Ken Kavanagh Position: Director of Athletics Institution: Bradley University

Ken Kavanagh is beginning his 12th year at the helm of the Bradley athletics department. Kavanagh, 47, was appointed to his position on May 27, 1996.

Under Kavanagh's direction, Bradley athletics established the BU B.L.A.S.T. (Building Leadership And Supporting Teams) NCAA Life Skills Program, which is designed to enhance the total being of Braves' student-athletes. It involves activities ranging from personal, social and career development to community service projects and leadership opportunities.

Also, Bradley was commended in March of 2002 by U.S. News & World Report for having the seventh-best college sports program in terms of gender equity and the athletics departments effort for equality was further recognized this spring when Bradley received an "A" from the Women's Sports Foundation for its gender equity performance.

In his fourth year on the panel Kavanagh will chair the 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Committee, which is responsible for selecting the 48 teams that will compete in the NCAA Tournament and oversees the administration of the event. The current chair of the Missouri Valley Conference Officiating Committee, Kavanagh previously chaired the Valley's Championship Committee and he also currently is a member of the league's Sportsmanship Committee. He also has been a member of the MVC's Gender Equity, Media/Marketing and Conference Relations Committees. One of the founders of the I-AAA Athletics Directors Association, Kavanagh is the treasurer for this organization -- comprised of the 94 non-football playing Division I member institutions.

Kavanagh came to Bradley from Bowling Green (BGSU), where he steadily moved up the administrative ranks in nine years. After starting as an assistant athletics director in 1987, Kavanagh left BGSU in 1996 as the senior associate athletics director. In his final position with the Falcons, Kavanagh was the administrator for football, men's basketball and hockey, while also acting as event manager. Responsible for facility management, he also supervised the staffs for sports medicine, equipment and strength and conditioning. Kavanagh also served as the chief liaison for the financial affairs area.

Kavanagh began his administrative career by working in the athletics department at Yale University from 1982 to 1985, and then worked as a graduate assistant in the athletics department at Notre Dame from 1985 to 1987 before joining Bowling Green.

A native of Greenwich (Conn.), Kavanagh earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College in 1982 and his postgraduate degree from Notre Dame in 1987. Kavanagh is married to the former Mary Gorenz and the couple has four children: daughter Rose (16), son Mitchell (15) and twin boys Jack and Quinn (12).