There is probably not a student-athlete that came through Tennessee Tech University from 1969 to 2004 who doesn’t owe some debt to Delores Wheatley.

From her first position in the athletic department as a graduate assistant in 1969, until her retirement in 2004 as assistant athletic director for academic advisement/student success, Wheatley monitored the academic progress of Tech’s varsity athletes.

Wheatley’s primary assignment was to work with Tech athletes in their quest toward graduation, and throughout that time the popular mentor kept Tech athletes amongst the league and national leaders in graduation rates.

Her support on a personal level was invaluable as she became known as “mom” to many student-athletes. Her level of caring and concern was so high that Tech’s athletes set a high standard in the Ohio Valley Conference for receiving academic awards such as Academic All-America, Academic All-District and OVC Scholar-Athlete. Between 1985 and 2004, a total of 26 Tech athletes earned Academic All-America honors and more than 70 have were named Academic All-District.

In addition, the number of students in athletics on the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the TTU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll reached record numbers nearly every semester.

Joining the Tech faculty as a graduate assistant in 1969, she earned her master’s degree in English in 1971, and added her Ed. S. degree in counseling in 1988. She was added to the full-time staff in 1970 and was assigned her role as academic advisor in 1977.

A native of Henderson, Tenn., Delores received her bachelor’s degree from Murray State in 1968. Among her many duties were tutoring Tech’s athletes in English and literature and assigning tutors in other subjects.