Tennessee Volunteers women's track and field

For the Tennessee men's track and field team, see Tennessee Volunteers men's track and field.

Tennessee Volunteers women's track and field
Founded	1969
University	University of Tennessee
Athletic director	Danny White
Head coach	Duane Ross[1][2] (May 2022-present season)
Conference	SEC
Location	Knoxville, TN
Indoor track	Stokely Athletic Center (Until 2012) (Capacity: 12,700) New Indoor Track Facility (2023- )[3]
Outdoor track	Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium (Capacity: 7,500)
Nickname	Lady Volunteers
Colors	Orange and white[4]
NCAA Indoor National Championships
2005, 2009
NCAA Outdoor National Championships
1981*
NCAA Indoor Tournament Appearances
1981*, 1982*, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA Outdoor Tournament Appearances
1976*, 1977*, 1978*, 1979*, 1980*, 1981*, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 Asterisk = AIAW
Conference Indoor Championships
1984, 2005, 2007, 2009
Conference Outdoor Championships
1981, 1982, 1983, 1984

The Tennessee Volunteers women's track and field program represents the University of Tennessee in the sport of track and field. The indoor and outdoor programs compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Lady Vols host their home outdoor meets at the newly renovated Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium, located on the university's Knoxville, Tennessee campus. They formally held meets indoors at Stokely Athletic Center until the arenas demolition in 2012, but will soon have a new indoor track facility sometime in the 2020s.^[3] The team is led by current head coach Duane Ross who took over the program after the firing of Beth Alford-Sullivan in May 2022.

Along with all other UT women's sports teams, it used the nickname "Lady Volunteers" (or the short form "Lady Vols") until the 2015–16 school year, when the school dropped the "Lady" prefix from the nicknames of all women's teams except in basketball.^[5] In 2017 the university announced the return of the “Lady Volunteer” name.^[6]

Throughout the program's history, the Lady Vols have produced 23 NCAA Indoor Individual Champions, 14 NCAA Outdoor Individual Champions, won 8 conference titles, and 3 team national championships. While not as successful historically as the Tennessee men's program, the Lady Vols have appeared in 33 NCAA Indoor Championships (4th most in SEC) and 37 Outdoor Championships (3rd most in SEC). Additionally, the program has finished as national runner up 7 times in Indoor Track and 2 times in Outdoor Track, and produced 4 Olympic Medalists.^[7]

Head coaches

Source^[8]

#	Coach	Years	Seasons	National Championships		Conference Championships
				Indoor	Outdoor	Indoor	Outdoor
1	Terry Crawford	1974–1984	11	–	1	1	4
2	Gary Schwartz	1985–1988	4	–	–	–	–
3	Dorothy Doolittle	1989–1997	9	–	–	–	–
4	Myrtle Ferguson	1998–2002	5	–	–	–	–
6	J.J. Clark	2003–2014	12	2	–	3	–
7	Beth Alford-Sullivan	2015-2022	8	–	–	–	–
8	Duane Ross	2023-	0	–	–	–	–
Total				2	1	4	4

Yearly Record

Source^[8]

Season	Coach	NCAA		Conference
		Indoor	Outdoor	Indoor	Outdoor
Independent (AIAW)
1976	Terry Crawford	–	4th (AIAW)	–	–
1977	Terry Crawford	–	4th (AIAW)	–	–
1978	Terry Crawford	–	13th (AIAW)	–	–
1979	Terry Crawford	–	3rd (AIAW)	–	–
1980	Terry Crawford	–	4th (AIAW)	–	–
Southeastern Conference
1981	Terry Crawford	2nd (AIAW)	1st (AIAW)	–	1st (197)
1982	Terry Crawford	2nd (AIAW)	2nd (126)	–	1st (214)
1983	Terry Crawford	2nd (44)	4th (87)	–	1st (223)
1984	Terry Crawford	2nd (48)	2nd (124)	1st (148.5)	1st (207)
1985	Gary Schwartz	6th (22)	7th (30)	3rd (94.5)	2nd (109)
1986	Gary Schwartz	2nd (26)	4th (36)	3rd (87.3)	3rd (87.5)
1987	Gary Schwartz	2nd (30)	4th (33)	4th (79)	4th (80)
1988	Gary Schwartz	10th (12)	21st (12)	3rd (79)	3rd (84)
1989	Dorothy Doolittle	T-32nd (2)	37th (6)	2nd (100)	3rd (91)
1990	Dorothy Doolittle	T-9th (14)	6th (28)	3rd (83)	3rd (106)
1991	Dorothy Doolittle	T-6th (24)	5th (33)	3rd (91)	3rd (84)
1992	Dorothy Doolittle	T-13th (12)	T-9th (21)	4th (69)	5th (75.5)
1993	Dorothy Doolittle	–	18th (25)	5th (54)	5th (81)
1994	Dorothy Doolittle	11th (17)	5th (30)	4th (73.3)	3rd (125)
1995	Dorothy Doolittle	18th (11)	9th (23)	4th (64)	3rd (125)
1996	Dorothy Doolittle	–	T-49th (3)	7th (83)	9th (106)
1997	Dorothy Doolittle	–	T-18th (14)	T-7th (33)	7th (64)
1998	Myrtle Ferguson	T-31st (7)	T-15th (15)	6th (69)	7th (5.5)
1999	Myrtle Ferguson	T-32nd (6)	T-20th (12)	5th (54)	6th (81)
2000	Myrtle Ferguson	–	–	8th (35)	6th (71.25)
2001	Myrtle Ferguson	T-58th (1)	T-60th (2)	10th (64)	9th (125)
2002	Myrtle Ferguson	T-42nd (3)	T-39th (6)	7th (21)	6th (52.25)
2003	J.J. Clark	T-23rd (8)	T-22nd (12)	9th (25)	7th (55)
2004	J.J. Clark	4th (43)	T-7th (24)	2nd (99.5)	6th (78.5)
2005	J.J. Clark	1st (46)	4th (40)	1st (135.5)	3rd (108.3)
2006	J.J. Clark	T-18th (13)	18th (15)	T-3rd (78.5)	5th (78)
2007	J.J. Clark	3rd (30)	T-27th (9)	1st (120)	4th (89)
2008	J.J. Clark	T-8th (19)	T-13th (21)	2nd (116)	4th (85)
2009	J.J. Clark	1st (42)	T-10th (21)	1st (42)	3rd (106)
2010	J.J. Clark	2nd (36)	T-26th (10)	4th (77)	7th (62)
2011	J.J. Clark	T-7th (24)	T-11th (20)	3rd (78)	5th (92)
2012	J.J. Clark	T-48th (3)	T-9th (21)	4th (68)	5th (97)
2013	J.J. Clark	–	–	8th (29)	9th (39.5)
2014	J.J. Clark	–	T-59th (1)	7th (35)	10th (28)
2015	Beth Alford-Sullivan	T-38th (5)	T-56th (3)	10th (22)	14th (15)
2016	Beth Alford-Sullivan	7th (30)	T-29th (8)	T-4th (77)	4th (62)
2017	Beth Alford-Sullivan	–	T-62nd (2)	12th (14.5)	T-11th (27)
2018	Beth Alford-Sullivan	T-40th (4)	T-25th (11)	11th (21)	4th (78)
2019	Beth Alford-Sullivan	T-21st (10)	T-66th (1)	8th (40)	9th (45.5)
2020	Beth Alford-Sullivan	–	–	T-8th (43)	–
2021	Beth Alford-Sullivan	T-40th (3)	T-46th (5)	9th (32)	9th (38)
2022	Beth Alford-Sullivan	16th (12)	T-62nd (1)	6th (50)	9th (34)
2023	Duane Ross	T-7th (24)	T-10th (19)	3rd (56.33)	5th (67)
2024	Duane Ross	T-17th (13)		8th (38)
Total		2	1	4	4

Note: The 2020 season was canceled after the SEC Indoor Championships due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the SEC Outdoor and both NCAA Championships were not held.

NCAA Individual Event Champions

See also: NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships

See also: NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships

The Lady Vols have claimed 23 NCAA Indoor individual titles, 14 NCAA Outdoor individual crowns, 13 AIAW individual champions, and 3 DGWS wins.^[8]

Indoor Year Name Event Time/Mark 1981 (AIAW) Delisa Walton 600m 1:26.56 1982 (AIAW) Delisa Walton 600y 1:17.38 1982 (AIAW) Benita Fitzgerald 60y Hurdles 7.54 1982 (AIAW) Rose Hauch Shot Put 55-0 1982 (AIAW) Joetta Clark 1000y 2:26.70 1983 Delisa Walton 600y 1:20.21 1983 Joetta Clark 800y 2:06.02 1983 Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, Walton Mile Relay 2:06.02 1984 Cathy Rattray 500m 1:10.82 1984 Joetta Clark 1000m 2:43.85 1984 Bolden, Rattray, Barksdale, Oliver 4x400 Meter Relay 3:37.04 1984 Davidson, Quelch, Harvey, Clark 4x800 Meter Relay 8:40.17 1986 Ilrey Oliver 500m 109.68 1986 McLaughlin, Benjamin, Martin, Oliver 4x400 Meter Relay 3:34.19 1987 LaVonna Martin 55m Hurdles 7.57 1988 LaVonna Martin 55m Hurdles 7.56 1991 Wiegand 3000m 9:09.83 1991 Johnson, Jones, Olkowski, Wiegand 4x800 Relay 8:36.32 2004 Nicole Cook 800m 2:03.27 2004 Novak, Trotter, Cook, Hyatt Distance Medley Relay 11:06.07 2005 Tianna Madison Long Jump 6.78m (22-3) 2008 Sheffey, Jones, Wright, Bowman Distance Medley Relay 11:01.97 2009 Sarah Bowman Mile 4:29.72 2009 Wright, Jones, Price, Bowman Distance Medley Relay 10:50.98 2010 Phoebe Wright 800m 2:02.55 2010 Wright, Wortham, Price, Sheffey Distance Medley Relay 10:58.37 2011 Jackie Areson 5000m 16:04.16 2016 Felicia Brown 200m 22.47

Outdoor Year Name Event Time/Mark 1969 (DGWS) Terry Hull 220y 25.4 1969 (DGWS) Terry Hull 440y 56.4 1970 (DGWS) Terry Hull 880y 2:09.70 1977 (AIAW) Brenda Webb 5000m 16:13.90 1977 (AIAW) Jane Haist Discus 188-5 1979 (AIAW) Brenda Webb 1500m 4:17.06 1979 (AIAW) Brenda Webb 3000m 9:15.80 1980 (AIAW) Delisa Walton 800m 2:04.88 1981 (AIAW) Benita Fitzgerald 100m Hurdles 13.12 1981 (AIAW) Barksdale, Fitzgerald, Rattray, Walton 4x200m Medley Relay 1:36.70 1981 (AIAW) Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, Walton 4x400m Relay 3:31.70 1982 Delisa Walton 800m 2:05.22 1982 Kathy Bryant 5000m 16:10.41 1982 Benita Fitzgerald 100m Hurdles 13.13 1982 Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, Walton 4x400m Relay 3:28.55 1983 Joetta Clark 800m 2:02.28 1983 Benita Fitzgerald 100m Hurdles 12.84 1984 Joetta Clark 800m 2:02.60 1986 Alisa Harvey 1500m 4:17.48 1986 Benjamin, Oliver, Martin, McLaughlin 4x400m Relay 3:29.35 1987 LaVonna Martin 100m Hurdles 13.05 1994 Dedra Davis Long Jump 22-5.75 2004 DeeDee Trotter 400m 50.32 2005 Tianna Madison Long Jump 21-10.25 2010 Pheobe Wright 800m 2:01.40

Conference Individual Event Champions

See also: List of Southeastern Conference champions § Indoor track and field

See also: List of Southeastern Conference champions § Outdoor track and field

Through the end of the 2022 season, the Lady Vols have won a total of 76 SEC Indoor individual championships, and 111 SEC Outdoor individual titles.^[8]

Indoor Event Titles 55-Meter Hurdles 2 60-Meter Hurdles 2 55 Meters 1 60 Meters 2 200 Meters 2 300 Yards 2 400 Meters 2 600 Yards 1 800 Meters 8 1000 Meters 4 1500 Meters 1 Mile 5 3000 Meters 10 5000 Meters 4 4x400-Meter Relay 6 4x800-Meter Relay 4 Distance Medley Relay 8 High Jump 2 Long Jump 1 Pole Vault 1 Shot Put 6 Weight Throw 1 Pentathlon 2

Outdoor Event Titles 100-Meter Hurdles 8 400-Meter Hurdles 6 100 Meters 6 200 Meters 5 400 Meters 6 800 Meters 11 1500 Meters 13 3000 Meters 3 5000 Meters 8 10000 Meters 2 4x100-Meter Relay 2 4x400-Meter Relay 5 4x800-Meter Relay 1 800-Meter Medley Relay 1 Long Jump 4 Pole Vault 3 Shot Put 8 Discus 9 Hammer Throw 2 Javelin 2 Heptathlon 6

Tennessee Lady Volunteer Olympians

Through the 2020 Summer Olympics, 18 current and former Lady Vols have represented 8 different nations in the Olympic Games. They have brought home a total of 8 medals, including 6 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal.^[8]

Medalists

Athlete	Country	Olympics	Event	Medal
Benita Fitzgerald-Brown	United States	1984 Los Angeles	100 m hurdles	Gold
Tianna Madison	United States	2012 London	4x100 m relay	Gold
		2016 Rio	Long Jump	Gold
			100 m relay	Gold
LaVonna Martin	United States	1992 Barcelona	100 m hurdles	Silver
DeeDee Trotter	United States	2004 Athens	4x400 m relay	Gold
		2012 London	4x400 m relay	Gold
			400 m	Bronze

Participants

Athlete	Country	Olympics
Missy Alston	United States	1984 Los Angeles
Alice Annum	Ghana	1964 Tokyo
		1968 Mexico City
		1972 Munich
Sharrieffa Barksdale	United States	1984 Los Angeles
Joetta Clark-Diggs	United States	1992 Barcelona
		1996 Atlanta
		2000 Sydney
Dedra Davis	Bahamas	1992 Barcelona
Kali Davis-White	Jamaica	2016 Rio de Janeiro
Veronica Findlay	Jamaica	1984 Los Angeles
Jane Haist	Canada	1976 Montreal
Joella Lloyd	Antigua and Barbuda	2020 Tokyo
Ilrey Oliver	Jamaica	1984 Los Angeles
Stamatia Scarvelis	Greece	2020 Tokyo
Cathy Rattray-Williams	Jamaica	1980 Moscow
		1984 Los Angeles
		1988 Seoul
		1992 Barcelona
Patricia Walsh	Ireland	1984 Los Angeles
Erica Witter	Canada	2000 Sydney

See also

• Tennessee men's track and field
• Tennessee women's cross country
• Tennessee men's cross country

References

1. "Tennessee athletics parts ways with track and field director Beth Alford-Sullivan".
2. "Tennessee tabs Duane Ross, NCAA coach of the year in 2021, to lead track and field program".
3. "Focused on the Future, White Launches "My All" Campaign".
4. "General Information". UTSports.com. June 14, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
5. Megargee, Steve (June 26, 2015). "Tennessee set to make move to a lone 'Lady Vols' team". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
6. "University of Tennessee announces return of Lady Vols logo for all sports".
7. "Division I women's indoor track championships records book" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org. 2021.
8. "Tennessee Track & Field - 2019-20 Record book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-10-30.