Rusty Hollingsworth

Rusty Hollingsworth assumed the position of Vice President for Athletics in the summer of 2017 after serving as the Director of Athletics for the previous 16 years at Campbellsville University. In addition, he has also assumed the role of VP for Student Services in the summer of 2018.

His main role inside the athletics department will be fundraising as he continues to lead the program forward in terms of facilities, new programs, and competitiveness.

During his tenure, Hollingsworth has administered the addition of numerous facilities: The new wrestling facility, Hawkins Athletic Complex, Gosser Gymnasium, the Kelly Hall Tennis facility, Coca-Cola Indoor Practice Facility, and the Montgomery-Haydon Soccer Field.

Most recently, Hollingsworth is leading the efforts with the newest facility on campus – the Tiger Athletic Fieldhouse, which will be complete in the Spring of 2019.

He has also led renovations to the football, baseball, and softball stadiums, and is currently working on plans for further facility upgrades. He also has overseen the addition or reinstatement of 12 athletic programs during his tenure.

Campbellsville’s athletic teams have also seen unparalleled success under Hollingsworth’s guidance. In 2009-10 and 2010-11, the coaching staff captured the institution’s first and second Mid-South Conference President’s Cups, thanks to the Tigers’ 13 MSC regular-season championships combined in the two seasons.

The 2016-17 season saw Campbellsville finish second in the MSC President’s Cup once again, while 15 programs competed in NAIA Championship play. CU also brought home two WCWA and NCCAA Championships apiece.

In 2015-16, the Tigers and Lady Tigers had their best seasons to date. CU brought home a total of eight Mid-South Conference Championships, seven student-athletes were named Player of the Year, six coaches named Coach of the Year, and three freshmen were named Freshman of the Year.

With unparalleled success on the field, CU finished No. 13 in the Learfield Directors’ Cup in 2015-16 and No. 21 in 2016-17.

CU athletics has also competed off the field as well. Since 2015-16, 13 student-athletes earned the MSC Champions of Character honor. In addition, two student-athletes earned the MSC’s Character First Award in its inaugural year of 2016-17. Overall, in the past three years, CU student-athletes have been named Champion of Character a record 20 times. The men’s and women’s swimming programs both earned the NAIA Champions of Character Team Award at the National Championship. In 2010, the Lady Tiger basketball team and Tiger football team were both named the Champion of Character team for their sport by the NAIA. In addition to this past season, both swim programs earned the honor in 2014.

Over the past 15 years, Campbellsville has built a solid reputation under Hollingsworth for a strong academic showing. In the past two seasons (2015-2017), CU had a record 272 student-athletes be named All-Academic Mid-South Conference and 94 of those were named NAIA Scholar-Athlete. In 2010, the wrestling team was named the NAIA All-Academic team for having the best GPA in the nation. Several CU programs have also been named NAIA Scholar Teams.

The 2014-15 year was another banner season for the Tigers. CU brought home five MSC regular-season championships and there were also five individual MSC championships. In addition, the Tiger basketball team and the cheerleading program won MSC championships for a total of 12 MSC titles. CU also had six coaches be named MSC Coach of the Year in their respective sport and former men’s basketball coach Keith Adkins was named NAIA/NABC Coach of the Year.

At the national level, 23 of the 26 CU teams competed in national tournaments at either the NAIA, NCCAA, or WCWA levels. The women’s basketball program reached Campbellsville’s first-ever NAIA national championship game, finishing NAIA runner-up in 2015. The women’s wrestling program finished second in the WCWA national championship and the men’s tennis team went on to win their second NCCAA National Title in four years.

During his tenure 22 of Campbellsville’s 26 NAIA, NCCAA, or WCWA individual or team national championships have been won.

In April 2011, Hollingsworth was named the Under Armour NAIA Southeast Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA). He has three times been named the Mid-South Conference Athletic Director of the Year in 2004, 2010, and 2015.

Hollingsworth came to Campbellsville in 2001 from Tennessee Wesleyan College where he was Dean of Students and Director of Financial Aid. He was also the Associate Director of Admissions, Athletics Eligibility Coordinator, and Assistant Director of Financial Aid/Financial Aid Compliance Officer for Athletes at Carson-Newman College.

Hollingsworth came to Campbellsville in 2001 from Tennessee Wesleyan College where he was Dean of Students and Director of Financial Aid. He was also the Associate Director of Admissions, Athletics Eligibility Coordinator, and Assistant Director of Financial Aid/Financial Aid Compliance Officer for Athletes at Carson-Newman College.