West Knoxville mourns sports media icon Wes Rucker, 43
A graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School and the University of Tennessee, Rucker “turned his passion for journalism, sports, and history into a two-decade career covering Tennessee athletics across print, radio, digital and television media,” his obituary read.
Rucker was a fixture on social media, sharing his thoughts on the Vols and his family to more than 140,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.
His columns were must-reads for many fans, and he was known among UT media members as the last to leave the press box following any game at Neyland Stadium — or, in his vocabulary, “General Neyland’s Big Ol’ Damn House of Football.”
Beyond his excellent coverage, Rucker was a devoted husband and father, leaving behind a wife, Lauren, and a son, Hank, with a daughter to be born in May.
“He often wrote and spoke of the grounding force of life, sharing moments of everyday joy and reflecting about fatherhood, marriage, and the responsibilities that come with both,” his obituary read. “He carried deep pride in his parents, siblings and loved ones, frequently expressing it through beautifully written reflections, though those words only hinted at the depth of love and admiration he shared privately.”
His death has reverberated through Knoxville and the national sports community, as well-known personalities Scott Van Pelt and Kirk Herbstreit have been among the several to speak on his death and donate to the GoFundMe set up for Rucker’s family.
As of Monday morning, the amount donated to “Support #TeamRucker” stood at $711,990 with a goal of $850,000. Originally, the goal had been $500,000 before being raised after donations poured in.
