UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State University junior offensive lineman Tyus Thompson was selected as the 2024 Jack H. McAvoy Award winner. The honor is given annually by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to a football player who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom, and the community.
The Award is named for former Hillsdale College Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach, Jack McAvoy, who was instrumental in founding the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC), now known as the GLIAC.
"Tyus is an exceptional young man who demonstrates servant leadership on a consistent basis," SVSU head coach Ryan Brady said. "He is very deserving of this award and his contributions in the community help impact young people in a positive way. Tyus is truly a difference-maker. He is going to be a gift to the teaching profession the day he gets his first job. I am very proud to be Tyus's coach and he is a great representation of the work being done at SVSU."
On the field, Thompson has 33 games played for the Cardinals including anchoring the Cardinals offensive line as the starting center in all 11 contests this season. He was a starter for the first three games of 2023 until his season was cut short by injury. He made nine appearances in 2022 and 10 in 2021.
Outside of competition, Thompson excels in the classroom, holding a 3.91 GPA in elementary education at Saginaw Valley State. He has an extensive community service record as well, serving in a lengthy list of projects throughout his time at SVSU including four years as a camp counselor at the SVSU Football Youth and Prospect camps. The Powell, Ohio native has volunteered his time at three elementary schools and one preschool from 2022 to 2024 to help with Reading Day, Field Day, and Physical Education classes.
Thompson becomes the third Cardinal player to earn this prestigious award and the first in 20 years. Defensive end Neil Baumgartner earned the award in 2004, with linebacker Jason Battershell being the first SVSU player to receive the award in 2002.