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. 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. In 2017 the university announced the return of the “Lady Volunteer” name.
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.
Head coaches Source # Coach Years Seasons National Championships Conference Championships Indoor Outdoor Indoor Outdoor1Terry Crawford1974–198411–1142Gary Schwartz1985–19884––––3Dorothy Doolittle1989–19979––––4Myrtle Ferguson1998–20025––––6J.J. Clark2003–2014122–3–7Beth Alford-Sullivan2015-20228––––8Duane Ross2023-0–––– Total2144
Yearly Record Source Season Coach NCAA Conference Indoor Outdoor Indoor Outdoor Independent (AIAW)1976Terry Crawford–4th (AIAW)––1977Terry Crawford–4th (AIAW)––1978Terry Crawford–13th (AIAW)––1979Terry Crawford–3rd (AIAW)––1980Terry Crawford–4th (AIAW)–– Southeastern Conference1981Terry Crawford2nd (AIAW)1st (AIAW)–1st (197)1982Terry Crawford2nd (AIAW)2nd (126)–1st (214)1983Terry Crawford2nd (44)4th (87)–1st (223)1984Terry Crawford2nd (48)2nd (124)1st (148.5)1st (207)1985Gary Schwartz6th (22)7th (30)3rd (94.5)2nd (109)1986Gary Schwartz2nd (26)4th (36)3rd (87.3)3rd (87.5)1987Gary Schwartz2nd (30)4th (33)4th (79)4th (80)1988Gary Schwartz10th (12)21st (12)3rd (79)3rd (84)1989Dorothy DoolittleT-32nd (2)37th (6)2nd (100)3rd (91)1990Dorothy DoolittleT-9th (14)6th (28)3rd (83)3rd (106)1991Dorothy DoolittleT-6th (24)5th (33)3rd (91)3rd (84)1992Dorothy DoolittleT-13th (12)T-9th (21)4th (69)5th (75.5)1993Dorothy Doolittle –18th (25)5th (54)5th (81)1994Dorothy Doolittle11th (17)5th (30)4th (73.3)3rd (125)1995Dorothy Doolittle18th (11)9th (23)4th (64)3rd (125)1996Dorothy Doolittle –T-49th (3)7th (83)9th (106)1997Dorothy Doolittle –T-18th (14)T-7th (33)7th (64)1998Myrtle FergusonT-31st (7)T-15th (15)6th (69)7th (5.5)1999Myrtle FergusonT-32nd (6)T-20th (12)5th (54)6th (81)2000Myrtle Ferguson – –8th (35)6th (71.25)2001Myrtle FergusonT-58th (1)T-60th (2)10th (64)9th (125)2002Myrtle FergusonT-42nd (3)T-39th (6)7th (21)6th (52.25)2003J.J. ClarkT-23rd (8)T-22nd (12)9th (25)7th (55)2004J.J. Clark4th (43)T-7th (24)2nd (99.5)6th (78.5)2005J.J. Clark1st (46)4th (40)1st (135.5)3rd (108.3)2006J.J. ClarkT-18th (13)18th (15)T-3rd (78.5)5th (78)2007J.J. Clark3rd (30)T-27th (9)1st (120)4th (89)2008J.J. ClarkT-8th (19)T-13th (21)2nd (116)4th (85)2009J.J. Clark1st (42)T-10th (21)1st (42)3rd (106)2010J.J. Clark2nd (36)T-26th (10)4th (77)7th (62)2011J.J. ClarkT-7th (24)T-11th (20)3rd (78)5th (92)2012J.J. ClarkT-48th (3)T-9th (21)4th (68)5th (97)2013J.J. Clark – –8th (29)9th (39.5)2014J.J. Clark –T-59th (1)7th (35)10th (28)2015Beth Alford-SullivanT-38th (5)T-56th (3)10th (22)14th (15)2016Beth Alford-Sullivan7th (30)T-29th (8)T-4th (77)4th (62)2017Beth Alford-Sullivan –T-62nd (2)12th (14.5)T-11th (27)2018Beth Alford-SullivanT-40th (4)T-25th (11)11th (21)4th (78)2019Beth Alford-SullivanT-21st (10)T-66th (1)8th (40)9th (45.5)2020Beth Alford-Sullivan – –T-8th (43) –2021Beth Alford-SullivanT-40th (3)T-46th (5)9th (32)9th (38)2022Beth Alford-Sullivan16th (12)T-62nd (1)6th (50)9th (34)2023Duane RossT-7th (24) T-10th (19)3rd (56.33)5th (67)2024Duane RossT-17th (13)8th (38) Total2144 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
The Lady Vols have claimed 23 NCAA Indoor individual titles, 14 NCAA Outdoor individual crowns, 13 AIAW individual champions, and 3 DGWS wins.
+Indoor1981 (AIAW)Delisa Walton600m1:26.561982 (AIAW)Delisa Walton600y1:17.381982 (AIAW)Benita Fitzgerald60y Hurdles7.541982 (AIAW)Rose HauchShot Put55-01982 (AIAW)Joetta Clark1000y2:26.701983Delisa Walton600y1:20.211983Joetta Clark800y2:06.021983Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, WaltonMile Relay2:06.021984Cathy Rattray500m1:10.821984Joetta Clark1000m2:43.851984Bolden, Rattray, Barksdale, Oliver4x400 Meter Relay3:37.041984Davidson, Quelch, Harvey, Clark4x800 Meter Relay8:40.171986Ilrey Oliver500m109.681986McLaughlin, Benjamin, Martin, Oliver4x400 Meter Relay3:34.191987LaVonna Martin55m Hurdles7.571988LaVonna Martin55m Hurdles7.561991Wiegand3000m9:09.831991Johnson, Jones, Olkowski, Wiegand4x800 Relay8:36.322004Nicole Cook800m2:03.272004Novak, Trotter, Cook, HyattDistance Medley Relay11:06.072005Tianna MadisonLong Jump6.78m (22-3)2008Sheffey, Jones, Wright, BowmanDistance Medley Relay11:01.972009Sarah BowmanMile4:29.722009Wright, Jones, Price, BowmanDistance Medley Relay10:50.982010Phoebe Wright800m2:02.552010Wright, Wortham, Price, SheffeyDistance Medley Relay10:58.372011Jackie Areson5000m16:04.162016Felicia Brown200m22.47
+Outdoor1969 (DGWS)Terry Hull220y25.41969 (DGWS)Terry Hull440y56.41970 (DGWS)Terry Hull880y2:09.701977 (AIAW)Brenda Webb5000m16:13.901977 (AIAW)Jane HaistDiscus188-51979 (AIAW)Brenda Webb1500m4:17.061979 (AIAW)Brenda Webb3000m9:15.801980 (AIAW)Delisa Walton800m2:04.881981 (AIAW)Benita Fitzgerald100m Hurdles13.121981 (AIAW)Barksdale, Fitzgerald, Rattray, Walton4x200m Medley Relay1:36.701981 (AIAW)Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, Walton4x400m Relay3:31.701982Delisa Walton800m2:05.221982Kathy Bryant5000m16:10.411982Benita Fitzgerald100m Hurdles13.131982Barksdale, Clark, Rattray, Walton4x400m Relay3:28.551983Joetta Clark800m2:02.281983Benita Fitzgerald100m Hurdles12.841984Joetta Clark800m2:02.601986Alisa Harvey1500m4:17.481986Benjamin, Oliver, Martin, McLaughlin4x400m Relay3:29.351987LaVonna Martin100m Hurdles13.051994Dedra DavisLong Jump22-5.752004DeeDee Trotter400m50.322005Tianna MadisonLong Jump21-10.252010Pheobe Wright800m2:01.40
Conference Individual Event Champions
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.
+ Indoor55-Meter Hurdles260-Meter Hurdles255 Meters160 Meters2200 Meters2300 Yards2400 Meters2600 Yards1800 Meters81000 Meters41500 Meters1Mile53000 Meters105000 Meters44x400-Meter Relay64x800-Meter Relay4Distance Medley Relay8High Jump2Long Jump1Pole Vault1Shot Put6Weight Throw1Pentathlon2
+Outdoor100-Meter Hurdles8400-Meter Hurdles6100 Meters6200 Meters5400 Meters6800 Meters111500 Meters133000 Meters35000 Meters810000 Meters24x100-Meter Relay24x400-Meter Relay54x800-Meter Relay1800-Meter Medley Relay1Long Jump4Pole Vault3Shot Put8Discus9Hammer Throw2Javelin2Heptathlon6
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.
Medalists AthleteCountry Olympics Event Medal 1984 Los Angeles 100 m hurdles Gold 2012 London 4x100 m relay Gold2016 Rio Long JumpGold 4x100 m relay Gold 1992 Barcelona 100 m hurdles Silver 2004 Athens 4x400 m relay Gold 2012 London 4x400 m relay Gold 400 m Bronze
Participants Athlete Country OlympicsMissy Alston1984 Los AngelesAlice Annum1964 Tokyo1968 Mexico City1972 MunichSharrieffa Barksdale1984 Los AngelesJoetta Clark-Diggs1992 Barcelona1996 Atlanta2000 SydneyDedra Davis1992 BarcelonaKali Davis-White2016 Rio de Janeiro Veronica Findlay1984 Los AngelesJane Haist1976 MontrealJoella Lloyd2020 TokyoIlrey Oliver1984 Los AngelesStamatia Scarvelis2020 TokyoCathy Rattray-Williams 1980 Moscow 1984 Los Angeles1988 Seoul 1992 BarcelonaPatricia Walsh1984 Los AngelesErica Witter2000 Sydney
See also Tennessee men's track and field Tennessee women's cross country Tennessee men's cross country
References