Lifetime Dedication Award
Coach James E. “Jim” Stockdale grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee where he graduated from Bearden High School. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, after committing two years to the U.S. Army he returned to Knoxville to earn his Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee
Stockdale was a pioneer in women’s basketball, serving as coach of the UT Nurses basketball team for twenty-six years. He was a volunteer coach for the UT Nurses basketball team. They played in the Memphis Nurses League traveling throughout the Southeast and Midwest playing other nursing schools. During his coaching career Jim coached 174 women playing for the UT Nurses and during this time they won 333 games and lost 151 against nursing schools. They also captured seven Cotton States Tournament titles and won the Memphis Nurses League 12 times. Upon his retirement as coach, Jim was inducted into the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. Jim and his wife, Dorothy Ashford, have been married 63 years. They have three daughters, one son, ten grandchildren, and fifteen great grandchildren and counting.