BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Cumberland's (Tenn.) Ron Pavan is the 2025-26 Mid-South Conference Athletics Director of the Year, MSC officials announced on Friday.

The honor is the fourth for Pavan. He was also named the conference's athletics director of the year in 2017-18, 2019-20, and 2022-23.

The award is voted on by the conference's athletics director. Individuals are not allowed to vote for themselves.

"I am so humbled and honored to be voted by the other Mid-South Conference athletics directors for this award," Pavan said. "We have the best conference in the NAIA, and all of the athletic directors work for the betterment of the conference.  I am so blessed to work at Cumberland University with our great coaches, athletic staff, and our President, Dr. Paul Stumb." 

Pavan oversees Cumberland's 36 varsity sports and more than 800 student-athletes. The Phoenix won four Mid-South Conference regular-season championships and a pair of MSC tournament titles in 2025-26.

"Cumberland would not be the school that it is today without the exemplary leadership of Ron Pavan," Stumb said. "It is not merely his untiring work ethic and commitment to our mission and the students we serve, but also his consistent and unwavering character that sets Ron apart and makes him such a valuable role model for so many others both within and external to the CU community."

Academically, Cumberland athletics boasted 304 Mid-South Conference Academic All-Conference honorees, 164 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, and 17 NAIA Scholar Teams during the 2025-26 academic year.

Pavan served as the chair of the Mid-South Conference Administrative Council during the year and was just selected for a three-year term on the conference's oversight committee.

The Athletics Director of the Year is presented to an athletics director for their commitment, administrative excellence, and leadership on their campus, within the Mid-South Conference, as well as the NAIA. Special consideration will be given to involvement in MSC and/or NAIA championship events.