ATHENS, Ga.- Two former University of Georgia Bulldogs will be inducted into the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Saturday, Feb. 26, at the annual banquet in Macon.
Former football player and head football coach Ray Goff, and former national champion tennis player Lisa Spain Short, both natives of Moultrie, Ga., are among seven individuals who were elected to the State Hall by the GSHF Honors Court.
Goff played quarterback for the Bulldogs and in 1976 led the team to a Southeastern Conference title and earned SEC Player of the Year honors. Later, he became UGA's head football coach from 1989-95. He amassed a record of 46-34-1 in seven seasons. The 1992 squad was his finest, going 10-2 with a share of the SEC's Eastern Division and a final national ranking of eighth.
Spain was the first All-American in the history of Georgia women's tennis and led the Bulldogs to their first SEC regular season and tournament titles in 1983. In 1984, Spain captured the NCAA singles title and the Honda Broderick Award for tennis. As a professional, she climbed as high as 63rd in the world rankings and played in each of tennis' four grand slam tournaments.
Others chosen to the 2011 class include former longtime high school football coach Robert Davis, former football player and SEC official Joe DeLany, former college and professional basketball standout Dale Ellis, former golfer Bill Ploeger and former college and professional football standout from Macon James "J.T." Thomas.
The seven members of the 2011 class were selected from a starting pool of 251 eligible nominees that have distinguished themselves in a myriad of sports at every level of competition.
"I'm amazed each year at the seemingly limitless number of world-class athletes that our state produces", said GSHF Interim Director Ben Sapp. "At the Honors Court level, the committee members are always faced with very difficult decisions; this year was no different."
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