Heavy on UT Lady Vols theme at FWK Chamber Breakfast Speaker Series
“When you think about the journey women athletics has made in Knoxville, Tennessee, it’s incredible,” said Joan Cronan, UT Women’s Athletics director emeritus, at Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast Speaker Series: “In HER Arena, Where Women Lead the Game Follows” in Jewelry Television studio, 9600 Parkside Drive, Wednesday, June 18.
Emceed by 1984 Olympian middle distance runner and Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame inductee Missy Kane, the discussions featured a panel consisting of Cronan, who also served as the first female athletics director for the entire department at UT when she served as interim vice chancellor and athletics director in 2011; Brittany Tarwater, an All-American swimmer and SEC champion while a student at UT; Drew McKenna, managing partner/founder of One Knoxville Sporting Club, which has a new pre-professional women’s s soccer league, at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville; and Tess Darby, a standout Lady Vols basketball guard/forward who recently graduated.
Cronan recalled being asking her why the Lady Vols have been so successful.
“First of all, we had Pat Summit and we all realize what she did for all of us,” the director emeritus said. “Second, we had a university that said ‘yes’ to women.
“I can’t tell you how far ahead we were, but our university said it was important,” Cronan added. “So, to look at the journey, it’s been very delightful because of people like Missy and Tess and Brittany, who are out there making a difference.”
Of McKenna, Cronan said, “the leadership that he has brought to Knoxville to professional sports and what it is has been awesome.”
She described Tarwater and Darby as “part of my children, too … I could probably pick out ladies who went through our program who did it the right way and continue to do the right thing. I’m really proud.”
McKenna said being in the first year of women’s soccer is exciting.
“Why add women’s soccer? ... I think Knoxville’s a top five market in the country as far as women’s sports, and that’s wholly due to people like Joan, Brittany and Tess, their contributions to UT sports.
“What UT athletics has done for women in sports is unmatched in my opinion,” McKenna added. “(Knoxville’s) also a great soccer town.”
Along with local high schools having “great” programs, “we have about 500 girls playing youth soccer,” he said.
Tarwater, who currently is an anchor with WVLT-TV in Knoxville, said female athletes have become spoiled because of Cronan’s efforts to build that visibility.
“I was in school in 2008 when the Lady Vols won their eighth national title,” she said.
Darby said she has a unique perspective as a former Lady Vol, as her basketball team reached the NCAA tourney “Sweet 16” in 2025. ”I was part of putting women’s sports back on the map,” she said.
“Just being around people within the university who invest in women’s sports, starting with Miss Joan and all the women, it’s given me an experience I will always be grateful for,” Darby added.
Still, even at UT, “women feel like we have to prove ourselves,” she said.
