Throughout the summer months leading up to the Tennessee State University Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on Aug. 27, Tennessee State Athletics will highlight the members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. This distinguished group of former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors helped shape the proud tradition of Tiger athletics through championship performances, individual achievements and lasting contributions to the university. Their stories reflect the excellence, perseverance and impact that have defined Tennessee State Athletics across generations.
Lawrence Washington | Men's Tennis | 2010-12
Lawrence Washington ranks among the most accomplished men's tennis players in Tennessee State University history, excelling on the court and in the classroom during his three seasons with the Big Blue. After transferring to TSU, Washington immediately moved into the No. 1 position and remained there throughout his career. He steadily improved each season, progressing from four victories in his first year to a 10-6 record in 2011 and a 7-4 mark in 2012, when he won 64 percent of his matches. Washington completed his TSU career with 21 victories, including a win over in-state opponent Memphis, and became the first men's tennis player in school history to earn All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. A three-time OVC Tennis Player of the Week, he earned two of those awards during a junior-season stretch in which he won four of five matches, primarily against conference opponents, and received the honor again as a senior after going 4-0 in singles and 1-0 in doubles. Washington closed his career by winning his final four matches in a Big Blue uniform and was named the team's Most Valuable Player for the 2011-12 season. His accomplishments extended beyond competition, as he maintained a team-high 3.8 grade-point average, earned ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition for four consecutive years from 2008-12 and was named Tennessee State's Student-Athlete of the Year and an Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar in 2012. Washington also received the Academic Excellence Star Award and the award for the highest GPA in the university's Political Science Department before graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in political science. In 2017, The Network Journal named the Canton, Michigan, native among the nation's Top 40 Under 40 business professionals and executives. Washington's athletic achievements, academic excellence and professional success cement his legacy as one of the finest student-athletes ever to represent Tennessee State University.
TSU HOF Class of 2026 Profiles
Brent Alexander
Frankie Allen
Catherine Katrelle Armwood
Terry Blocker
Curtis Burke
Clairwin Dameus
Oliver Davis
Larry Dorsey
Johnny "Ballpark" Franks
Greg Goodwin
Kimberly Graves
Sylvester Hicks
Tim Horton
Eric Lindsey
Granville "Sonny" Lyons
Jeffery McMillian
Theresa Phillips
Samuel G. Puryear Jr.
Gregory "Greg" Robinson
Candace Saleaumua
Dr. Catana Starks
William "Bill" Thomas
Dominique Ward-Johnson
