University of Tennessee Athletics
UT Dedicates edsouth Monument in Friday Morning Ceremonies
Nov. 9, 2002
The University of Tennessee and edsouth dedicated a monument honoring the University's student-athletes and athletes of the year Nov. 8, in front of the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center on campus.
Included in the ceremonies were Athletics Directors Doug Dickey and Joan Cronan, Thornton Center Director Ruth Darling, past edsouth award winners Kacey Montgomery (rowing) and Michael Gilliam (swimming), and Tony Hollin, Chairman and CEO of edsouth, the company that has made the awards to Vols and Lady Vols since the 1997-98 school year.
"We think higher education is important, and is an essential part of success in life," Hollin said. "Knowledge is power, excellence endures and dreams do come through."
"This is a great moment for us. It is important that we pay tribute to the accomplishments of our athletes, whether on the field or in the classroom," Dickey said. "From now on, if you're the student-athlete or the scholar-athlete of the year, your name is cut into Tennessee marble at this building. This building has meant so much to us already and this monument will be an inspiration to our athletes."
Montgomery, who won the scholar-athlete award in 2001-02, and Gilliam, won the student-athlete award in 1999-00, added their perspectives as previous winners of the award.
"As a senior who hopes to enter medical school, I just think back to all the people who have helped me," she said. "A lot of the recognition and honor need to go to those people. Everyone, like edsouth and the Thornton Center, has been so helpful to me. I'll always remember it as a big part of my college experience. I can't ay enough about the people who have helped me."
Gilliam said it was a great honor to have his name on the wall. "There are so many honors in swimming and diving and a lot of memories that go along being a great athlete," he said. "To have this one big award is the biggest honor I had while I was here."
It was Dr. Darling who dedicated the monument, which stands north of the main entrance of the Thornton Center on Pat Head Summitt Drive at Volunteer Boulevard.
"This monument serves not only to recognize our outstanding young men and women," she said, "but it also serves as a symbol of what each student-athlete has the opportunity to achieve while they are here. I would like to recognize the members of our University community as they support our students as they strive for excellence.
"We congratulate the students who have truly achieved excellence. The University of Tennessee and edsouth recognizes the outstanding young men and women who have dedicated their talents and efforts to the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. They have enhanced the University's proud tradition, and we honor the student-athletes and scholar-athletes of the year on this day by dedicating this monument."
"We want to make a difference in young people's lives," Cronan said in conclusion. "We set our goals high and put them out in front of everybody. When we have recruits come in, we're going to show them this wall and say wouldn't you like to come to the University of Tennessee and be the scholar-athlete and the student-athlete of the year."
Custom Marble and Design in South Knoxville designed the monument. It is made of Tennessee pink marble, as used on the floor of Grand Central Station in New York, the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee and the Knoxville Museum of Art.
| Honored to date are on the monument are: | |
| 1997-98 Scholar-Athletes Brynae Laxton Jeff Pickler Student-Athletes |
2000-01 Scholar-Athletes Sara Wingfield Adrian Wheatley Student-Athletes |
| 1998-99 Scholar-Athletes Emily Woodside Jeremy Racey Student-Athletes |
2001-02 Scholar-Athletes Kacey Montgomery Michael Burton Student-Athletes
|
| 1999-00 Student-Athletes
|
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