Rhodes College longtime coach and administrator Mike Clary has been selected for the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Sponsored by the Tennessee Lottery, the Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant impact on the history of sports in the state.
“There is no one more deserving for induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame than Mike Clary,” said Rhodes Director of Athletics Jim Duncan. “Since entering the college as a first-year student in 1973, Mike Clary has defined Southwestern at Memphis and Rhodes Athletics, and the mark he has made on thousands of Lynx student-athletes cannot be measured. To many, Coach Clary IS Lynx Athletics.”
A former student-athlete and a 1977 graduate of Rhodes, Clary dedicated 44 years to the college in various roles as coach and administrator, making him the longest-tenured athletics staff member in the school’s history. He served as the head football coach from 1984 to 1996, leading the Lynx to national prominence during the late 1980s and establishing himself as the winningest coach in the program's history.
In addition to football, Clary coached men's track and field and swimming and diving and later guided the Rhodes women’s golf program to unprecedented success. Under his leadership, the women’s golf team won three NCAA Division III National Championships, in 2014, 2016, and 2017, including the first national title in the college’s history.
Clary also served as director of athletics from 1990 to 2016. During his tenure, Rhodes significantly expanded its athletic offerings and consistently ranked among the top NCAA Division III programs nationally for both competitive excellence and academic achievement. In 2016, he was inducted into the Rhodes College Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his extraordinary contributions.
“Mike Clary’s career is one of the most remarkable stories of dedication and service in Tennessee college athletics,” said Brad Willis, executive director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. “For more than four decades at Rhodes College, Mike shaped generations of student-athletes as a coach, administrator, and mentor. His influence reaches far beyond the field of play, and we are proud to welcome him into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026.”
The 2026 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by the Tennessee Titans, is scheduled to take place this summer.