Lee Mourns the Passing of Former Athletic Director, Coach, and All-American, Larry Carpenter

Lee University and Lee University Athletics mourn the loss of former Athletic Director, Coach, and All-American, Larry Carpenter. A tremendous man, leader, and friend.

Carpenter's hard-fought, two-year battle with cancer concluded on Sunday, Sept. 29th surrounded by his adoring family. He approached these challenging last two years with the same grace, strength, and dignity that he displayed as a leader in Lee Athletics for over 50 years.

He was a 1977 graduate of Lee College and served as the Flames' assistant basketball coach from 1976-1992. Carpenter was named head coach of the men's basketball program in 1993 and served in that capacity until 1999, directing the Flames to the NCCAA National title in 1994. He resigned his coaching duties in 1999 and became Lee's first full-time Athletic Director.

Carpenter led the Flames and Lady Flames through unprecedented success in the NAIA in the 2000's before helping to lead the transition to NCAA Division II in 2013. This past season the Flames completed a historic year winning their fourth consecutive GSC All Sports Trophy, GSC Men's Trophy and GSC Women's Trophy. Under his leadership, Lee also earned its highest Learfield/IMG Directors' Cup finish, at No. 11 out of 320 NCAA D2 schools after the 2021-22 season. The exclamation point of that historic year came when the Lee men's golf team captured the school's first ever NCAA D2 National Championship.

Carpenter was named the NAIA National Athletic Director of the Year in 2008. In addition to that honor, he was also the AD of the Year for the Southeast Region in 1999-2000 and 2008-2009, the TranSouth Conference and Region XI AD of the Year in 2000-2001.

As a player, Carpenter was a two-time NCCAA All-American and was the first All-American in school history. He is a member of the 1973 NCCAA National Championship team, a member of the Lee Hall of Fame and the greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame and his jersey, No. 24 was retired in 1976. In 2019, the new baseball stadium at Olympic Field was officially given its name, Larry Carpenter Stadium.

His legacy of Christ-centered excellence in Lee Athletics will carry on in the hearts and minds of our coaches and student-athletes. The void his passing leaves will be felt by all who knew him.

We do not mourn as those without hope. His faith has now become sight.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.