1984-87
The Georgia Southwestern State University Athletics Department welcomed its newest inductee to the GSW Athletics Hall of Fame, Godfrey Thomas Knight, Jr., at the third annual Gold Force Gala event held inside the Storm Dome on Saturday evening. Knight played baseball at GSW from 1984-87.
Knight was a four-year starter as a pitcher and shortstop at GSW playing for his father, Coach Godfrey Knight, Sr., who was inducted into the GSW Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
Knight set a program record for triples during his collegiate career with 14. In 1987, he was drafted in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves after hitting eight home runs that spring while serving as a team co-captain. In 1986, Knight participated in the annual National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan.
Following his playing career, Knight was an assistant baseball and football coach at GSW from 1987-89 before becoming the head baseball coach at LaGrange College in 1997. He was at LaGrange through 1999 until he took over the baseball program at Southern Polytechnic University. He was at Southern Poly until 2003.Â
From there Knight moved into the prep ranks where he was the head baseball coach at Jefferson County High School for 22 years, during which time he led the Warriors to 20 state playoff appearances, captured 10 region titles, made seven Elite Eight appearances, three Final Four appearances and a pair of trips to the state finals, including a championship in 2018. Knight was a two-time Dugout Club Coach of the Year (2015, 2018). In 2024 he was named to the Georgia Dugout Club Baseball Hall of Fame.
Knight earned his bachelor's degree in education from GSW in 1987 and a master's degree in education in 1992.
