NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame class of 2019 will be honored this weekend in Nashville. The star-studded list of honorees includes Peyton Manning, Kara Lawson, Kippy Brown, David Cutcliffe, Charles Davis, George Taliaferro, Bob Tillman, Kimberly Anne Valeck and Patrick Willis.
Additional honorees and award winners include:
Significant Historical Achievement Award- David Williams
Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award- Rick Byrd
Tennessean of the Year- Amy Adams Strunk
Professional Athlete of the Year- Mookie Betts
Female Amateur Athlete of the Year- Maria Bulanova
Male Amateur Athlete of the Year- Grant Williams
Pro Sports Team of the Year- Jackson Generals & Memphis Redbirds
Male Amateur Team of the Year- Tennessee Tech Baseball
Female Amateur Team of the Year- Vanderbilt Women’s Bowling
University of Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer serves as teh Chairman of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
“This is an extraordinary group of athletes and coaches who have truly made an impact in the state of Tennessee—and beyond—through sports,” Fulmer said. “I know and admire many of this year’s honorees, and their accomplishments and legacies certainly will inspire generations to come."
Here's a rundown of the class and their Tennessee connections:
Kippy Brown – Sweetwater High School and Memphis State University alum; assistant coach at University of Tennessee; wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks (2010-2014); Super Bowl XLVIII champion; throughout his career, he coached the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Detroit Lions. Brown also served as interim coach between Lane Kiffin's departure in December of 2009 and Derek Dooley's hiring in January of 2010.
David Cutcliffe – Offensive assistant, tight end coach, quarterback coach and offensive coordinator at University of Tennessee 1982-1998; head coach for Duke University Blue Devils; won the 1998 Broyles Award; named the 2003 SEC Coach of the Year; named ACC Coach of the Year 2012-2013; and named the 2013 AFCA Coach of the Year.
Charles Davis – Elizabethton, Tennessee native; four-year starter at safety for University of Tennessee (1983-1986); first African-American tournament director in PGA Tour history; game analyst for FOX; covers NFL Network’s live draft weekend coverage.
Kara Lawson – Awarded Torchbearer Award, the highest undergraduate honor at the University of Tennessee; played four seasons for the Lady Vols, scoring 1,950 points in her career under head coach Pat Summitt; gold medalist at the 2008 Olympics; former American professional women’s basketball player in the WNBA; basketball television analyst for ESPN and the Washington Wizards.
Peyton Manning – NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player; 14-time Pro Bowl selection; first starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams; leader in nearly every statistical passing category; more postseason berths and 300-yard passing games than any quarterback in NFL history.
George Taliaferro, posthumous – Gates, Tennessee native; first African-American drafted by an NFL team; played seven positions in seven NFL seasons: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter, kick returner, punt returner and defensive back.
Bob Tillman, posthumous – Nashville, Tennessee native; MLB catcher for Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves; won the 1967 American League pennant while playing for the Boston Red Sox; won the 1969 National League Western Division with the Atlanta Braves.
Kimberly Anne Valek – Brentwood Academy and the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee alum; inaugural member of the Sewanee Sports Hall of Fame; three-time First-team All-American, Sewanee’s first female All-American; and a four-time All-WIAC.
Patrick Willis – Bruceton, Tennessee native; 2009 Butkus Award winner; 2007 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winner; eight-year career with the San Francisco 49ers.