its first national championship in 2012 after falling in their first title match appearance in 2010. Valdosta State also has a rugby club, VSU Rugby.
== Noted people ==
== Free speech controversies ==
=== 2007 suspension of student Hayden Barnes ===
In May 2007, T. Hayden Barnes, a student at Valdosta State University, was "administratively withdrawn" for criticizing the construction of two new parking garages on campus in a manner that University President Ronald Zaccari, over the objection of other administrators, deemed to be indicative of Barnes posing a clear and present danger to the VSU campus. In January 2008, Barnes filed a civil rights lawsuit against the university, VSU President Ronald Zaccari, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and other VSU administrators. In 2021, Barnes won his legal battle against past university president Zaccari. In July 2015, the university's insurers settled the case for $900,000.
=== 2014 deactivation of adjunct professor Mark Patrick George …
