The woman who lifted the sport to national prominence staring down players and officials with her icy glare will be remembered for far more than the impressive numbers she piled up over 38 seasons, including eight national titles.
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Summitt’s son said she died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.
Gordon was one of coach Summitt’s first stars, winning two NCAA National Championships together and making four Final Four appearances.
We caught up with College of Southern Idaho Women’s Basketball Coach Randy Rogers on Summitt’s legacy.
Summitt and Texas battled off the court as much as they did on it, often going after the same recruits.
Summitt received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Tennessee-Martin in 1974, the same year she started coaching. Calipari noted how the WNBA, which was formed in 1996, might not be around if it wasn’t for the former Tennessee coach’s influence. Pat Summitt, who spent an astounding 38 years coaching women’s basketball at the University of Tennessee, was 64. “She’ll be missed”, he said.
“There’s no question, really one of the great coaches of any sport”, Duke men’s head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said. She impacted that then-new women’s basketball coach at Vilonia – Karen Aston.
“One of the reasons I wanted to go there was because of her”, said Mast, the longtime McCaskey tennis coach.
It’s obvious to see Pat’s influence on women basketball players but it’s also personal for Coach Warren.
“Women’s basketball before Pat Summitt was not what it is today, by any means”.
“Pat Summitt is the reason our game is where it is today”, Williams-Flournoy said. I spent some time with her and I thanked her for everything she has done for me and for every other life that she touched.
Washington Sports and Entertainment’s Team President Susan O’Malley hired her as a player personnel consultant on April 4, 2002. Last year, Warren coached with Holly Warlick, Pat’s longtime assistant coach. “I didn’t even want to look her way because I was scared of her”. “My thoughts and prayers are with Tyler and their entire family”. When she would play basketball against her older brothers in the family barn, they didn’t treat her any differently and certainly didn’t go easy on her. Her track record will be hard to match.
The Pat Summitt Foundation focuses on awareness, advocacy and research of Alzheimer’s. “She’s changed the way women’s basketball is played”.
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Summitt won 16 Southeastern Conference regular season titles, as well as 16 conference tournament titles. She gave a lot of her time to promote the game and to provide a role model. In 1984, Henry won a gold medal with the Summitt-coached U.S. Olympic Team.
