By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For Mark and Mindy Odom, basketball is a way of life. So is supporting Tennessee Tech Athletics.
Visible figures at so many Tech athletic events, the Odoms have devoted so much time, energy and resources to help the Golden Eagles soar to newer heights.
And it comes as no surprise they were selected as the recipients of the 2019 Tennessee Tech Athletics Outstanding Alumni Award, because their efforts have gone a long, long way.
The Odoms will receive the award and be recognized for their efforts during Saturday's doubleheader against Belmont.
To understand why they have given so much, you really have to understand why Tennessee Tech means so much to them.
"Oh my gosh, I got a text message from Marynell Meadors this morning and she was the one who started it all for me," Mindy Odom said. "I fell in love with Cookeville when I came up here for a visit and never knew I was going to live here after so many years. Tech is the center of all of that. My blood runs Purple and Gold, there's no doubt about it. We really just had the chance to become better alumni since I retired from coaching myself, so we're really just enjoying it."
The timeline is filled with deep connections to the University as both are alumni of Tech – Mark received his degree in civil engineering in 1978, the former Mindy Campbell added a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1985, then followed up with a master's in Administration and Supervision nine years later.
Mark's efforts go way back as he has been a continuous season ticket holder since 1975, has donated to the University and Tech Athletics since 1983 and has been recognized as a 35-year True to Tech member.
Mindy also suited up in the Purple and Gold, starting with the 1980-81 squad under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Meadors. During her tenure as a player, Tech won two Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championships, one OVC tournament crown and made appearances in the NCAA Tournament, as well as the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
Following her graduation, Mindy became a coach, spending four seasons as an assistant at Tech for head coach Bill Worrell, then 25 years as the head coach at Cookeville High School. The Odoms also oversaw the Tennessee Elite AAU program for 18 years and cultivated 18 players who went on to Division I basketball careers, including Golden Eagles Hannah Goolsby and Riley Masters.
Even recently, the Odoms have joined in as color commentators for the WCTE broadcasts of Tech women's basketball.
Tennessee Tech has also been home for their family as their children have also walked through the University's hallowed halls.
"Tennessee Tech means a great deal to us and has been a key part of our family since I started here in the '70s as a civil engineering graduate," Mark said. "Ever since we've had young kids, we've been in this gym. All of my kids have attended Tech – our youngest, Alison, just graduated 18 months ago; Ellie went to Tech and finished up in Nashville for photography.
"We have been involved with Tennessee Tech engineering, education, but mostly Athletics. We've had the pleasure of attending numerous Final Fours with Marynell and Bill Worrell. Myself and the kids, we used to love traveling with the team when Mindy was an assistant coach for four years. I've watched this arena being built when I was in civil engineering school – that's how far I date myself."
With the connections through Tennessee Tech, the Odoms have built a tremendous history.
"If you say so," Mindy said, with a laugh. "It's been fun. Now it feels like we can just follow them, not just coming over here to the Hooper Eblen Center and watch, but travel and watch them. Everything's been getting better. You can watch them on TV. The excitement is here. I just can't wait to see what's coming with these teams."
Mark added, "We love Tennessee Tech, from the academic part of it and especially athletics."
And what started as a $100 donation in 1983 has grown over time, blossoming into support for every varsity sport in 2018. However, their heart will always remain with the Tech women's basketball program, their support culminating in the creation of the Mark and Mindy Odom Eaglette Scholarship Endowment.
"We definitely give to women's basketball," Mindy said. "Bringing our kids into the game, that means a lot to us, but – all the sports – we really want everyone to excel. Cookeville is Tennessee Tech, if you ask me. It's like baseball last year. We only made a couple of games here, but we'll probably make a bunch now. People in this town want great teams and they want the success we're starting to see in women's basketball. I love it."
Mark added, "Now that Mindy's retired from high school coaching and I retired from Tennessee Elite AAU, we've involved ourselves more in Athletics, specifically women's basketball because that is near and dear to our hearts. We got the fever and got more involved with the baseball team.
"Our hearts lie with all of the women's sports. Traditionally, not just here, but at most universities, women's sports are a little neglected or unheralded unless you're at a University of Tennessee or a Vanderbilt or a UConn or a large program, even when it comes to softball, volleyball and so on. Our daughter Alison played basketball and volleyball in high school and travel ball and actually thought about walking on here at one time, so we've got a little bit of a volleyball bug in us and some softball."
And it was just a few years ago that the spark was reignited for Mark.
"I was on the selection committee when we hired Sytia Messer a few years back, and she's now doing a fantastic job at Baylor," he said. "The juices just started getting rejuvenated when myself, Shawn Monday (Smith) and Dana Scott (Pemberton) were on that committee. We were there when Kim (Rosamond) and her staff were brought in. I just had a premonition that we were headed back in the right direction."
At the end of the day, the University's success comes down not only to the student-athletes and the coaches, but also to the support of people who give back and help build the foundation to grow upon.
"The importance is tremendous," Mark said. "When you're a university of this size, we don't have a fund like UTK or all the people that go on to the pros and are able to give back. We really are honored and love to do it. I will say that 90 percent of it has been 'our idea' as opposed to being asked. I've got resources that will be going to civil engineering and athletics, and we're in the high-30s in continuous years of giving. We've endowed a women's basketball scholarship in honor of Marynell and Bill Worrell and Mindy."
Mindy added, "If you can, it's great. It gives you a lot of pride. We've contacted a lot of alumni over the last few years to try to get people back here and they kind of see what we've got going. Everybody understands that it's not easy for Tech. It takes a lot of support to do what they're doing, and I hope everyone can give what they can."
The key is that the Odoms understand not only what Tennessee Tech means to them, but to the community as well.
"I don't know – people just don't realize academically, athletically and economically just what Tennessee Tech provides. They're active in our Chamber of Commerce, the Highlands Economic Partnership, WCTE, the Biz Foundry, and I can go on and on. When you're a town this size, what better place to take a family two times a week for doubleheaders and the like. It's just gotten to be fun again."
