To Whom It May Concern:

As an alumnus of the University of Tennessee and a former Lady Vol volleyball player, I am writing to urge you to reverse the decision to only have the women’s basketball team dawn the title of “Lady Vols.” I believe that the Lady Vols logo should remain for all of the women’s athletic sports because it represents a standard of excellence. Retaining the logo only for women’s basketball dishonors the accomplishments of the other women’s teams.

It is not just a logo; it’s a way of life. During my recruiting years I visited various colleges across the country, but not one held its athletics program to the standard that the Lady Vols were held against. While a student-athlete “The Lady Vol Way” was engraved in my heart. Being a Lady Vol came with a sense of pride and a symbol of excellence on and off the court.

Interactions with Pat Summitt and Joan Cronan throughout my career allowed me to see first hand how they have shaped all of women’s athletics. It was not above them to come, support and encourage other teams to embrace the title “Lady Vol.” Those two women have been an inspiration to every single Lady Vol athlete at the University of Tennessee. Summitt and Cronan embody the Lady Vols logo and the progression of women’s athletics. Women’s basketball has served as prominent figure throughout the years, but what about all of the other women athletes that have dawned the Lady Vol T while winning championships? Those who will not have the honor to wear the Lady Vol T across their chest and have put in the same blood, sweat and tears that the women’s basketball athletes have. It is a disgrace that these hard working women will not be able to represent the Lady Vols.

My tenure as a student-athlete was filled with life changing events. I am the strong and willful woman that I am today because I was a Lady Vol. I would be disheartening to see women student-athletes at the University of Tennessee not be able to represent the Lady Vol logo and all that it entails. In the words of Mrs. Joan Cronan, “No matter what you do in life, your tombstone will always say you were a Lady Vol.” Please reconsider reinstating the title of Lady Vols to ALL women student-athletes.

 Sincerely,

 Kelsey Mahoney

Lady Vol 2008- 2012

2011 SEC Women’s Volleyball Champion