ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Former Tusculum University tennis coach Tommy Arnett and former Pioneer men's basketball student-athlete Kyle Cavanaugh have been selected for induction to the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame.
Cavanaugh is this year's recipient of the Conference's Distinguished Alumni Award, becoming the first Tusculum honoree to earn this accolade.
Joining Arnett and Cavanaugh in this year's induction class are Wingate women's basketball All-American Anna Atkinson Caparaso, Catawba men's basketball coach Jim Baker and Mars Hill All-American running back Jonas Randolph.
"We are honored to induct these five individuals into the SAC Hall of Fame," said SAC Commissioner Patrick Britz. "Three of these individuals have embodied what it means to be a SAC student-athlete in both academic and athletic excellence during their time at their various institutions, as well as success after graduating. The other two were long-time and very successful head coaches in our league and helped mold and guide hundreds of student-athletes during their tenures."
Arnett and Cavanaugh become the 11th and 12th Tusculum representative's named to the SAC Hall of Fame. They join former TU greats: Ed Hoffmeyer (athletic director), Lesley Murray Hawk (tennis/basketball), Ricardo Colclough (football), Alan Dunn (football), Amanda Musick Hale (cross country), Bob Dibble (golf coach), Dr. Nancy B. Moody (president), Corey Russell (football), Dr. Jarrell NeSmith (football) and Doug Jones (baseball coach/athletic director).
For 14 glorious seasons from 2001 until his retirement in 2015, Arnett orchestrated the most successful period in the history of not only the sport of tennis at Tusculum, but in the history of TU's athletic department, overall. Under his leadership, the Pioneers advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament in nine of his 14 campaigns, while producing 10 South Atlantic Conference Championships and five SAC Tournament titles, combined. In all, he led his tennis teams to 12 NCAA Division II postseason tournament appearances.
Arnett's teams posted a 439-152 combined overall record (.742 winning percentage) including 172-45 league slate (.792 winning percentage). His women's teams accounted for 14 consecutive winning campaigns while the men had winning seasons in 13 of his 14 years at Tusculum.
He mentored 87 All-South Atlantic Conference selections (47 men, 40 women), including four-time SAC Women's Player of the Year and SAC Hall of Famer Lesley Murray Hawk, three-time SAC Men's Player of the Year Lukas Winkelmann and 2008 SAC Men's Player of the Year Carlos Garcia.
Arnett was recognized by his peers in the league as well, being named the SAC Coach of the Year on six occasions. His teams also finished their respective years with a remarkable 13 national rankings by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
Under Arnett's watch, his student-athletes also demonstrated success in the classroom. His teams earned the ITA All-Academic Team honor nine times each. He mentored 11 SAC Scholar Athletes of the Year.
Arnett is a 1972 graduate of Carson-Newman University, where he was a member of the Eagles' tennis team. During his collegiate career, he played on two nationally ranked teams.
He is a member of the Tusculum Sports Hall of Fame, Carter County Sports Hall of Fame and the Elizabethton High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Cavanaugh is a 1980 graduate of Tusculum and the Pioneer men's basketball student-athlete has accounted for an outstanding professional career in administration and human resources spanning more than 30 years.
In his current position as President of Administration for the National Basketball Association, he reports directly to the NBA Commissioner, and is responsible for global facilities, benefits, information technology, security, risk management, medical operations, human resources, diversity and inclusion, and administration affairs of the NBA, WNBA, G League, 2K League, and Basketball Africa League.
He served 13 years with distinction at Duke University and Duke Health. As Vice President for Administration at Duke, he was responsible for human resources and benefits, labor and employee relations, executive compensation, international employment, security and police, emergency management, and other administrative functions for a workforce of 43,000 and a student population of 15,000.
He was instrumental in the creation of Duke's affiliated campus in China and supported numerous global activities. In February 2020, Cavanaugh was appointed by the university president to lead Duke's COVID-19 management strategy. Duke created the Kyle J. Cavanaugh Award for Leadership and Service in his honor and was named the award's inaugural recipient in 2022.
Prior to his tenure at Duke, Cavanaugh served as Senior Vice President for Administration at the University of Florida and previously held senior administrative positions at The University of Texas at Austin, Rice University and Vanderbilt University and Medical Center.
The 2025 South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame Banquet will take place as a part of the Conference's Spring Meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 29.
