The former Tennessee State associate athletics director of media relations, Wallace Dooley Jr., passed away this past Tuesday at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer. Dooley was the former associate athletic director for media relations at TSU from 2006-2012.
His interest in sports information began as an undergraduate student at TSU when he assisted the intramural director with collecting and compiling stats for the football and basketball games. While volunteering at TSU in 1970, the Tiger football team finished 11-0 and the mens basketball program went 24-3. Dooley was also working with the program when TSU saw significant success, making four appearances in the NCAA tournament. During Dooleys second tenure at TSU, the basketball program repeated Ohio Valley Conference football titles in 1997-98(this also includes an undefeated regular season) and during his final years, the womens track team won three league titles.
In his 28 years, Dooley held positions in sports information/media relations at several schools and two conference offices. Serving several stints as SID at many schools including the University of District of Columbia, Virginia State and North Carolina Central. He served the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association as public relations director and the Southwestern Athletic Conference as assistant commissioner for media relations before returning to Nashville then going on to finish his career at his alma mater.
In 2012, he was honored with the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Lifetime Achievement award. After retiring from TSU, Dooley maintained connection to the field working as the media contact (radio/internet) in support of HBCU student-athletes and programs. He counted the Lifetime Achievement Award and its recognition as one of his most cherished of his career.
Dooley was an iconic figure in sports media and he will be greatly missed.
