Kenny Thomas

Inducted in 2007
In the Category of Student Athlete
Baseball - Catcher
As a Trojan
Kenny Thomas played for the Trevecca baseball program during the 1976, 1977, and 1978 seasons. Thomas had a tremendous career that included a .335 batting average with 124 runs scored, 28 home runs, 130 RBI, 157 hits, and was 12 of 12 in stolen-base attempts. The Nashville Stratford High School product still ranks in Trevecca's top five for home runs and RBIs.

As a senior, Thomas had a .395 batting average with 10 home runs, 46 runs, 68 hits, and 43 RBIs. At the time of his graduation Thomas owned five (RBIs, walks, runs, home runs, hits) season records and three (runs, home runs, RBIs) career records.

His numbers as well as his work behind the plate earned him all-conference, all-district 24, all-area 5, and NAIA All-American honors. He was Trevecca's first NAIA All-American in any sport. Thomas was selected to the all-conference team three times and was selected to the NAIA All-District 24 Team twice.

Thomas is also the only Trevecca athlete to have his jersey retired. Coach Bill Green retired Thomas's No. 19 jersey following his playing days.

1976 (Sophomore)
.329 BA
57 RBI (season record)
46 walks (season record)
47 runs (season record)
12 HR (season record)
104 total bases (led team)

All-NAIA District 24 Team
All-Conference Team
Most Valuable Player

1977 (Junior)
12 doubles
11-11 stolen bases

All-Conference Team

1978 (Senior)
.395 BA (led team)
68 hits (season record)
46 runs
68 hits (led team)
10 HR
43 RBI

All-Conference Team
All-NAIA District 24 Team
All-NAIA Area 5 Team
NAIA All-American

Career Notes
.335 BA
124 runs (career record)
28 HRs (career record)
130 RBI (career record)
157 hits
12-12 stolen bases
91 walks

Career Rankings At Time Of Graduation
BA - 6th
HR - 1st
RBI -1st
SB - 8th
R - 1st
3B - 23rd
2B - 2nd
After Graduation
Since his graduation Thomas has remained active in baseball. He coached a Nashville Stan Musial team for nine years that included their winning a national championship. He later coached Volunteer State Community College's team for 12 years with a 520-223 record. He moved to the University of South Carolina-Aiken in 2000. In eight years at the helm of the Pacers' program, he has a 280-183 record. His record in the college ranks is now 800-406 in 20 years.

Thomas also became a local scout for the New York Yankees (1980-81), Cincinnati Reds (1981-82), and St. Louis Cardinals (1982-88).  After becoming head coach at Volunteer State, Thomas remained with the Cardinals' organization in a part-time capacity until 1995.
 
 

Trojan Hall of Fame

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Trevecca Nazarene University is pleased to announce its 2011 Athletic Hall of Fame Class. Michelle Arend Plummer, Lindsey Fly Strickland, Jami Toomey Warren, and Mauricio Azevedo Dos Santos will be inducted during Trevecca's annual Homecoming weekend on Saturday, November 5.

This year's class has a multi-sport flair, with volleyball (Plummer), basketball (Strickland), softball (Warren), and soccer (Dos Santos) represented. The selection of Dos Santos marks the first time a soccer player has been inducted into the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.

Plummer is the fourth volleyball player to be introduced and the first since 1999 when Brenda Steen Gray was chosen for the Hall of Fame. Others selected in the sport of volleyball are Allison Hendershot Stark and Carol Ernest Schneidmiller.

Fly is the fifth to be chosen in women's basketball. She joins fellow women's basketball honorees Carol Ernest Schneidmiller, Hilary Howard Montgomery, Molly Schoenberg Harned, and Jennifer Wilson in the Hall of Fame.

Warren is the third softball player to be selected for the Hall of Fame. She joins Brandy Barnett Brown and Wendy Allen Apanco as softball players in the TNU Athletic Hall of Fame.

With these inductions, 51 individuals are now members of the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame. Begun in 1993, the Athletic Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions within the Trevecca intercollegiate athletic program, which started in 1969.

All four of the 2011 members have agreed to be on hand for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 5, 2011. The official presentation and induction will take place during halftime of the women's Homecoming basketball game in Moore Gym.

Both Trojan basketball teams will open regular season play at Homecoming. The women's team will host Point Loma Nazarene at 3:00, and the men will host Michigan-Dearborn at 5:00 p.m. The Hall of Fame Induction will occur Saturday shortly after the first half of the women's basketball game.

YearInducteeSport(s)Category InductedGrad Date
1993Mary Lee FielderMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1948
1993Dick JohanssonM TennisStudent Athlete1985
1993Alan SmithTennisCoach
1993Melvin TaylorM BasketballStudent Athlete1983
1994Ulf DahlstromM TennisStudent Athlete
1994Avery PattonM BasketballStudent Athlete1987
1994Arthur "Toby" WilliamsMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1995Tim BellBaseball/M BasketballStudent Athlete1987
1995Deborah Ann Lore CoachMeritorious Service / Coach
1996Allison Hendershot StarkVolleyballStudent Athlete
1997Carol Ernest SchneidmillerW Basketball, V-ball, TennisStudent Athlete1979
1997Mac HeaberlinM BasketballStudent Athlete1988
1997J. Dwight RagsdaleMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1967
1997David SuddethM BasketballStudent Athlete1992
1997Todd WelchMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1999Roger CostaMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1999Brenda Steen GrayVolleyballStudent Athlete
2002Fred HarrisM BasketballMeritorious Service / Coach / Student Athlete
2002Blanchard HowardM BasketballStudent Athlete1978
2002Ken StegallMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1983
2002Brad StuartBaseball1990
2002Charles TorainM Basketball, BaseballStudent Athlete1973
2003Charles "Popcorn" ThompsonBaseballStudent Athlete1988
2003Magnus BerglundM TennisStudent Athlete1990
2003Roger BrownBaseballStudent Athlete1995
2003Randy BurgettBaseballStudent Athlete1980
2004David BlanfordM BasketballStudent Athlete2001
2004Troy HaydelBaseballStudent Athlete1985
2004Calvin HolmesM BasketballStudent Athlete1982
2004Sandy McClainM BasketballStudent Athlete1988
2005Brandy Barnett BrownSoftballStudent Athlete1997
2005Clay BooneBaseballStudent Athlete1990
2005Juan GaratM TennisStudent Athlete1992
2005Jeremy ToddBaseballStudent Athlete2001
2007Michael BlivensM BasketballStudent Athlete2001
2007Bill GreenBaseballCoach
2007Kenny ThomasBaseballStudent Athlete1978
2008Jim HendershotMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1967
2008Scott JonesVolleyballCoach
2009Wendy Allen ApancoSoftballStudent Athlete2003
2009Kevin BrownBaseballStudent Athlete1995
2009Hilary Howard MontgomeryW BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2009Elliot JohnsonBaseballCoach
2009Molly Schoenberg HarnedW BasketballStudent Athlete2002
2010Will PartinM BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2010Jennifer WilsonW BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2010Frank WilsonM BasketballCoach
2011Michelle Arend PlummerVolleyballStudent Athlete2002
2011Mauricio Azevedo Dos SantosM SoccerStudent Athlete2004
2011Lindsey Fly StricklandW BasketballStudent Athlete2004
2011Jami Toomey WarrenSoftballStudent Athlete2005