Joan Cronan

Member Women United Global Leadership Council

Women's Athletics Director University of Tennessee

Joan Cronan is currently in her 24th year as Women's Athletics Director at Tennessee. UT's successes in both the athletic and academic realms speak volumes to her decision-making and leadership ability, as demonstrated by her recent recognition by her peers at the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) with their 2005 Athletic Director of the Year award. In 2004, Cronan was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) with their Southeast Region Athletic Director of the Year award.

Cronan joined UT from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she served as the athletics director for 10 years and was later inducted into that institution's hall of fame. Under Cronan, the school was selected as the No. 1 women's athletics program in the country in 1980 by the American Women's Sports Foundation.

On the national scene, she has recently been elected as third vice president of NACDA and is president elect of NACWAA. Cronan has served on the NCAA's Executive Committee, Management Council, as well as the NCAA's Council, and is a member of the NCAA Championship Cabinet. She has also been a member of the Southeastern Conference Executive Committee.