Alyssa's legacy continues to inspire young athletes and the lives she touched with her spirit, determination, and joy. To honor her memory, her friends and family established the Alyssa Cavanaugh Scholarship Fund.Â
Just as she was preparing to begin a professional volleyball career overseas, Alyssa's life took a sudden turn. In September 2018, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia—a devastating blow just months after her college graduation. She faced her diagnosis with the same grit and grace she had shown on the volleyball court. For almost two and a half years, Alyssa fought courageously, inspiring all who knew her with her strength and resilience.
On December 25, 2020, Alyssa Cavanaugh passed away, surrounded by the love of her family. She was just 24 years old.
Her legacy, however, continues to shine. In June 2021, Conference USA announced that the league's Volleyball Player of the Year award would be renamed the Alyssa Cavanaugh Player of the Year Award, ensuring her name would forever be associated with excellence and heart in collegiate volleyball. Two years later, in July 2023, Alyssa was inducted into the Conference USA Hall of Fame, becoming the first Western Kentucky University athlete ever to receive this prestigious honor. Also in 2023, WKU announced the renaming of the annual WKU Volleyball Invitational to the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic.
The scholarship fund will be given to a WKU Volleyball non-scholarship athlete.ÂIn addition, those who contribute $1,000 or more--received by December, 31st, 2025, will be recognized as members of the Founding Circle for the Alyssa Cavanaugh Scholarship Fund. Founding Circle members will be permanently recognized for their role in establishing the fund and carrying forward Alyssa's legacy of excellence, courage, and generosity.
For more information, please visit the Scholarship Fund page.
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