NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame announced its Achievement Award Honorees Monday ahead of the banquet on July 19 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. Union University’s 2024-25 women’s basketball team was named the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Female Amateur Team of the Year.
Union is coming off a championship season in which the Lady Bulldogs won their 10th Gulf South Conference Regular Season Title and seventh GSC Tournament Title. Union earned a host bid and No. 1 seed to the NCAA D2 Women’s Basketball South Region Championship. Union won the region title and earned a spot in the NCAA D2 Women’s Basketball Elite Eight. Union won its first game in Pittsburgh, advancing to the national semifinals for the second time since joining the NCAA in 2014-15.
Union finished the season 33-4 overall and posted a 21-1 GSC record. Union put together a 19-game winning streak in the second half of the season, before falling in the national semifinals.
The national tournament appearance marked the 10th in 11 years that Union has been a member of the NCAA.
Headlining the honorees is NASA astronaut and Mt. Juliet native Barry “Butch” Wilmore, named the 2025 Tennessean of the Year. This year’s full list of honorees includes standout athletes, coaches, and programs from across the state, from Olympic champions to NCAA title winners. The Hall will formally present its top honors at its 2025 Banquet, presented by the Tennessee Titans, on July 19 at the Omni Nashville Downtown. The complete list of honorees includes:
Tennessean of the Year, Presented by the Tennessee Lottery – Barry “Butch” Wilmore
Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award, Presented by Curb Records – Rick Barnes
Professional Athlete of the Year – Reed Blankenship
Female Amateur Team of the Year – Union University Women’s Basketball
Male Amateur Teams of the Year – Tennessee Baseball AND Chattanooga Men’s Basketball (TIE)
Female Amateur Athlete of the Year, Presented by the TSSAA – Olivia Reeves, Olympic Weightlifter
Male Amateur Athlete of the Year, Presented by the TSSAA – Seth Henigan, Memphis Football
