Celebrating the 2026 Family of the Year: The Laney’s
For the Laney Family, Memphis will always be home. And this year, they are being honored as the University of Memphis’ Family of the Year.
In fact, Carol Laney (BA ’96, MA ’04) said her daughter, Katie has been a Tiger fan before she was even born.
“I was pregnant with her during the 2003 football season, when the Tigers earned their first bowl appearance in 32 years and headed to New Orleans, followed by our final basketball season in the Pyramid,” Carol said. “So, it’s probably no surprise that, as an infant, the only song that soothed her was ‘Go Tigers Go!’.
“She was also one of the few first graders at Campus School who already knew the words to the fight song,” Brad said.
Carol and her husband Brad (BS ’96) will celebrate their 29-year wedding anniversary in November and have been season ticket holders for Tiger football and basketball for just as long.
“Some of my earliest memories are Saturdays at the Liberty Bowl and evenings at FedExForum, cheering alongside them,” Katie said. “Those games gave us time together and made Tiger Pride feel like something we shared, long before I became a student myself.”
Although she began as a Tiger, when it came time to go to college, Katie wanted to try something new. Carol and Brad encouraged her. “Like many parents, we wanted Katie to follow in our footsteps but didn’t want to force her into it. We encouraged her to tour any Tennessee public institution so that she could make an educated decision.”
“I started at another school, thinking I was ready to make a home somewhere new,” Katie wrote in her nomination. “It did not take long for me to realize how much I missed home, not just my family, but Memphis. When I told my parents I needed to come back, they listened. They knew I was struggling with more than the usual homesickness, and they never told me to ‘stick it out.’ They came to get me, helped me pack, and brought me home within 24 hours. Coming home gave me the chance to find my place at the University of Memphis, a place that had been part of our family for as long as I can remember.”
Brad and Carol said Katie flourished after coming back to Memphis.
“Katie came to Memphis as a spring transfer student who was shy and felt a little out of place because she hadn’t started with everyone else in the fall. She felt like she was already behind her friends, but within a couple of months, she found a home in Kappa Delta. We’ve watched her grow from a timid freshman trying to find her way into a confident young woman leading a sorority of more than 50 women,” Carol said.
Since becoming president, Katie said her parents have been nothing by supportive. Her sorority sisters even refer to Carol as “Mama Laney.”
Carol has dedicated her career at the University serving on staff for more than 28 years. She currently serves as the associate registrar/strategic enrollment systems administrator. In addition, Carol volunteers as Parent Ambassador with Parent and Family Services.
“The best part is reassuring parents that their student will make mistakes — whether it’s forgetting an assignment or earning a disappointing final grade. Our role is to listen to them while they vent, help them think through their options, and guide them as they figure out what to do next,” Carol said.
Brad is impacting local Tigers and Memphians as the Visitor Services Manager for the Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM) where he has worked for 30 years, representing CMOM at UofM game day meetings at Liberty Park.
Katie said she is proud to see her parents, Brad and Carol, honored as Family of the Year.
“My parents have spent years welcoming others into the Memphis community. But the most meaningful thing they did for me was welcome me back when I needed to come home,” Katie said. “They gave me room to change direction, trusted me when I said something was wrong and stood beside me as I found a place where I could thrive. Their love and support are at the heart of my Memphis story.”
