ATLANTA — Georgia State Athletics proudly announced the 2025 class of the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame on Tuesday morning, honoring four former student-athletes whose careers helped shape Panther history.

The 2025 inductees include R.J. Hunter (men's basketball), Petechia Hartman (women's basketball), Ulrick John (football) and April DeCoste (volleyball). Each will be recognized for their outstanding achievements, lasting impact on their programs and continued representation of Georgia State beyond their playing careers.

"These individuals represent the very best of Georgia State Athletics," Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb said. "They competed at the highest level, elevated their teams and left a legacy that continues to inspire our student-athletes today. We are proud to welcome them into our Hall of Fame."

 
RJ HUNTER
Men's Basketball, Guard, 2012-15

One of the most decorated and impactful players in program history, Hunter built a legacy defined by scoring excellence, late-game poise and sustained national recognition.

A two-time AP All-America honorable mention (2014, 2015), he was named Sun Belt Player of the Year in both 2014 and 2015, becoming one of the league's most dominant players over a two-season span. He was also a two-time All-Sun Belt First-Team selection, a two-time NABC All-District 24 First-Team honoree and a two-time finalist for the Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the nation's top mid-major player.

Hunter arrived on campus with immediate impact, earning 2013 CAA Rookie of the Year honors, a spot on the All-CAA First Team and selection to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team. He was also a six-time CAA Rookie of the Week and the Lou Henson National Player of the Week on Feb. 4, 2013.

By the time his career concluded, he had rewritten the Georgia State record book. He remains the school's all-time leader in points (1,819), free throws made (448), free throw percentage (.853), 3-pointers made (253), 3-point attempts (715) and field goal attempts (1,321). His 688 points during the 2014-15 season still stand as a single-season program record, and his 100 made 3-pointers in 2013-14 remain the school's top mark.

A two-year team captain in 2013-14 and 2014-15, he led Georgia State through its most successful era, earning Sun Belt Male Athlete of the Year honors in 2014 and Atlanta Tipoff Club Georgia College Player of the Year recognition that same season. He was also a preseason All-Sun Belt First-Team selection in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, and the league's preseason Player of the Year entering 2014-15.

During his historic senior campaign, he averaged a career-high 19.7 points per game, ranking 20th nationally and first in the Sun Belt, while his 688 total points ranked 11th in the NCAA. He added 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 87.8 percent from the free throw line, which ranked 18th nationally. His 2.17 steals per game ranked 17th in the country, and he was among the NCAA's top 25 in total minutes played and minutes per game.

That season was defined by some of the most memorable moments in Georgia State history. In the NCAA tournament, with No. 14-seed Georgia State trailing No. 3-seed Baylor by 12 points with 2:53 remaining, he scored 12 of the Panthers' final 13 points, capped by a 30-foot 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left to secure one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. The shot was named No. 2 in the NCAA's top 10 moments of the tournament and was featured in "One Shining Moment."

He followed with 20 points, four rebounds and five assists against No. 6-seed Xavier in the third round. In league play, he scored 35 points in the regular-season finale against Georgia Southern to clinch a second consecutive Sun Belt regular-season title and posted 32 points and a conference-record eight steals in the Sun Belt tournament semifinals. He sealed the conference championship with game-winning free throws against Georgia Southern to send Georgia State back to the NCAA tournament.

His career included multiple signature performances, including a season-high 37 points against Troy, 32 points with seven 3-pointers at UT Arlington and a 46-minute effort in a double-overtime game at Texas State. He was named Sun Belt Player of the Week seven times across two seasons and was also a nominee for the NABC Good Works Team.

 

PATECHIA HARTMAN
Women's Basketball, 2002-05

One of the most accomplished players in Georgia State women's basketball history, Hartman left a lasting legacy as both a dominant on-court performer and a trailblazer for the program at the professional and coaching levels.

Hartman's No. 3 jersey was retired in 2006, cementing her place among the greatest to ever wear a Panthers uniform. A two-time Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, she was also a two-time first-team all-conference selection and a three-time A-Sun All-Tournament Team honoree. Over her career, she earned eight Atlantic Sun Player of the Week awards and led Georgia State in scoring in back-to-back seasons in 2003-04 and 2004-05.

She was a key contributor on Georgia State teams that won consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2001-02 and 2002-03, helping elevate the program to national visibility. In 2002, she set the school's single-game record with eight steals against Jacksonville, a mark that stood for years.

Statistically, Hartman remains one of the most versatile players in program history. She ranks in the top five at Georgia State in points (1,514), assists (444) and steals (227) and is the only player in school history to surpass 1,500 points, 400 assists and 200 steals. She also holds top-10 rankings in eight career categories, including scoring, field goals, 3-pointers, free throws, free throw percentage, assists, steals and games played.

A native of Atlanta, Hartman earned her degree in sociology from Georgia State in 2006 before embarking on a 12-year professional basketball career. She played in multiple domestic and international leagues, including stints overseas in Iceland, Hungary, Taiwan and the Dominican Republic. In the United States, she was the first pick in the 2011 Women's Universal Basketball Association draft and went on to be named league MVP in 2011 and first-team all-league in 2012-13. She also represented the United States as a member of the national team at the 2013 William Jones Cup.

Following her playing career, she transitioned into coaching and returned to her alma mater. Now in her second season as an assistant coach at Georgia State, Hartman previously served three seasons as the head coach at McDonough High School, spent two seasons as the head coach at Atlanta Metropolitan College from 2010-12 and held assistant coaching roles at Henry County High School, Westlake High School and Tri-Cities High School, her alma mater.

 
ULRICK JOHN
Football, 2010-13

A foundational figure in Georgia State football history, John helped build the program from its earliest days and went on to become one of its most accomplished professional alumni.

A member of Georgia State's inaugural football team, John was a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter who played a key role along the Panthers' offensive line during the program's formative years. A native of Hinesville, Ga., he signed with Georgia State as part of the 2010 recruiting class and earned playing time as a true freshman, immediately establishing himself as a versatile and reliable lineman.

As a sophomore in 2011, John started four games at three different positions, including left tackle, center and left guard. He eventually settled in at left tackle, where he started 25 games over his career, anchoring the offensive front as Georgia State transitioned into the Sun Belt Conference.

In 2013, the Panthers' first season in the league, John earned honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference honors, becoming one of the program's first players to receive all-conference recognition. His final collegiate game also provided one of the more memorable moments of his career, when he recorded a five-yard reception on a tackle-eligible play against South Alabama.

Following his collegiate career, John became the second Georgia State player selected in the NFL Draft when the Indianapolis Colts took him in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He went on to enjoy a five-year NFL career, spending time with five different franchises and establishing himself as a dependable offensive lineman at the professional level.

His career reached its pinnacle when he earned a Super Bowl ring with the New England Patriots, who defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 3, 2019. He remains the only former Georgia State player to win a Super Bowl championship.

After his professional playing career, he returned to Georgia State to complete his degree, graduating in 2023. 

 
APRIL DeCOSTE 
Court Volleyball, 2001-04

One of the most dominant setters in Georgia State volleyball history, DeCoste established a standard of excellence that remains unmatched more than two decades later.

DeCoste became just the second player in NCAA volleyball history to record 5,000 career assists strictly in the "30-point era," finishing her career with 5,339 assists,  a Georgia State record by more than 1,000. She also still ranks second in program history in assists per set at 11.22 and holds the school's single-season records for assists (1,508 in 2003) and assists per set (11.87), while her 1,411 assists in 2002 remain the second-most in a season. She owns four of the top eight assists-per-set seasons in Georgia State history and also holds the program record for assists in a three-game match with 55 against VCU in 2003.

Her production was matched by her durability and all-around play. She finished with more than 5,000 assists and 1,000 digs (1,092), appeared in 476 sets, still the seventh-most in school history, and played in 135 matches, the fourth-most ever by a Panther.

DeCoste earned ASUN Freshman of the Year honors in 2001 and went on to be named ASUN Player of the Week on Sept. 22, 2003. She was selected to the ASUN All-Conference second team in both 2003 and 2004 and was named to the 2004 ASUN All-Tournament Team after recording a triple-double in the quarterfinal round.

During her four-year career, Georgia State enjoyed sustained success. The 2001 team went 24-9 overall and 9-1 in conference play to earn a share of the regular-season championship. The Panthers followed with a 25-14 record in 2002 and a 27-8 mark in 2003, finishing second in the league at 9-1. Georgia State posted a combined 90-49 record during her career, a .647 winning percentage.

After graduating from Georgia State, she completed her MBA at West Virginia Wesleyan and transitioned into coaching. She served as the head volleyball coach at Wesleyan, where she was named conference coach of the year in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after leading her team to a 25-11 overall record and a 16-2 mark in league play. She has most recently continued her impact on the sport as a successful club volleyball coach in Missouri.


The Hall of Fame class of 2025 will be formally inducted during the Golden Panther Awards later this year, with additional details to be announced by the department soon.