Tennessee Tech University

Tech, as locals call it, was founded as a private Christian institute in 1909 and became a public school in 1915. Today, it is the state’s leading university for engineering, technology, and computer science. Tennessee Tech had women’s athletic programs in the 1920s, and Daisy Dowdy earned the first women’s varsity letter in 1929. But in the 1930s, intercollegiate sports were canceled and women’s sports shifted to intramurals. Then, in 1968, Marynell Meadors—remember her from MTSU?—took a job in the physical education department. The next year, she established the women’s athletic program with basketball, tennis, and volleyball.

The Tennessee College Women’s Sports Federation took flight in 1969-1970, and the women’s basketball team, called the Golden Eaglettes, soared. They won the state championship in 1970—the first of six during Marynell’s 16-year coaching tenure. Coach Meadors left Tennessee Tech for Florida State. Then, in 1996, the WNBA was established, and Meadors was named the first head coach of the Charlotte Sting. Respected by players and coaches alike, Marynell also led the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream.

One of Marynell’s first players at Tennessee Tech was Dianne Murphy. A Cookeville native, Murphy was recruited by Betty Wiseman at Belmont, but there were no athletic scholarships. So she chose the more affordable Tennessee Tech. From 1969 to 1973 Murphy was a three-sport athlete—playing tennis, volleyball, and basketball. After graduation, Dianne stayed on as Marynell’s first graduate assistant. Another basketball standout at Tech was Peggy Jolly; you’ll hear more about her daughter Kellie at our UT-Knoxville stop.

After receiving her master’s degree, Murphy coached women’s college basketball for several years before deciding to pursue her doctorate at Florida State. This led to a historic career as an athletic administrator. Dr. Murphy was the first female AD at two universities: University of Denver and Columbia University from 2004 to 2015. Both Meadors and Murphy have received multiple lifetime and coaching achievement awards at Tennessee Tech.

When you arrive at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, park near the Aquatic and Recreation Center located at 601 East 5th Street, Chattanooga.