Georgia Bulldogs Football Forum Message Board and Blog > Sports > Georgia Bulldog Sports - Other > LARRY RAKESTRAW, SUZANNE YOCULAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO STATE OF GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME SATURDAY |
Georgia Bulldogs Football Forum Message Board and Blog > Sports > Georgia Bulldog Sports - Other > LARRY RAKESTRAW, SUZANNE YOCULAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO STATE OF GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME SATURDAY |
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| LARRY RAKESTRAW, SUZANNE YOCULAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO STATE OF GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME SATURDAY - Georgia Bulldog Sports - Other - Sports - Georgia Bulldogs Football Forum Message Board and Blog | ||||||||||||||
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Bonjax Administrator
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ATHENS-----Former Georgia two-sport star Larry Rakestraw and former gymnastics coach Suzanne Yoculan will be inducted Saturday into the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame during annual ceremonies at the Macon City Auditorium. They were chosen from an eligible pool of 252 nominees as individuals who best exemplify the tradition of sports excellence in the State of Georgia. During her 26-year tenure as Georgia’s gymnastics coach, Yoculan guided the Gym Dogs to an NCAA-best 10 national championships, including the last five in a row, 16 Southeastern Conference titles and 22 NCAA Regional crowns. Yoculan’s teams placed in the nation’s top three in 21 of the last 22 years. Yoculan’s work was recognized by her peers as she was chosen as the National Coach of the Year five times (1987, '93, '98, 2006, '08) and the SEC Coach of the Year eight times. (1986, '87, '99, 2001, '02, 04, '08, '09). She ended her career with an overall record of 836-117-7. In 19 of her 26 years as head coach at Georgia, Yoculan led her team to either an SEC title, an NCAA title or both. That means she won a championship in more than 70 percent of her tenure, and also finished at least third in the conference, the nation or both all 26 years. Yoculan produced 37 NCAA individual champions and 58 Gym Dogs with 306 All-America honors. Under Yoculan, the Gym Dogs enjoyed as much success academically. In 2009, seven Gym Dogs earned a place on the SEC Academic Honor Roll and two were chosen for the Academic All-America Team. Rakestraw is a native of Atlanta where he was a four-year letterman in baseball and football and a three-year letterman in basketball at West Fulton High School. In 1959 he was named to the high school football All-State team and was selected as the Back of the Year by the Atlanta Touchdown Club. He was a two-sport star at the University of Georgia where he was named MVP of the baseball team in 1961. As a star quarterback, he threw for 407 yards against Miami in 1963 to break the NCAA record for passing yards at that time. As a senior, he led the SEC in passing completions and yardage. In 1963 he passed for almost 1,300 yards and accumulated more than 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his career he passed for 3,665 yards and 26 TD’s. Following his senior season, Rakestraw was named Most Valuable Player in the Blue-Gray all-star game and also played in the Senior Bowl. He went on to play professional football for the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons and has won numerous amateur golf tournaments since his retirement from the NFL. The other five individuals who will be inducted include Al Ciraldo, Edward Everett, Ernie Johnson, Sam Mitchell and Ronald Simmons.
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| Georgia Bulldogs Football Forum Message Board and Blog > Sports > Georgia Bulldog Sports - Other > LARRY RAKESTRAW, SUZANNE YOCULAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO STATE OF GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME SATURDAY | |
