Dan Fleser elected to Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame
Dan Fleser, who for three decades became an institution covering women's college basketball at the Knoxville News Sentinel, was elected to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame in the class of 2022.
Fleser was hired at the News Sentinel in 1988 and remained on staff through 2019. The Grand Rapids, Michigan, native was honored by the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame earlier in 2021.
Fleser owned the Lady Vols basketball beat for decades. He covered seven of the legendary coach Pat Summitt’s eight NCAA championships. His role took him from coast to coast, while developing lasting relationships with the athletes whom he covered. Fleser covered Summitt deeply and was one of two journalists invited to Summitt's home for the announcement that she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
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Fleser, who helped countless young journalists, also covered Tennessee baseball and made two trips to the College World Series. He helped with Tennessee football and contributed on Friday night prep football coverage.
Fleser covered the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
Fleser graduated from the University of Missouri, which boasts one of the nation's top journalism programs. He worked at the Columbia newspaper while in college before returning to Michigan to work for the Grand Rapids Press. He had a stint at the San Jose Mercury-News, covering the San Francisco Giants beat along with San Jose State and the Mountain West Conference.
Fleser is joined by Chris Dortch and Mark McGee in the 2022 class.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dan Fleser elected to Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s Hall of Fame
