Joan Cronan will be honored with the Michael L. Slive Distinguished Service Award for her contributions to women’s athletics in the Southeastern Conference.
Cronan will be honored during the SEC Legends Celebration on December 2, the night before the SEC Football Championship Game, and also in on-field activities before the SEC title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said: “Joan Cronan’s leadership and vision for women’s athletics helped build Tennessee into a national brand all while amassing conference and national championships, expanding the budget at UT for the betterment of women’s athletics, increasing the annual giving for women’s athletics, and increasing women’s sports sponsorship.
“Joan has left an indelible mark on the SEC through her support of female student-athletes and her work to further the spirit of Title IX.”
Cronan served as the women’s athletics director from 1983-2012 at Tennessee. She served as interim vice chancellor and athletics director in 2011 when the men’s and women’s departments were combined.
Winners of the Michael L. Slive Distinguished Service Awar
- 2014 – Michael L. Slive – SEC Commissioner
- 2017 – SEC Pioneers of Integration (Nate Northington, Wilbur Hackett, Houston Hogg, Greg Page – Kentucky football; Perry Wallace and Godfrey Dillard – Vanderbilt basketball)
- 2018 – Archie Manning – Ole Miss football/baseball
- 2021 – SEC Return to Activity & Medical Guidance Task Force
- 2022 – Joan Cronan – University of Tennessee athletic director emeritus