From the halls of Bob Jones High School in Madison, Dr. Candice Storey Lee has become one of the most influential and successful women in college sports.
Now, she is one of the most successful people in college athletics.
Lee, Vanderbilt’s vice chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and athletic director, was recently honored as Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year during the annual Sports Business Awards in New York.
Amid unprecedented change in college athletics, Lee oversaw a historic year of individual and collective competitive success and game-changing philanthropic and community support.
“In sports, individual awards are team awards in disguise, and I’m gratified to accept this honor from Sports Business Journal on behalf of the Vanderbilt student-athletes, coaches, staff and supporters who are changing the narrative about what is possible here,” Lee said. “We aren’t shy about setting big goals, from reimagining our physical footprint through the Vandy United campaign to competing for national championships on the football field and across 17 varsity sports and launching Anchored for Her to become the premier destination for women’s sports.”
Recently named the 2026 Tennessean of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Lee was the only returning finalist for this year’s SBJ award, indicative of the sustained success across 17 varsity sports that has galvanized the Vanderbilt community.
“Candice Storey Lee exemplifies Vanderbilt’s commitment to pursue excellence without compromise,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. “From hiring head coaches who helped lift our standards during a historically successful year to leading the Vandy United campaign into a new phase and helping our university connect with new audiences, she wholeheartedly deserves this recognition.”
A team captain, four-year letter winner, and five-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection as a member of Vanderbilt’s women’s basketball team, Lee battled through knee injuries and helped lead the Commodores to an SEC Tournament championship in her final season (2002).
She was a model student-athlete at Bob Jones High School and was named to the 2022 class of the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame.
Lee is also a “Triple Dore,” having received a bachelor’s degree, a master’s and a doctorate from Vanderbilt. She graduated with a bachelor of science in human and organizational development in 2000, received her master’s degree in counseling in 2002 and her doctorate in higher education administration in 2012. She also is celebrating her 30th anniversary as a Vanderbilt student-athlete and administrator in 2026.
“As a pioneering and inspirational alumna, she embodies the value of collegiate athletics within the great university of the 21st century and the bold spirit at the core of our mission,” Diermeier said.
The award, which recognizes excellence from March 1, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2026, exemplifies the university’s redoubled commitment to create a championship environment and the years of planning and investment that Lee spearheaded through Vandy United and similar efforts.
“We think we can do it all,” Lee said. “And as athletic director and a proud alum, what I love about this community is we’re willing to do the work, together, to make it happen.”
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