Vanderbilt to name building after former athletics director David Williams
Vanderbilt will name its Student Recreation and Wellness Center after former athletics director David Williams, who died Feb. 8 at age 71.
Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos referenced the plan while speaking at Williams' funeral Friday, and a university news release confirmed it Monday. Zeppos said he presented a resolution on the building name to the Board of Trust on the morning of Williams' death. His retirement party was scheduled for later that night.
Vanderbilt also has commissioned a portrait of Williams by Simmie Knox, the first black artist to paint an official presidential portrait. He painted the portraits of Bill and Hillary Clinton in 2004.
Knox's portrait of Williams will be part of the Vanderbilt Trailblazers portrait series, which is displayed in Kirkland Hall. The series currently has four portraits, including Vanderbilt alumni Perry Wallace, Rev. Walter R. Murray Jr., Rev. James Lawson and Bishop Joseph Johnson.
Williams was the SEC's first black athletics director. He also reunited Wallace, the SEC's first black varsity basketball player, with Vanderbilt after decades of friction.
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Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.