VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — 1984 was the last time the Valdosta State women's basketball team made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Tournament, until this year. The Lady Blazer. punched their ticket to the quarterfinals by beating the number one team in the country in the Sweet Sixteen, and there's nothing this team wants to do more than make Blazer Nation proud.
The Lady Blazers returned to Titletown Tuesday night after that big win over Union to a crowd of supporters, and after the the show head coach Deandra Schirmer and her team put on in Tennessee, it was more than deserved.
"Valdosta State is such a great place to play," said graduate student Kwajelin Farrar, who was named the South Region Most Valuable Player. "Having the crowds we do, having the support that we do it's hard not to want to be a Blazer. It's so hard not to love being here, and I know all my teammates feel the same to be here and feel honored to be a Blazer."
"I think the best part is seeing the players enjoy it and seeing the community enjoy it," added Schirmer. "Seeing how happy the community members are and talking to everyone here at VSU and just how thrilled everyone is living through that experience and is so very proud. You can see why this is called Titletown. They're used to championships, they know how to treat a champion, and they do it the right way here at VSU."
Valdosta State faces Western Washington Monday night in the Elite Eight of the tournament. Tip-off is at 9:30pm in Birmingham, Alabama.
