Athletics Aric Lyons '23
A Family Tradition by Ashley (Braun) Gendek '09
Most present and past Wesleyan students describe Wesleyan as their home away from home. For sophomore student-athlete Aric Lyons, that connection goes even further. Aric's father, Chad Lyons '92, uncles Craig Lyons '96 and Tim Payment '97, and aunt Cathy (Evans) Pauley '95 attended KWC long before Aric called Wesleyan home. "The campus has really felt like home since my first visit," Lyons commented. "Attending the College where a large chunk of my family attended is really special." Chad Lyons, a chemistry teacher and football and baseball coach at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, played Panther football and in 2015, he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. That was the first time Aric visited campus. Even though he wasn't considering which college to attend then, he remembers thinking the campus was beautiful and a place he could easily call home. "I remember my dad reminiscing about KWC and the relationships he formed in college. His closest friends are people he met at Wesleyan. He contacts them on a regular basis to this day and makes it clear that Wesleyan was the place where he formed relationships with people who have helped him throughout his career." Aric was offered the chance to play baseball at the collegiate level at his dad's alma mater. He pulls double duty as a utility player in the outfield and as a pitcher. Aric also stays involved on campus as the baseball representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and as a resident assistant. A chemistry major, Aric stays busy inside the classroom as well. When asked about his future plans, Aric immediately stated optometry was his goal. With the help of family friend Antoine Poythress '91 (CEO, Jenkins County Medical Center, Millen, Ga.), he had the opportunity to shadow several doctors at Washington County Regional Medical Center in Sandersville, Ga. "I spent a week following different doctors, including a pediatrician and an emergency
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room doctor, to explore career options. I've also had several optometry visits in my life and that field has always fascinated me." Aric's favorite memory from his freshman year is the spring break baseball trip to Florida. "We played five games, and we won all five! The best part was being with my teammates the whole week and enjoying the warm Florida weather." Uncle Tim Payment is a U.S. Army colonel currently stationed at Fort Knox, Ky. He was recognized with the Outstanding Young Graduate Award in 2010 and inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2019. He sees his nephew as an outstanding role model to his cousins and hopes Aric can convince them to become Panthers. Years after his family members graduated from KWC, the College implemented The Wesleyan Way. Although these principles weren't an official part of KWC back then, it's apparent that the four principles of honor, love, integrity and support were very much a part of the Wesleyan Aric heard about as a kid. "Almost every day, I see either a picture of my dad or of my uncle here on campus," stated Aric. "It's great motivation for me to be like them, and it's also a reminder of how they have impacted my life as role models."
Kentucky Wesleyan Magazine
