Western Kentucky had three honorees among the Conference USA Hall of Fame Class of 2025 announced Wednesday.

Football’s Brandon Doughty, as well as volleyball’s Travis Hudson and Jessica Lucas, join volleyball’s Alyssa Cavanaugh (Class of 2023) in the CUSA Hall of Fame.

Doughty becomes WKU’s first football player in the CUSA Hall of Fame after his record-setting career ushered in a new era of success for Hilltopper football. A native of Davie, Florida, Doughty redefined offensive expectations during his time at WKU (2010-15) and remains one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of college football. He finished his career as WKU’s all-time leader in nearly every major passing category, including 12,855 passing yards and 111 touchdown passes. He also finished his career as the leader in single-season passing yards (5,055 in 2015), single-season touchdown passes (49 in 2014) and single-game passing yards (593 against Middle Tennessee in 2014), the latter of which remains the Conference USA record.

His 2014 season earned national acclaim, as he led the FBS in both passing touchdowns and passing yards, becoming the first player in WKU history to win the Sammy Baugh Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate passer. That same year, he was named Conference USA Most Valuable Player — an honor he would claim again in 2015 after an equally dominant encore performance. He finished his career ranked in the top 10 all-time in FBS completion percentage (67.1%) and among the top 15 in career passing yards and touchdowns.

Beyond the stat sheet, Doughty’s impact on WKU football was transformational. He guided the Hilltoppers to their first-ever FBS conference championship in 2015 and led the program to back-to-back bowl victories – earning MVP honors in the 2014 Bahamas Bowl and the 2015 Miami Beach Bowl. WKU also earned its first national ranking under his leadership, finishing the 2015 season ranked No. 24 in the country. Over his final two seasons, Doughty led WKU to an 18–1 record in conference play and established the Hilltoppers as one of the most explosive and efficient offenses in the nation. He ended his career with 27 wins as a starter and helped solidify the program’s reputation during its transition into CUSA and FBS competition.

Hudson becomes the first volleyball coach inducted into the CUSA Hall of Fame, and does so as he enters his 31st season at WKU. He was inducted into the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame last year.

Hudson has amassed 780 career wins, surpassing Ed Diddle for the second-most among any Hilltopper coach in a single sport. In his first 30 seasons, Hudson has led WKU to 34 conference championships and 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. In eight of the 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, Hudson’s Hilltoppers have won at least one match, advancing to the Sweet 16 in the spring of 2021 (2020 season). Overall, Hudson has nine NCAA Tournament victories.

Since joining CUSA in 2014-15, Hudson’s Hilltoppers have won 19 of a possible 22 CUSA championships (10 regular season, nine tournament). He has been named Conference USA Coach of the Year seven times, thanks in part to WKU’s record-setting, active, 92-match winning streak in conference regular season play. Forty-six Hilltoppers have earned All-CUSA honors with seven CUSA Players of the Year in 11 seasons. Five times, a Hilltopper has been named CUSA Freshman of the Year with five CUSA Setter of the Year selections.

Overall, Hudson has been named conference coach of the year 12 times in his career, having coached 12 conference players of the year, 13 All-Americans (including four, four-time All-Americans) and 68 first team all-conference honorees.

Lucas, a native of Seymour, Indiana, becomes the first setter inducted into the CUSA Hall of Fame. A four-time All-American at WKU from 2014-17, Lucas was named CUSA Setter of the Year three times. She helped WKU to 123 wins over her four years, including a 57-3 record in CUSA regular-season matches. The Hilltoppers won the regular season and tournament titles all four years Lucas played at WKU and twice advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round.

Lucas is WKU’s career record holder with 5,338 assists, playing in 138 matches and 478 career sets. She finished her career No. 9 on WKU’s block assist list with 251 and her career hitting percentage of .345 still ranks No. 8 on the program’s Top 10 list.

In addition to being named CUSA Setter of the Year three times, Lucas was named first team all-conference in all four seasons at WKU, as well as AVCA All-Region all four years. She was an academic standout, earning Senior CLASS first team All-American, CUSA All-Academic and was a member of the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.