Ryan ’12 and Katharine ’12 Kavanagh of Midland, Texas, have made a gift to the University of Notre Dame to endow the Director of Football Player Development position. The position is currently held by Amir Carlisle ‘15, who will assume the title Kavanagh Family Director of Football Player Development.
Ryan Kavanagh is a former Notre Dame football student-athlete who earned two Monograms as a long-snapper and holder. He graduated from the College of Engineering in 2012, and is currently Vice President of Asset Development at Endeavor Energy Resources, L.P.
Katharine Kavanagh, also a member of Notre Dame’s Class of 2012, graduated from the Mendoza College of Business, and currently serves as a board member for multiple charitable trusts and non-profits. The couple has three children, Anne, Celia and Guy.
The Kavanaghs have a long history of supporting their alma mater and its athletics department. That support includes being members of the Badin Guild and the Rockne Athletics Fund’s Athletics Director’s Circle.
The Kavanagh Family Director of Football Player Development is responsible for fostering an environment that promotes the well-being and personal development of Notre Dame football student-athletes. The position is focused on challenging Fighting Irish student-athletes to establish and maintain effective interactions with their teammates, coaches, support staff, faculty, student body, local community, alumni and benefactors in order to maximize their experience at Notre Dame. Carlisle, a former Fighting Irish wide receiver, is completing his first season in the role.
“As collegiate athletics continues to evolve, we are very excited to support the Football Program in ensuring our student-athletes are equipped with the skills to navigate the current landscape, while gaining foundational experiences as part of their 4 for Forever journey,” said the Kavanaghs. “We’re extremely excited about Coach Freeman’s emphasis on holistic development of the student-athletes, and the incredible progress Amir has made over his first season.”
“We are so grateful to Ryan and Katharine for making this commitment to our program,” Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman said. “Being a former Notre Dame football player himself, Ryan has first-hand knowledge of how vital the player development role is to the long-term success of our student-athletes, which makes this gift even more meaningful. He and Katharine are passionate about giving back in a way that ensures we will be able to provide the best resources to our players, and this gift is a direct reflection of that.”