FARMINGTON -- New athletic director Beau Thompson takes office July 1 with an array of education and experience beyond serving as the Cardinals' head boys basketball coach for the last 15 years.
Thompson was hired following a 45 minute executive session by the School Board on June 16.
"I'm excited to step into this new role where I can not only help basketball but really run around helping our athletics out, which Coach [Brad] Blew has always done," Thompson said.
"We need to continue to build soccer, tennis, things like that. Obviously, our football program and I'll have to have a lot of hats and a lot of help and I'll lean on the people that are here."
Thompson expressed appreciation to new superintendent Jon Paul Laffoon and former superintendent Bryan Law for trusting him to do this job.
Thompson was named to Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010 with recognition for an outstanding high school career at Huntsville where he graduated after earning All-State, All-Region, and All District honors in basketball, All-District honors in football and baseball. Thompson played on Huntsville's 1995 Class 2A state championship baseball team and was a three-year letterman in football, baseball, and basketball.
He was recipient of the Buck Vaughn Memorial Athletic Scholarship and named Huntsville High School's Outstanding Eagle in 1995.
Thompson earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Arkansas Tech University in 1999 while earning four basketball letters and redshirting one season. He was a member of Tech's Southwest Regional champions in 1996 and one of only five chosen for the Gulf-South All-Academic Team for athletic and academic excellence 1999-2000.
Thompson made the Gulf South Honor Role five years, 1996-2000, and was on the Deans List every semester in college.
He followed that up with a masters in educational leadership from Arkansas State in 2014. He also earned a Texas superintendent certification from Texas A&M University-Texarkana in 2015.
Thompson began his coaching career at Berryville High School from 2000-2001. He started out coaching girls basketball as head junior high coach and assistant senior high coach while also working with the Bobcat football and baseball programs as an assistant coach.
From there, Thompson's coaching career shifted to his native Huntsville working at both the high school and junior high levels from 2001-2003. His first head coaching position at the varsity level was head softball coach for the Lady Eagles.
Thompson coached at Elkins High School from 2003-2006 in various capacities. Thompson's senior high record at Elkins was 40-41 with the Elks qualifying for the 2A-1 Regional twice in 2004 and 2005 and finishing as 2A-1 Conference Runner-Up in 2004 while winning the Bi-County Tournament in 2003.
Thompson's 20-year overall combined high school coaching record at Elkins and Farmington stands at 301-190. He served as Farmington head boys basketball coach from 2006-2020 achieving an 258-146 record, winning 4A-1 Conference championships six times, one district title, one 4A North Regional tournament championship, and twice guiding Farmington into state semifinal appearances.
Thompson was named 4A-1 Coach-of-the-Year twice at Farmington. The Arkansas High School Coaches Association named him head All-Star boys basketball coach for the West twice.
Mark Humphrey may be reached by email at mhumphrey@nwadg.com.