09/14/2026
It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the recent passing of Bill Schmidt, a dear friend to Kinesiology, Recreation, & Sport Studies and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sport Management program.
In addition to being a Hall of Fame Sport Marketing director at Gatorade and an Olympic Medalist, Bill also taught sport marketing at UT as an adjunct and was instrumental in the growth of the Sport Management student organization, Partners in Sports, by providing financial support and leadership to develop an outstanding conference series.
"Bill was always willing to support our program in any way possible," shared Jim Bemiller, associate professor in KRSS and faculty advisor for Partners in Sports. "He was a trailblazer in the sports industry, and he was always willing to share his expertise with the faculty and students in our department. He led an extraordinary life and will be remembered as a true Volunteer."
Read about Bill Schmidt's incredible life and legacy: bit.ly/4rhb39h