LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland University Vice President of Athletics Ron Pavan has been selected as a 2025-26 NAIA recipient of the prestigious National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletics Director of the Year Award, the organization announced on Monday.

Pavan will be one of just four NAIA athletics directors and one of 28 nationwide across all divisions recognized during NACDA's 61st Annual Convention in Las Vegas this June.

The award recognizes athletics directors for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities. Pavan is in 18th year at Cumberland in 2025-26 and his 41st year in collegiate athletics, continuing to elevate the Phoenix athletic department to unprecedented heights both competitively and academically.

During his tenure, Pavan has overseen extraordinary growth. Cumberland has added 10 sports, with more coming with the announcement of powerlifting and added junior varsity programs, expanded administrative leadership with two Assistant Athletic Director positions, hired key full-time staff including a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Assistant Wrestling Coach and Sports Information Director, and significantly enhanced athletic facilities across campus.

Major facility projects under Pavan's leadership include the construction of a new weight room, renovations to tennis courts and athletic training spaces, stadium improvements at Lindsey Donnell Stadium-Kirk Field, the full renovation of Nokes-Lasater Field, installation of new chairback seating and press boxes, turf installation projects, and the addition of videoboards at both the basketball arena and football stadium. He is currently overseeing plans for a new football turf renovation project.

Since his arrival, Cumberland student-athletes have captured 52 conference regular-season and tournament championships, produced 143 individual conference champions, won two team national championships and claimed 21 individual national titles. The Phoenix have finished inside the Top 30 in the NAIA LEARFIELD Director's Cup in each of their last four seasons with the university best finish at 19th in 2022. 

Academically, the department has posted a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher for seven consecutive years, while earning NAIA Champions of Character Five-Star Institution honors in six of the last seven academic years.

Pavan's leadership has also strengthened community engagement and corporate partnerships. He reconnected Cumberland Athletics with local businesses and major partners, secured an exclusive apparel agreement with Adidas, renewed programs with The Coca-Cola Company, and enhanced the department's visibility locally and nationally.

Prior to Cumberland, Pavan spent 14 years at Ohio Valley University, where he expanded varsity programs and transitioned the department from NAIA to NCAA Division II. He also held coaching and administrative roles at Northeastern Christian Junior College.

The national award Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 61st Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 9.

Winners of the 2025-26 NACDA AD of the Year Awards:
 

Winner	Institution (at the time of nomination)	Division
John Ashaolu	Lewis University	Division II
Keri Becker	Grand Valley State University	Division II
Dan Blair	Northern Essex Community College	JC/CC
Jamie Boggs	Grand Canyon University	DI-AAA
Chad Briscoe	Grace College	NAIA
Donnie Brooks	Macalester College	Division III
Lisa Campos	UTSA	Division I FBS
Monique Carroll	Chicago State University	DI-AAA
Joe Castiglione	University of Oklahoma	Division I FBS
Chasse Conque	UTRGV	Division I FCS
Brent Davis	College of the Sequoias	JC/CC
Rocko DeLuca	UC Davis	Division I FCS
Scott Dolson	Indiana University	Division I FBS
Ryan Erwin	East Texas Baptist University	Division III
Jesse Godding	Nelson University	NAIA
G. Anthony Grant	MIT	Division III
Brian Hardin	Drake University	Division I FCS
Curtis Janz	University of Arkansas - Fort Smith	Division II
Josh Looney	University of North Alabama	Division I FCS
Ron Pavan	Cumberland University	NAIA
Dan Radakovich	University of Miami	Division I FBS
Reagan Rossi	College of Idaho	NAIA
Reginald Ruffin	Tuskegee University	Division II
John Scarpino	Palm Beach State College	JC/CC
Jacqueline Schuman	University of Massachusetts Boston	Division III
Tony Tompkins	Johnson County Community College	JC/CC
Steve Waterfield	Oakland University	DI-AAA
Alanna Wren	University of Pennsylvania	Division I FCS