HILTON HEAD, SC--Tom Hickman, the longest-tenured Athletic Director in Big South history with his 20 years of service, was formally inducted into the Big South Conference Hall of Fame on Thursday night during the Conference's annual Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner.

In addition to Hickman, the 2017 Hall of Fame Class also included Colin Drafts (Charleston Southern football quarterback), Brooke Weisbrod (Coastal Carolina softball, basketball and tennis standout), and Anne Fontaine (Radford volleyball and basketball player).

During his tenure as Winthrop's AD, the Eagles captured 50 Big South Championships and made 50 NCAA team appearances while 15 student-athletes earned individual NCAA invitations.  Winthrop also won the 2006-07 Big South Conference Men's All-Sports Trophy -- just one of three member institutions to win the award since its inception in 2003-04.  Winthrop had three student-athletes voted Big South Woman of the Year during his time, and had two state winners -- including a national Woman of the Year finalist in 2005.  Under Hickman, Winthrop was awarded the Kallander Cup four times by the Big South Conference for the community service work of its student-athletes, and his student-athletes ranked at or near the top of the conference schools for academic achievement. 

Between 2000 and his retirement in 2016, Hickman spearheaded the completion of more than $20 million in new facility construction and improvements.  This included new facilities for baseball, softball, track & field, soccer/lacrosse and tennis, enhanced renovation of the Winthrop Coliseum and academic support centers, and installation of lighting at all outdoor venues.  In addition, Winthrop added women's soccer and women's lacrosse during Hickman's tenure, and both programs won regular-season championships within four years of inception.

A longtime NACDA member, Hickman was heavily involved in the Big South's governance structure.  He served as Chair of the Council of Athletics Directors, and was an active participant on the conference's Budget Committee, Audit Committee, Membership Committee, Basketball Tournament Committee, Baseball Committee (Chair), Compliance Committee, and Men's Basketball Committee.  Hickman was also active nationally, as his NCAA involvement included the Division I Men's Soccer South Region Committee, including serving as the NCAA site representative for regional matches at Clemson and South Carolina; Division I Management Council; National Minority Opportunities & Interests Committee; Division I Legislative Review & Interpretations Committee, and the Division I Championships & Sport Management Cabinet, in which he served as the Cabinet liaison for the Men's Soccer Committee as well. 

Hickman, who first served as Winthrop's Associate Athletic Director for seven years from 1989-96, was inducted into Winthrop's Athletics Hall of Fame this past January, and later this month will be the recipient of the DI-AAA ADA 2017 Gary Cunningham Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor presented by the Association during the NACDA Convention in Orlando.