Candice Storey Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director at Vanderbilt University, was named the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame’s 2026 Tennessean of the Year, according to a May 13 announcement. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to society through sports or other methods.
The recognition highlights Lee’s leadership in ushering in a new era for Vanderbilt Athletics. The Hall of Fame also honored head coach Shea Ralph and the Vanderbilt women’s basketball team as Female Amateur Team of the Year, while Heisman finalist Diego Pavia received Male Amateur Athlete of the Year. These awards will be presented during a ceremony on July 11 at the Omni Nashville.
Under Ralph’s direction, the women’s basketball team achieved an undefeated home record during regular season play for the first time in program history. The team set records with its first 20 consecutive wins overall and six straight Southeastern Conference victories before advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Sophomore Mikayla Blakes became Vanderbilt’s first SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in over two decades and earned consensus All-American honors as well as Academic All-America first-team recognition.
Pavia made history as Vanderbilt’s first Heisman finalist and led his football team to notable achievements including four wins against ranked SEC opponents and sold-out home games at FirstBank Stadium. His performance placed him among national leaders in several offensive categories.
Lee is noted as being both an innovator behind Vandy United—a vision for athletics growth—and a back-to-back finalist for Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year. Her leadership has contributed to success across multiple varsity sports at Vanderbilt, with achievements such as football winning ten games in one season under Clark Lea and baseball securing its fifth tournament title under Tim Corbin.
Looking ahead, Lee recently announced a $300 million goal for Vandy United’s next chapter, which includes plans for new athletic facilities and further investment into women’s sports through initiatives like Anchored for Her.
