Tennessee associate AD Donna Thomas retiring this summer

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee senior associate athletics director Donna Thomas is retiring after working three decades at the school.

School officials announced Tuesday that Thomas plans to step down July 15.

Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer said in a statement that "her experience and knowledge of the national athletics administration issues will be hard to replace."

Thomas has spent 30 years working for Tennessee athletics.

Her duties include establishing department policy and procedure, serving as the deputy Title IX officer for athletics, overseeing the track and cross-country programs and managing the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame.

Thomas began her Tennessee career as a student manager for the women's basketball program under former coach Pat Summitt. She worked her way up the athletic department and eventually served as a top adviser to former women's athletic director Joan Cronan.