Newly named Vanderbilt AD Candice Storey Lee is the school's "first female athletics director, and she is the first African-American woman to lead an SEC athletics program," according to Sparks & Estes of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. She also "takes on the role of vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs." Lee has the "strongest ties to Vanderbilt of any athletics director in recent history." Beginning her ascent in '02, Lee was a university intern, athletics academic adviser, compliance director, associate athletics director, senior women's administrator and deputy athletics director under former ADs Malcolm Turner and David Williams before taking on her current role (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/22).
PRUDENCE WINS THE DAY: In Nashville, Gentry Estes writes Lee assumed Vanderbilt's full-time AD position "because she was clearly the best choice for this moment." Estes acknowledges that sentiment "won't be shared by everyone in a restless Commodores fanbase." Estes: "Vanderbilt athletics has issues and big questions, and I've been one to agree with those advocating for bold, sweeping changes in response to that." More Estes: "Lee was a safe hire. She is a popular, experienced administrator at the university. She certainly doesn't step into this role full time with the appearance of an agent of change, determined to rock the boat. ... To launch some lengthy search process and end up gambling on the unknown made no sense with Lee already there. She deserved the opportunity, and Vanderbilt can be confident in her ability to provide capable, steady leadership in the short term" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/22).
