming members Appalachian State and Georgia Southern to add men’s soccer as a league-sponsored sport starting in 2014 and providing a home for the Panthers, who were an NCAA Independent in 2013.
GEORGIA STATE LEADS SUN BELT IN GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE
Georgia State also had the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) among all Sun Belt schools with the data released in 2013. The Panthers’ 86 percent GSR was well above the national average of 81 percent, and was the only SBC school above 80 percent.
SCHOOL-RECORD FOUR PANTHERS TAKEN IN PROFESSIONAL DRAFTS SALLY POLHAMUS
BRETT ROSS
POLHAMUS, ROSS ON BOARD AS HEAD COACH
The Panthers welcomed new head coaches to the family in 201314 as both Sally Polhamus and Brett Ross returned to Atlanta. Polhamus, a former Division I head coach who was a conference coach of the year, took over the volleyball program in December while Ross, an Atlanta native, is now in charge of the men’s tennis program which won the Sun Belt title in spring of 2013.
The number of Panthers in the professional ranks grew in record numbers with four players across three sports being selected by professional organizations during their respective drafts in 201314. Michael Nwiloh started the charge by being the first Panther ever selected in the MLS Draft (fourth round, Chivas USA), while Ulrick John was the second GSU football player chosen in the NFL Draft (seventh round, Indianapolis Colts). Nic Wilson (24th round, Tampa Bay) and Chase Raffield (37th round, St. Louis) were also selected in the MLB Draft.
PANTHERS EARN HIGHEST SEMESTER GPA
Georgia State student-athletes achieved a departmental gradepoint average of 3.06 for the 2014 spring semester, and an all-time high 190 individuals earned academic honors. The athletics department has attained a GPA of 3.0 or higher for 12 consecutive semesters since fall 2008. The 3.06 achieved is GSU’s highest on record and follows a 3.05 last fall. 20 | GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS | 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT
MICHAEL NWILOH
ULRICK JOHN
NIC WILSON
CHASE RAFFIELD
2x ALL-AMERICAN
ONLY ONE PLAYER IN GEORGIA STATE HISTORY HAD EARNED MULTIPLE ALL-AMERICA HONORS IN A CAREER PRIOR TO 2013-14 WHEN TWO PANTHERS
ABIGAIL TERE-APISAH
ACCOMPLISHED THE FEAT. ABIGAIL TERE-APISAH (2012, 2014) AND CHASE RAFFIELD (2013, 2014) EACH PICKED UP THEIR SECOND ALL-AMERICA
CHASE RAFFIELD
SELECTION IN THE SPRING.
HUNTER REACHES CENTURY MARK
JOIN THE CLUB
WILSON SETS STANDARD ON GRIDIRON
1,393
Devonta White
1,269
Kendra Long
1,162
Ryan Harrow
1,131
R.J. Hunter
R.J. Hunter reached the 1,000-point mark in his sophomore season thanks in part to the long ball. During 2013-14, Hunter ranked No. 16 in the country with 100 3-pointers, the most a Panther has ever knocked down in one season. Albert Wilson will be remembered for years for his record-setting career to help the Panther program get off the ground. Among his school career records are: receptions (175), receiving yards (3,190), yards per catch (18.2), TD receptions (23), 100-yard games (13), kickoff returns (95), kickoff return yards (2,338), kickoff returns for TDs (2), punt returns (41), punt return yards (376), all-purpose yards (6,235) and TDs scored (26). His career total of 6,235 all-purpose yards ranks among the top 30 in NCAA history.
RAISING THE BAR
Several Georgia State records were established in the women’s tennis program in 2014, including: Final National Singles Rank: No. 15 Abigail Tere-Apisah Final National Doubles Rank: No. 23 Abigail Tere-Apisah/ Masa Grgan Highest Ranked Opponent Defeated: No. 31 Tennessee Season Singles Wins: 32 by Abigail Tere-Apisah
FATHER/SON SPECIAL
It’s not often that a father/son combination is able to share in a championship season like coach Ron Hunter and guard R.J. Hunter did in 2013-14. Even more rare: both father and son being honored as the best in their league as was the case for the Panthers in 2014 when Ron was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year and R.J. was selected as the league’s player of the year.
Among the Panthers with at least 1,000 career points on the basketball court during 2013-14 were:
1,128 1,008
(men’s basketball)
(women’s basketball)
(men’s basketball)
(men’s basketball)
Manny Atkins
(men’s basketball)
Alisha Andrews (women’s basketball)
SAAC EARNS TOP HONOR
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee was selected as the top student organization on the Georgia State University campus when it received the Carl V. Patton Award in 2014. SAAC routinely assists those in need throughout the downtown Atlanta community and has helped the Panthers record at least 5,000 hours of community service in each of the past four years.
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FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMS EACH STEPPED INTO BRAND NEW LOCKER ROOMS IN THE FALL OF 2013, PROVIDING THE PANTHERS WITH SOME OF THE BEST FACILITIES IN THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE.
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FUTURE EXPANSION
IN 2014, THE GEORGIA STATE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED TWO KEY AREAS OF NEED: A NEW WEIGHT ROOM AT THE FOOTBALL PRACTICE COMPLEX, AND A NEW PRACTICE FACILITY FOR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL, THAT WILL ALSO HOUSE AN ACADEMIC CENTER. FUNDRAISING HAS ALREADY BEGUN AS THE PROJECTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM AND ARE EARMARKED TO MOVE AHEAD OF THE OTHER AREAS IN THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN.
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