GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The 2021 Tusculum University Sports Hall of Fame class has been announced and three new members will be inducted during Homecoming festivities on Saturday, October 23rd. This year's inductee class includes football running back Aaron Claridy, golfer Brad Hawkins and basketball forward Lydia Taylor Panke.
The Sports Hall of Fame Dinner will be held in Pioneer Arena in the Niswonger Student Commons on the Greeneville campus. The dinner will begin at 7 p.m. (ET).
Aaron Claridy '03 (Football)
Aaron Claridy starred in the Tusculum backfield from 1999-2002 where he amassed one of the top rushing careers in program history. The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference selection led the Pioneers to three winning seasons while running for 2,641 yards, the second most in school history.
His 545 career rushing attempts are the most in TU history, which includes 25 rushing touchdowns, ranked second in the Tusculum record book. His 28 career touchdowns overall are the second-most in school history, while his 168 career points are fourth all-time at TU. He became the first Tusculum running back to eclipse 100 career receptions (112 – 12th in TU history) as he totaled 813 career receiving yards. Claridy finished with 3,454 all-purpose yards in his storied career (5th in TU history) on a school-record 657 total attempts.
He came to Tusculum in 1999 from Hamilton County High School in Florida, following the footsteps of his uncle, Eric Claridy, who was an All-American running back at Tusculum from 1991-1995 and was later inducted to the TU Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Aaron played in nine games as a true freshman where he rushed for 506 yards and three touchdowns and was named the team's offensive player of the week on three occasions.
Tusculum was playing in its first full season as a member of the South Atlantic Conference in 1999, as TU went winless in league play and finished with a 2-9 overall record. Tusculum ended the year on a high-note, posting a 42-36 overtime win over NCAA I-AA Jacksonville. In that game, Claridy ran for a career-high 220 yards on 34 carries including a 63-yard touchdown. The 220-yard performance was just nine-yards shy of matching the career-best 229-yard performance by his Uncle Eric five years earlier.
The following season, the Pioneers dropped the Power-I formation and went to the pass-oriented Air Raid 2000 Attack. Tusculum finished the campaign 7-4 for the program's first winning season in five years as three of its four losses came against nationally-ranked teams. Despite the change offensively, Claridy's production rose as well, amassing 1,027 all-purpose yards (853 rush, 174 receiving) and scoring five touchdowns.
The Jasper, Florida native enjoyed his best season at Tusculum in 2001 as he was an All-SAC first team choice and led the conference in scoring with 14 touchdowns (12 rush, 2 receiving) for 84 points. The Pioneers posted an 8-2 record and earned the program its first NCAA Division II national ranking as Tusculum finished 21st in D-II. TU opened with five straight victories including a 34-27 upset win at ninth-ranked and NCAA I-AA Morehead State in the season-opener.
But the Pioneers biggest win of the 2001 season came in a 37-36 thriller over No. 25 Carson-Newman, TU's first win over the Eagles since 1934. Claridy rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns. He ran for a 55-yard TD to put the Pioneers on the board and scored on a nine-yard run with 35 seconds remaining for the winning score. For his efforts, he was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Week. He scored a touchdown in nine of his 10 games, including five in a row to end the year. His 14 touchdowns that year are still the second-most scored in a single-season at Tusculum.
In 2002, Claridy had another All-Conference performance as the Pioneers notched its third straight winning season for the first time in school history as TU went 7-4. He would add six more touchdowns to his personal ledger, while also rushing for 586 yards on 141 carries and made a career-best 41 receptions for 362 yards.
He was also member of the Tusculum cheerleading squad for two-plus years and was memorable to many basketball fans as he would fire-up the Pioneer Nation with his signature backflips which wound extend the entire length of the court at Pioneer Arena.
Following his collegiate playing career, he tested the waters of semi-professional football which included a stint with the Mountain Empire Warriors of the North American Football League.
He graduated from Tusculum in 2003 with a degree in mass media and was an admissions counselor at his alma mater from 2004-2007. He entered the management field with Walgreens, Inc. where he served 13 years. He has also worked with the Dollar General, Corporation and is currently the assistant store manager with Lowe's of Greeneville.
Aaron is the father of three children: Kadeyshia Simmons, Jade Claridy and Taren Claridy.
Brad Hawkins '16 (Men's Golf)
From 2014-2016, Brad Hawkins accounted for one of the most successful playing careers in the history of Tusculum and South Atlantic Conference golf. He was a two-time All-Conference first team selection, including his senior campaign where he was the SAC Men's Golfer of the Year. He earned All-Region honors in both of his Tusculum campaigns including the 2015-16 season where he earned both All-America and CoSIDA Academic All-America® distinction.
The Knoxville, Tennessee product came to Tusculum from Walters State College where he was a two-time junior college All-American from 2012-2014 for head coach Bill Gardner, a Tusculum alum and TU Sports Hall of Famer. Hawkins led the Senators to the 2014 NJCAA National Championship as a sophomore where he finished fourth in the country with a 72.33 scoring average while his +0.52 score to par ratio was second in the country. In 2013, he was an alternate for the U.S. Amateur Championship and helped the Senators to a national runner-up finish as he finished seventh, individually.
He arrived at Tusculum in 2014 and made an immediate impact for Coach Bob Dibble's team, as he earned TU most valuable player laurels and posted a 72.26 stroke average, which was the third-lowest in the Southeast Region and 13th-best in NCAA II. He and the Pioneers would claim the program its first SAC Championship and earn a berth to the NCAA II Tournament for the first time in school history. Hawkins finished sixth individually at the league championship and earned SAC All-Tournament honors.
During his senior year at Tusculum, he posted the best season ever by a Pioneer and SAC golfer as he posted a 70.71 scoring average and earned SAC Player of the Year honors. He finished in the top-five in nine of his 12 events including medalist honors three times. He was a semifinalist for the 2016 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award and was named a GCAA Division II PING All-American.
He qualified for the NCAA II Super Regional where he finished 15th. Hawkins posted a school single-season record 16 sub-par rounds, with nine of those in the 60s, including an 18-hole Tusculum and SAC record 63 at the Pioneer Classic. During the Pioneer Classic, he carded the lowest 36-hole score in school and SAC history with an eight-under par 132. He also established the 54-hole Pioneer and SAC record with a remarkable 16-under par 200 at the 2015 State Farm Intercollegiate.
His career scoring average of 71.37 established a new school and SAC record. His five career medalist wins are tied for third most at Tusculum, while his 24 career sub-par rounds are a Pioneer record.
Hawkins graduated from Tusculum with honors in 2016 while majoring in sport management. Following graduation, he played professional golf where he posted two wins on the GPro Tour. In 2017, Hawkins had status on the PGA Tour Canada and also qualified for a Web.com event in Knoxville.
Hawkins later returned to Walters State where he served as an assistant coach for Coach Gardner including the 2019 season as the Senators finished national runner-up at the NJCAA National Championship.
Hawkins is currently the head coach at Walters State following Gardner's retirement. He also serves as the assistant golf professional at The Country Club of Morristown.
Lydia Taylor Panke '98 (Women's Basketball)
Upon her arrival in Greeneville in 1994, Lydia Taylor Panke emerged as a winner. During her four seasons with the Tusculum women's basketball program, the Pioneers put together an amazing run of success which included an 87-37 record (.702 winning percentage), two Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference championships, two NAIA District 24 titles and three trips to the NAIA National Tournament.
Panke's name is peppered throughout the record book and is one of only two players in the storied history of the program to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career. Her 1,632 points are the fourth-most in school history, while her 1,005 career rebounds are second only to TU teammate and fellow Sports Hall of Famer Susan Starnes.
The Sevierville, Tennessee native is also fifth in career scoring average (14.07 ppg), third in career field goals made (675), third in career field goal attempts (1248), third in career field goal percentage (.541), seventh in career free throws made (280), fourth in career free throw attempts (479) and third in career rebound average (8.66 rpg).
In her rookie season, where she was coached by TU Sports Hall of Famer Angelo Botta, Panke played in 34 games and posted 14.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. The Pioneers would roll to a 27-7 record while winning the TVAC and NAIA District crowns while punching their ticket to the nationals in Monmouth, Oregon. Panke led the team with her .598 field goal percentage which was a school record at the time and is currently second in TU history. Her 204 made field goals that year are the eighth-most in a TU single-season while her 293 total rebounds are ninth-most by a Pioneer.
After a 1-2 start to the season, Tusculum would win 29 of its final 32 games including an 18-game winning streak en route to a 30-5 record and a No. 11 national ranking. TU would repeat as TVAC and NAIA District champions with new coach Merry Beth Curtis at the helm. The Pioneers returned to the NAIA Nationals, this time in Angola, Indiana as Tusculum went 1-1 at the national championship. Panke played in 27 games, averaging 13.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
Panke's junior campaign would see Tusculum post its seventh straight 20-win season as TU advanced to the NAIA Nationals for a third consecutive year. The Pioneers went 20-10 overall as Panke contributed 13.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest.
With Tusculum's success on the basketball hardwood, growth in the athletic program overall, and moving from the small confines of historic Pioneer Gym to the new Pioneer Arena, the program suffered some transition pains. Panke and the Pioneers would have their third coach in four years with the arrival of Randy Milligan and Tusculum would be without a conference home for the next two seasons while making the transition to NCAA II and the South Atlantic Conference.
Panke and the Pioneers faced a schedule which included a mix of NAIA opponents, but mostly tough NCAA Division II teams as Tusculum went 10-15. Panke averaged a double-double for the Pioneers as she finished with 14.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest while starting in all 25 games. She earned a spot on the NAIA Southeast Independent All-Region first team. She was also recognized for her success off the court and was selected to the 1996 TVAC All-Academic Team and the 1998 NAIA Region All-Academic squad. During her 116 collegiate career, Panke totaled 165 steals, 98 assists and 19 blocked shots.
She majored in management accounting and graduated from Tusculum in 1998. She has worked with Forward Air in Greeneville and Columbus, Ohio (1998-2001); Heid Enterprises in Delaware, Ohio (2001-2007) and PPG Industries in Delaware, Ohio (2007-present).
She is married to Brian Panke and they are the parents to two sons, Connor Cottrill and Taylor Panke.
If you wish to attend the Sports Hall of Fame Dinner, who must register on-line at the Tusculum Homecoming web site at: https://go.tusculum.edu/homecoming/. Due to COVID protocols, all attendees must wear a mask indoors while attending the Sports Hall of Fame Dinner.
