COASTAL, S.C. – Former Coastal Carolina and NFL quarterback Tyler Thigpen has been announced as a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame's induction class of 2024. He will be joined by University of South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Clemson University golfer Lucas Glover, University of North Carolina's women's basketball player Ivory Latta, former NBA standout and coach Clifford Ray, S.C. State football coach Oree Banks, College of Charleston and North Charleston basketball star Anthony Johnson, Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett, Chester and Harvard basketball great Allison Feaster, and Columbia basketball legend William Partlow.

Thigpen was the first starting quarterback in the history of Coastal Carolina football, going 30-8 as the Chants' starting signal-caller. Under his direction, Coastal Carolina captured three consecutive Big South Conference titles from 2004-06. Thigpen still holds Coastal single-season records for passing touchdowns (29), passing yards per game (274.7), touchdowns responsible for (34), and total offensive yards per game (329.3), all set in 2006. Following his magnificent senior campaign in 2006, Thigpen became the first consensus All-American in program history, earning first team All-American accolades from the Associated Press, the Weekly Football Gazette, and the American Football Coaches Association. He ended his CCU career with 6,598 passing yards, 53 touchdowns, and 8,236 yards of total offense. Thigpen also rushed for 1,638 yards and set a Big South record for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 13. 

The Winnsboro, S.C., native became the first player in Coastal and Big South football history to be drafted when the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Thigpen played in the league for six seasons and enjoyed his finest year in 2008, throwing for 2,608 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 starts for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Thigpen was inducted into the Sasser Athletic Hall of Fame at Coastal Carolina in 2014.