Lee Named Tennessean of the Year, Dores Dominate Awards – Vanderbilt Commodores | Official Athletic Site

Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame honors Vanderbilt AD, while women’s basketball recognized as Amateur Female Team of the Year and Diego Pavia as Amateur Male Athlete of the Year
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Inspirational leader and architect of a new era of excellence for Vanderbilt Athletics Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee is the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s 2026 Tennessean of the Year. The award, presented annually since 1982, honors someone who “has made significant contributions to society through sports or other methods.”
The Hall of Fame also recognized head coach Shea Ralph and the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team as Female Amateur Team of the Year, and Heisman finalist and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winner Diego Pavia as Male Amateur Athlete of the Year.
Lee, Pavia and the women’s basketball team will receive their awards in a July 11 ceremony at the Omni Nashville. That same night, the Hall of Fame will induct 2012 American League Cy Young winner and VandyBoys program benefactor and former pitching ace David Price.
Undefeated at home in the regular season for the first time in program history, Ralph’s basketball juggernaut set program records by winning its first 20 games overall and first six SEC games this season, ultimately advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Sophomore Mikayla Blakes was honored as Vanderbilt’s first SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in 24 years and a consensus All-American, and she was the program’s first Academic All-America first-team honoree in 28 years. Additionally, Aubrey Galvan was SEC Freshman of the Year, and Ralph was SEC Coach of the Year, making Vanderbilt the first school in 12 years to sweep those awards.
Pavia was Vanderbilt’s first Heisman finalist and was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, among honors that also included the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He led the football team to historic success, including four wins against ranked SEC opponents, and galvanized a community that sold out FirstBank Stadium for six home games. Pavia ranked among national leaders in total offense, passing touchdowns, yards per pass attempts and pass efficiency rating, as well as leading the Commodores in rushing yards.
Lee is the first Vanderbilt athletics administrator honored as Tennessean of the Year. She joins previous winners with ties to Vanderbilt like John Ingram, namesake of the Ingram Center for Student-Athlete Success and longtime university trustee and benefactor who provided the lead gift for Vandy United. Other honorees include the late John L. Seigenthaler, founder of the university’s First Amendment Center; Lamar Alexander, former governor and senator from Tennessee and Vanderbilt track and field alumnus; the late Stanley Cohen, Nobel-winning biochemist; and former football head coach James Franklin.
Lee, an innovator responsible for Vandy United’s ongoing vision for athletics and a back-to-back finalist for Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year, is the driving force behind Vanderbilt teams’ and student-athletes’ reimagining what is possible. In addition to women’s basketball and Pavia, her leadership spurred success across 15 other varsity sports.
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