University of Tennessee Athletics
Hendee Named Assistant Coach of the Year
May 20, 2011 | Men's Swimming & Diving
May 20, 2011
Former Tennessee assistant swimming coach Joe Hendee was named the 2011 Assistant Coach of the Year by CollegeSwimming.com on Friday.
CollegeSwimming.com honored three coaches in the inaugural year of the award. Coaches were nominated in two separate categories: rising stars and career achievement. Hendee, after spending 33 years at Tennessee, was honored along with Stanford's Ted Knapp as this year's recipient of the Career Assistant Coach of the Year.
Hendee died on April 24 after a year-long battle with cancer.
The Chattanooga, Tenn., native was a tireless supporter and advocate for the UT aquatics program since he arrived as a student assistant coach for legendary head man Ray Bussard in 1978. Hired as Tennessee's first full-time paid assistant coach, Hendee was the heart of Tennessee swimming for more than three decades.
Under his careful eye, the Big Orange earned a 177-32 (.847) dual-meet record, three SEC crowns and a national title. Tennessee has produced 92 individual SEC champions, 15 individual NCAA champions, three gold medalists and more than 100 All-America selections during Hendee's tenure on The Hill.
