Belmont professor's book celebrates Pat Summitt and other trailblazers' role in Title IX

Mary Ellen Pethel didn't set out to write 50 different stories in her book about the 50th anniversary of Title IX, but once she got started she couldn't stop.

In 2020, the Belmont professor decided to write a short book on the celebration of the legislation, which prohibits sex-based discrimination, and quickly learned there was plenty of fodder for the subject in Tennessee in general and on legendary Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt in particular.

"I was going to do something nice and tight, about 150 pages, and the more I started interviewing these women, these trailblazers, the more they would say, 'Have you interviewed so-and-so?' or 'You really need to also include this person or that person,' and so it became this organic process," Pethel said.

Once Pethel collected 40 stories she felt compelled to add 10 more to get to 50 − which was no problem − and that's how she ended up writing, "Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee's Trailblazers: 50 Years, 50 Stories," which was released this week.

"The title of the book is really long because we wanted everybody to know what it was about," Pethel said. "Obviously, with Title IX Pat Summitt ended up touching so many of the women in the book that we felt like her name needed to be in the title. But then we also wanted to say this is about not just Pat Summitt, but Tennessee's trailblazers."

Pethel included chapters or vignettes on impactful female sports figures familiar to local sports fans such as Tracy Caulkins Stockwell, Sally Smith, Chandra Cheeseborough, Teresa Phillips, Joan Cronan, Mickie DeMoss, Lin Dunn, Cheryl Holt, Bettye Giles, Judy Eller Street, Harriet Kimbro Hamilton, Sharon Fanning Otis, Alline Banks Sprouse, Debby Jennings, Gloria Ray, Catana Starks, Marynell Meadors, Sue Gunter, Carolyn Peck, Missy Kane, Terry Crawford, M. Dianne Murphy, June Stewart, Elma Roane, Susan Russ, Holly Warlick, Betty Wiseman, Nera White, Monica Abbott, Alex Walsh, Kellie Harper, Ashley McElhiney, Candice Lee, Beth DeBauche, Sarah Fuller, Renee Schultz and others.

Pethel pointed out in the book that Tennessee, led by the efforts of educators such as Giles and Roane, along with a handful of physical education teachers from across the state, three years prior to Title IX was introduced, formed the Tennessee College Women's Sports Federation, which provided a competitive league for women and served as a model when the amendment was put into place.

"In the absence of a national organization or federal legislation, the TCWSF built and managed this critical infrastructure that allowed the berth of the modern age of women's sports in Tennessee," Pethel said.

"These dedicated female educators would join forces with young women from farms and small towns and big cities across the state who wanted to play on the athletic stage. Women like Pat Head Summitt and Lin Dunn and Betty Wiseman and Marynell Meadors, who were all determined to compete, and that is where Tennessee's Title IX story began."

The book is not only a look back, but also a look forward. It's about several historic figures along with women making an impact in athletics today. It provides readers with insight into what sports were like for women before Title IX, what they were like soon after and where they are headed.

"I felt like I needed to talk about not just the trailblazers, but also the torchbearers," Pethel said. "The people who are currently taking women sports to the next level whether they are athletes or coaches or administrators. People who are really responsible for what happens in the next 50 years. I was the biggest beneficiary of writing this book because I got to talk to women I've always admired and to women I didn't know to admire."

The book is available at amazon.com.

Jeff Pearlman's book on Bo Jackson coming Oct. 25

Speaking of books, former Tennessean sports writer Jeff Pearlman's latest - "The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson" - will be available Oct. 25.

Pearlman, now a New York Times bestselling author, calls Jackson the greatest athlete of all-time and half man, half myth.

Pearlman relied on 720 original interviews to tell the story about how Jackson went from being a Heisman Trophy winner to becoming the only athlete to be an NFL Pro Bowler and Major League Baseball All-Star and eventually a Nike pitchman.

Finally Pearlman tells how Jackson, unlike so many other former great athletes, disappeared from the public eye.

The book will be available at amazon.com and all major bookstores.

Samaria Terry joins Channel 2 sports team

Samaria Terry has joined WKRN-2 as the station's new weekend sports anchor.

Terry replaced Kayla Anderson, who left earlier this month to join the "Wake Up Zone" on The Zone WGFX-104.5-FM.

Terry is a native of Atlanta and an Auburn graduate.

She began her career at WJTV in Jackson, Mississippi, and also spent two years at KFDX in Wichita Falls, Texas.

She had been at WREG in Memphis since September 2020.

Lou Holtz speaking to local FCA on Oct. 27

Lou Holtz will serve as the speaker at the Northern Middle Tennessee Fellowship of Christian Athletes fundraising banquet on Oct. 27 at Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville.

A meet and greet will be at 5 p.m. and the main event at 6 p.m.

For more information or anyone interested in attending should visit nmtnfca.org/banquet.

Austin Peay football schedule includes Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt

Austin Peay has scheduled at least one FBS opponent to play in each of the next four seasons.

The Governors, who played Western Kentucky on Aug. 27 and will play Alabama on Nov. 19, will play at Tennessee Sept. 9, 2023; at Georgia Tech, Sept. 14, 2024; at Georgia, Sept. 6 and at MTSU (TBA) 2025; and at Vanderbilt, Sept. 6, 2026, according to footballschedules.com.

The Governors moved back into the STATS Perform FCS Top 25 this week after having a bye last week.

The Governors (4-2) dropped out of the Top 25 after losing on Oct. 1 to Central Arkansas 49-20.

They returned this week at No 24.

TSU basketball holds Pro Day

Scouts from six NBA teams along with several pro agents attended Pro Day for the Tennessee State men’s basketball team at Gentry Center.

It was the second year Tigers coach Brian “Penny” Collins organized the event where his players showcased their talents and received on-the-spot feedback from the scouts and agents.

"Being a grad student, this is my last go-round," said Jr. Clay, a transfer from Tennessee Tech who has scored 1,661 career points. "All of the things that coach Penny is doing is why I came here. I never have been to a pro day, so this was fun. We have four grad students on the roster, so this was good for us and the other guys. This will also help us during the season."

Collins said the event was his way of getting his players the same type of attention players on high levels receive.

"These guys work hard, and they deserve this and more," Collins said. "Power 5 schools have huge budgets, so we must be creative in what we offer. This was a great opportunity for guys to show what they can do. The season is around the corner so there is more work to do”

OVC basketball media day is Tuesday

Predictions and preseason all-star teams will be announced Tuesday at the OVC Basketball Media Day, which will be at the Double Tree Hotel in Evansville, Indiana.

Clay will accompany Collins for the TSU men's team while Gia Adams will join women's coach Ty Evans.

Coach John Pelphrey and Ty Perry will represent Tennessee Tech's men's team while coach Kim Rosamond and Jordan Brock will represent the Golden Eagles' women.

Big names revving up for the All American 400

Several notable drivers are set to compete in the 38th running of the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The season-ending race is Oct. 30.

Some of the late model stars in the 300-lap race include Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse, Casey Roderick, Jake Garcia, William Sawalich, Derek Thorn and Chandler Smith.

Pollard and Roderick are former winners and Smith is competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Racing starts on Oct. 26 with the finals for the local quarter mile series and continues Saturday with the All American qualifying and Vores Compact Touring Series and CRA Street Stocks races.

For tickets visit bit.ly/AllAmerican400Tix.

The Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Hall of Fame class of 2022 induction ceremony is Oct. 26 at the Nashville Fairgrounds Expo.

The class includes Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Red Farmer, Howard Johnson, Darryl Sage and Steve Spencer.

For tickets visit nfshalloffame.

Hannah Jo Riley named Lipscomb's director of athletics communications

Hannah Jo Riley is Lipscomb's new director of athletics for communications and digital media. She is also the primary media contact for men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, men’s soccer and men's and women's golf.

Riley, a Belmont graduate who began her career in Belmont's athletics department, previously worked on the Nashville SC communications staff. She arrived at Lipscomb in 2021 as associate director of athletics.

She replaced Kirk Downs, who became the associate director of communications at Memphis. Downs spent 10 years at Lipscomb.

Longtime Mt. Juliet coach Mike Gwaltney dies at 72

Longtime Mt. Juliet coach and administrator Mike Gwaltney died on Oct. 1. He was 72.

Gwaltney coached several sports during his 37-year career including softball where he led the Golden Bears to the 1986 Class AAA state championship.

He also served as the school's athletic director, principal and was on the Wilson County Fellowship of Christian Athletes board of directors.

In 2019 Gwaltney was elected to the Wilson County School Board.

Austin Peay Govs Madness is Oct. 20

The Austin Peay men's and women's basketball second annual Govs Madness is set for Thursday at the Dunn Center.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with special giveaways available to fans who arrive early.

The event includes on-court games, prizes, a 3-point shootout, dunk contest and scrimmages.

After both teams are introduced, the 2022-23 men's and women's basketball schedule posters will be unveiled and distributed to fans for free.

Players from both teams will sign autographs at the end of the night.

TSU's marching band will perform in HBCU All-Star event

TSU's Aristocrat of Bands will perform at the HBCU All-Star Battle of Bands, the world's largest HBCU marching band and dance team exhibition, Feb. 4, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The event will feature performers from six HBCUs and two Atlanta-area high schools.

A college fair at the College Football Hall of Fame will be held in conjunction with the event with 45 HBCUs represented.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Sports on Nashville TV

The five highest-rated sports events locally for the week ending Oct. 9 in Nashville:

1. NFL: Titans-Commanders, 20.4

2. College football: Alabama-Texas A&M, 13.1

3. NFL: Cowboys-Rams, 11.5

4. NFL: Bengals-Ravens, 11.4

5. College football: Tennessee-LSU, 10.0

Source: Mark Binda, WTVF-5 senior programming directorEach rating point is equal to 11,211 TV homes in the Nashville market.

If you have an item for Midstate Chatter contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lady Vols basketball: Pat Summitt Title IX role celebrated in book