Downing named AD of the year

Siloam Springs athletics director Kevin Downing was named the 2015-16 Arkansas Athletic Director of the Year as voted on by state athletic directors.

Downing, who has held the position since the summer of 2013, was presented the award on Thursday, June 23, at the annual Arkansas High School Athletic Administrators Association luncheon and summer meeting held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Conway.

"It's a great honor to be recognized by my peers," Downing said. "Proud to work with great people."

Downing was also the athletics director of the year for Class 6A.

Downing -- who has a BSE from Henderson State and a Master's in Educational Leadership from Arkansas-Monticello -- just completed his third year as athletics director in Siloam Springs. Overall he has nine years in athletics administration and 22 years in education.

Since Downing's arrival at Siloam Springs, Panther athletics has had a number of achievements under his leadership.

The athletic department has opened a new football stadium on the high school campus, Panther Stadium, and hosted a Class 6A basketball tournament, junior high regionals in volleyball and basketball and the annual basketball tournaments The Allen Classic and Panther Holiday Classic.

The district has also added seventh-grade volleyball.

Siloam Springs has won six state championships -- two girls state cross country championships, three in girls soccer and one in boys soccer -- along with runner-up finishes in girls basketball, boys tennis and two in boys cross country in Downing's tenure.

Prior to coming to Siloam Springs, Downing was a state championship baseball coach at Little Rock Mills and was the head baseball coach at UA-Monticello for five seasons before moving into athletic administration in the Pulaski Academy School District.