Seven individuals with ties to the University of Tennessee were inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
Honorees included assistant football coach John Chavis, wide receiver Jermaine Copeland, softball coaches Ralph Weekly and Karen Weekly, All-American distance runner Brenda Webb, basketball player Clarence Swearengen and tennis player Michelle DePalmer-Williams.
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Since 1982, the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony has celebrated Knoxville sports. Each year, local individuals are inducted into the hall of fame for their accomplishments in athletics, coaching, sports administration, media and officiating.
Chavis played for the Vols from 1976-78 and served 20 years on the Tennessee’s coaching staff. He was defensive coordinator from 1995-2008 and helped Tennessee win the 1998 BCS national championship and four SEC titles.
Copeland also won a national championship 1998. He played in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League.
DePalmer-Williams was an All-American in 1981 for the Lady Vols. She was a two-time All-SEC standout and was ranked No. 1 in juniors at age 15. During her professional career she defeated Andrea Jaeger and Renee Richards.
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Swearengen was a two-year starter for Tennessee. He earned All-SEC honors during the 1988-89 basketball season. Swearengen played professionally in Europe for 10 seasons and served as a coach in middle school, high school and college. He coached at Tennessee and Memphis and served as an administrator in Knox County Schools for 14 years.
Webb, who transferred from Wright State, was a four-time All-American in cross country and earned eight All-America certificates in track and field.
Karen Weekly completed her 25th season with the Lady Vols in 2026. She has guided the Lady Vols to 22 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and ranks among active coaches in the NCAA for wins. She has over 1,400 wins and has guided the Lady Vols to 10 Women’s College World Series appearances.
Ralph Weekly served as Tennessee’s co-head coach in softball, leading Tennessee to multiple conference championships, NCAA regional titles and College World Series appearances. He was inducted into the NFCA Hall of Fame in 2011.
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Seven Tennessee athletes, coaches inducted into hall of fame
