Tennessee Basketball Legend Hank Bertelkamp Dies at 92
Published: Dec 20, 2025
Arthur Jones
Writer
Hank Bertelkamp, former Tennessee men’s basketball captain and longtime Knoxville community leader, died peacefully at 92, leaving a lasting legacy on and off the court.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Hank Bertelkamp, a three-year letter winner for the Tennessee men’s basketball team and longtime Knoxville community leader, passed away peacefully Friday at his home, surrounded by family, at the age of 92.
Bertelkamp played for the Volunteers from 1950 to 1953, serving as team captain in his senior year. At the time of his passing, he was the second-oldest living Tennessee basketball letter winner.
His son, Bert Bertelkamp, played for Tennessee from 1976 to 1980 and contributed to the Volunteers’ 1976-77 SEC title. Bert also spent over 25 years as a Vol Network radio analyst before retiring earlier this year.
In 2004, Hank and Bert established the Bertelkamp Basketball Scholarship Endowment Fund, which continues to support players, with sophomore guard Bishop Boswell being the most recent recipient. In 2011, the men’s basketball offices at Food City Centre were renamed in Hank’s honour.
Beyond basketball, the Bertelkamp family leads Bertelkamp Automation, Inc., a Knoxville-based business that supports the community through organisations like the United Way of Greater Knoxville and the McNabb Centre, among other local charities.
