Honors Will Be Presented at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2023 Banquet, Presented by the Tennessee Titans, this July
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 5, 2023) – Today, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery, announced the honorees for its 2023 Achievement Awards, with Josh Heupel, Danny White and Donde Plowman topping the list as the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2023 Tennesseans of the Year. Other top honors include a celebration of the 65th Anniversary of the Oak Ridge 1958 National Champion High School Football Team, the Memphis Grizzlies, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Hendon Hooker (Tennessee Football), Mya Jones (Memphis Soccer), University of Tennessee Baseball, and Middle Tennessee State Women’s Basketball. The honors will be formally presented as part of the Hall’s 2023 Banquet, presented by the Tennessee Titans on July 22 at the Omni Nashville Downtown.
The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame previously announced its 2023 induction class. The star- studded list of inductees includes Eric Berry, Keith Bulluck, Mike Fisher, Tim Harris, John Henderson, Tianna Madison, the late Carl R. Moore, Teresa Lawrence Phillips, Zach Randolph, Loren Roberts, Les Robinson and Stephen B. Smith.
Tickets for the 2023 Banquet can be ordered at www.tshf.net.
See below for the full list of 2023 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Honorees.
Tennesseans of the Year, Presented by the Tennessee Lottery – Josh Heupel, Danny White and Donde Plowman
The 2022 college football season saw a return to prominence for University of Tennessee football, including a thrilling win over Alabama, and a #1 overall ranking in the College Football Playoff Rankings, the team’s first #1 ranking since the 1998 National Championship season.
Chancellor Donde Plowman’s role in the hiring of Danny White, and White’s hire of Coach Josh Heupel were the catalysts to a resurgence in football on Rocky Top. The impact for the University of Tennessee was felt in fan excitement and economics. Over 1,500 students applied to the University of Tennessee in the two days following the team’s win over Alabama in October, nearly doubling the previous year’s cycle.
The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame wishes to recognize the leadership qualities of all three individuals as we award them with our prestigious Tennessean of the Year award.
David Williams Significant Historical Achievement Award, Presented by Alexander Thompson Arnold, PLLC – Oak Ridge 1958 Football Team
The 1958 Oak Ridge Football team was the first Tennessee school to be named National Champions. Seven members of that team were recruited to SEC schools, and the undefeated Wildcats won the mythical state of Tennessee Championship. On this 65th Anniversary of that championship team, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame will honor their contributions to sports in our state with our David Williams Significant Historical Achievement Award.
Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award, Presented by Curb Records – Jerry “The King” Lawler
Jerry “The King” Lawler, a life-long Tennessean and a graduate of Treadway High School in Memphis, is one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling. Since his debut in the squared circle in 1970, Lawler’s contributions to the industry have included not only his work as a wrestler and a commentator–where he teamed up with Jim “J.R.” Ross to form the most well- known commentary duo ever–but as a company owner and promotor. Along the way, he competed in the National Wrestling Alliance, Continental Wrestling Association, the American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling, United States Wrestling Association, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.
Lawler is also a musician, actor, author, an outstanding artist and owner of King Jerry Lawler’s Memphis BBQ Company in Cordova. He is a member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Lawler was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame wishes to recognize Jerry Lawler with our Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award.
Professional Team of the Year – Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies posted a 51-31 record and earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference entering the 2022-23 NBA Playoffs. The Grizzlies won the Southwest Division, capturing the division in back-to-back seasons. The 51 wins are the third most in franchise history.
Male Professional Athlete of the Year – Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC
Mukhtar was named the 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP after receiving 48.03 percent of the total votes. He led the league with 34 goal contributions (23 goals, 11 assists), which tied for the fifth-most in a single MLS season. He earned the league’s honor of the 2022 MLS Golden Boot after scoring a league-high 23 goals. Mukhtar became the first Nashville SC player to win the awards. Mukhtar accounted for 44.2 percent of Nashville’s goals (23 of 52) in 2022, which was the highest percentage in MLS.
Female Amateur Team of the Year – Middle Tennessee State Women’s Basketball
Middle Tennessee posted a sterling 28-5 record and dominated Conference USA on its way to the program’s 20th regular-season championship and 17th conference tournament championship. The Lady Raiders reached the postseason for the 19th consecutive year and earned their 20th berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 28 wins were third most in program history. Middle Tennessee was one of just 16 Division I teams with 25 or more victories. Middle Tennessee won 16 straight during one stretch, the fifth-longest winning streak in C-USA history.
Female Amateur Athlete of the Year, Presented by the TSSAA – Mya Jones, University of Memphis Soccer
Jones was named to the All-South Region First Team after finishing the season with a team-high 20 points while netting nine goals and assisting on two. She posted three game-winning goals. An American Athletic Conference First-Team selection, Jones was instrumental in pacing Memphis to a historic season in which it won the American Athletic Conference and reached the third round of the NCAA Championships.
Male Amateur Team of the Year – University of Tennessee Baseball
Tennessee earned the nation’s No. 1 ranking and had one of the best seasons in college baseball history, setting records for victories (57) and home runs (158) while also winning the SEC regular season and tournament titles for the first time since 1995. The Vols season ended in the Super Regionals. Tennessee gained the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Male Amateur Athlete of the Year, Presented by the TSSAA – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Football
Hooker earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors by the Associated Press and SEC coaches, while finishing fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Received 17 first-place votes and recorded 226 points in the Heisman voting. Became the first Vol since Peyton Manning (1997) to earn SEC Player of the Year. Finalist for the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Produced 3,565 yards of total offense, completing 229-of-329 passes (69.6) percent for 3,135 yards with 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions while rushing 104 times for 430 yards and five scores on the ground. Became just the fifth Vol in program history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in a season. Claimed five wins over opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of the meeting.
About the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
Established in 1966, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery, enshrines and honors athletes, teams, coaches, sportswriters and sports administrators who have impacted the history of Tennessee sports. The Hall serves as a platform to connect athletes, coaches, sports fans, and supporters by acknowledging life achievements implemented through sports. The Hall celebrates athletes of all forms from all across the state. Additionally, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame aspires to educate youth about the importance of healthy habits and the positive impact they have on lifestyle choices. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is located at 501 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203. For more information, visit www.tshf.net.
About the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation operates entirely from the revenue it generates through the sale of its products. Since January 20, 2004, the Lottery has raised more than $6 billion to fund designated education programs, including college grants, scholarships, Drive to 55 initiatives and after-school programs. In addition to the educational beneficiaries, players have won more than $16.5 billion in prizes and Lottery retailers have earned more than $1.5 billion in commissions. For additional information, visit tnlottery.com and follow the TEL on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
