University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Chancellor Donde Plowman announced today that she has extended Danny White’s contract as vice chancellor and director of athletics until 2030 as he continues to lead transformational success in Tennessee Athletics.
“When Danny says he and his team of exceptional athletics administrators and coaches are working to build the best athletics department in the country, those are not just empty words,” said Plowman. “Danny is visionary — a leader in our conference and across the country — and is focused every day on creating the very best experiences for our student-athletes, our fans and our athletics department. That focus and commitment are yielding extraordinary results across all sports.”
Under White’s leadership, Tennessee Athletics has seen unprecedented success, culminating in the best overall year in its history in 2023-24. Among the highlights:
- Tennessee was one of only two Power Five schools to send every team to postseason last year — a first in UT history.
- Tennessee finished third in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings for the first time since the award began in 1993. Two of Tennessee’s three top 10 Directors’ Cup finishes have come under White’s watch.
- Tennessee won its third straight SEC All-Sports Trophy, something that had never been done before White’s arrival.
- Baseball won its first national championship under Head Coach Tony Vitello, the university’s first national championship of any kind since 2009.
- The two best athletics department GPAs in school history occurred in the fall 2023 semester with a 3.40 and spring 2024 with a 3.37.
- The Tennessee Fund reported its third consecutive record year across multiple fundraising metrics in fiscal year 2024, closing the year on June 30 with a total of $139.7 million raised.
“We have phenomenal leadership at the University of Tennessee — from our chancellor, my boss Donde Plowman, to our UT System president, Randy Boyd, and our board chair, John Compton,” said White. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve such an upwardly mobile institution with talented, supportive people all around me. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff are inspired to be a part of something bigger than themselves — powered by the best fan base in sport. Together we have an opportunity to build something extraordinary on Rocky Top. I believe that the momentum we’ve built in our first few years is only the beginning of a much more profound story.”
These highlights cap off an extraordinary three-year run. Tennessee is the only university in the nation to have football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball and softball all reach the postseason in each of the last three years.
Success in sports has been matched by unparalleled operational and business success. In 2021 White launched the My All Campaign with a fundraising goal of $500 million by 2026. The campaign has already exceeded that goal with $559 million in commitments. In 2023 Tennessee Athletics had its highest-ever operating revenue at more than $200 million, breaking the previous year’s record by nearly $50 million.
White has spearheaded the modernization of two iconic Tennessee athletics venues — Neyland Stadium and Lindsey Nelson Stadium — bringing the fan experience to a new level.
He launched the Athletics Professor of Excellence awards, providing honoraria funded by Tennessee Athletics to recognize faculty professional excellence and outstanding university citizenship.
White’s ability to build and lead a strong team of athletics administrators and winning coaches, while maintaining focus on student-athletes and fans, has led to extraordinary and rapid results. He is widely respected in the industry as a visionary, helping lead the way during times of change across college athletics.
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CONTACT:
Tyra Haag (865-974-5460, tyra.haag@tennessee.edu)