ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Former Tusculum College football All-American Alan Dunn has been elected to the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame announced Commissioner Patrick Britz Thursday.
The Class of 2013-2014 includes Dunn, former Mars Hill University All-America defensive standout Khalid Abdullah, long-time Carson-Newman University softball coach Vickee Kazee-Hollifield and former Wingate University basketball student-athlete Dr. Bradley Buckler.
The class of 2014 will be officially welcomed into the SAC Hall of Fame at the conference's annual banquet on June 5 in Asheville, N.C.
The Chattanooga, Tenn. native garnered All-South Atlantic Conference First Team honors three times (2001, 2002, 2003), including his final two seasons (2002, 2003) as he was the recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which recognizes the top offensive lineman or blocking back in the conference. Dunn is only one of four players in the 24-year history of the award to earn the honor multiple times.
The two-time All-American started all four seasons at offensive tackle and was a member of a team that posted a 31-12 record, including 18-10 in South Atlantic Conference play. TC's 31 wins from 2000-2003 are the most in school history during a four-year span.
During Dunn's 2003 senior campaign, the Pioneers posted a 9-2 record and went 6-1 in the league to capture the program's inaugural SAC Championship and first conference title since 1934. Tusculum won seven straight games including victories over NCAA Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) foes Elon University and Charleston Southern University. Tusculum also posted a 27-18 win over third-ranked Carson-Newman for the program's seventh consecutive victory. The 2003 team also ended the year ranked No. 19 in the nation (NCAA II).
Dunn earned an invitation to play in the Cactus Bowl, the NCAA Division II all-star game and was the recipient of the Jim Langer Award, which goes to the game's most valuable offensive lineman. For the season, he was named to the D2Football.com, Football Gazette and Dopke.com All-America teams. He also garnered All-Region First Team honors by Daktronics and Football Gazette.
In 2002, Dunn achieved All-America distinction by D2Football.com, Football Gazette and the Associated Press as the Pioneers went 7-4.
During his sophomore campaign in 2001, Tusculum tallied an impressive 8-2 record and earned the program's first end of the year national ranking as the Pioneers were listed No. 21 in NCAA II.
He was an outstanding student as he was selected to the Academic All-District IV Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Dunn, who graduated from Tusculum in 2004 with a degree in history, was a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the Dean's List.
After graduating from Tusculum, he received several looks from professional scouts and signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004.
Dunn never achieved his dream of playing in the National Football League, but moved back to his native Chattanooga. He worked a couple of jobs while deciding on his postgraduate studies. After settling on law school and sending off applications, he gave football a final fling in 2005 while awaiting the responses. He went to Wyoming and played in the National Indoor Football League with trips to Montana, Nebraska, Texas and Washington (state), among others.
Near the end of the season came his law-program acceptance to the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Dunn used his blocking skills figuratively to ward off all distractions in finishing in three years with no summer breaks and passed the bar exam on his first attempt.
Dunn is presently an attorney in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Dunn was inducted to the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Dunn becomes the fourth Tusculum honoree to be inducted into the SAC Hall of Fame. Former TC and Mars Hill athletic director Ed Hoffmeyer was a member of the 2007-2008 class, while former TC women's tennis player Lesley Murray was inducted in 2008-2009. TC All-American cornerback Ricardo Colclough was inducted into the SAC Hall of Fame in 2009-2010.
- SAC -
