Click for Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Trevecca Nazarene University will welcome Bill Green, Kenny Thomas, and Michael Blivens into the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame during the Homecoming ceremonies, November 3, 2007. The three will be inducted at halftime of the women's basketball game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Green was Trevecca's first baseball coach and started the program in 1971. Thomas was Trevecca's first NAIA All-American in any sport and played for some of Green's best teams. After transferring to Trevecca for his final two seasons, Blivens scored more points than has any other two-year player in school history.
Created to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions within the Trevecca intercollegiate athletic program, the Trevecca Nazarene University Athletic Hall of Fame was begun in 1993 with the induction of four charter members. With the addition of these three new members, 36 persons are now members of the Athletic Hall of Fame. Trevecca started its intercollegiate athletics program in 1969.
Michael Blivens played for the Trojans during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons and set several records in addition to leading the Trojans to the NAIA National Tournament during his senior season. The Nashville Maplewood High School product set the Trevecca record for three-point field-goal attempts in a season, career free-throw percentage, steals in a game, and tied the record for free throws attempted and made during a game. Blivens averaged 22.7 points per game during his senior year, fifth best in the NAIA.
Blivens was known for his scoring, but more impressive was his intense desire and unwillingness to allow the team to lose, a trait evidenced by his 326 rebounds in two seasons despite his being a 6'1" guard.
During his senior year he scored 20 points or more in 17 games and scored 30 points or more in seven games. He had five games with a double-double. He finished his career at Trevecca with 1,377 points, 157 steals, 135 assists, and 326 rebounds. He reached the 1,000-point-career-scoring mark in a Trevecca- record 51 games.
He was named to the TranSouth Athletic Conference First Team as well as to the NAIA All-American Third Team. As a junior he was named to the All-TranSouth East Division Team. He was also named the TranSouth Player of the Week on two occasions.
Blivens transferred to Trevecca from NCAA Division I Mississippi Valley State University and started his college career by playing for Aquinas College.
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 successful on all 12 stolen-base attempts. The Nashville Stratford High School product still ranks in Trevecca's top five for home runs and RBI.
As a senior, Thomas had a .395 batting average with 10 home runs, 46 runs, 68 hits, and 43 RBI. At the time of his graduation Thomas owned five (RBI, walks, runs, home runs, hits) season records and three (runs, home runs, RBI) 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.
Since his graduation Thomas has remained active in baseball. He coached a Nashville Stan Musial team for nine years that included the team's 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 was 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.
Bill Green started the Trevecca baseball program in 1970 and proceeded to build the program into a championship-caliber program during his nine years (1970-1979) in charge of the program. Green was named the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC) Western Division Coach of the Year four times (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979). He was named VSAC Coach of the Year twice (1978, 1979) and NAIA District 24 Coach of the Year twice (1976, 1979).
Green's teams won conference titles on three occasions (1976, 1978, 1979) and made the NAIA District 24 Tournament on three occasions (1976, 1978, and 1979).
Green coached one NAIA All-American, one NAIA All-Region player, five all-district 24 players, and four all-conference players. He coached Kenny Thomas, Trevecca's first NAIA All-American. Two of Green's players are in the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.
Green had a career record of 162-182-1 and was 104-73 in his last three years. He coached four 20-win teams and had Trevecca's first 30-win season in 1976 when his team posted a 32-21 record.
Green later coached Union University to the 1987 and 1988 conference championships and then coached Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., to a state championship in 1982. From 1990-2002 he served as a high school principal for schools in Eastern Colorado. He currently resides in Yuma, Ariz., and travels by RV half of the year.
