Dedication of the Pat Summitt Plaza Photobook

This special edition photobook captures and commemorates the November 22, 2013 dedication of the Pat Summitt Plaza celebrating Pat's 38-year legacy as the University of Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach.

All proceeds from the purchase of the Dedication of the Pat Summitt Plaza Photobook will be donated to The Pat Summitt Foundation.

Click here to order.

#4/3 Lady Vols 84, Oakland 50

Tennessee's tendency to get off to slow starts hasn't proved costly yet. The third-ranked Lady Vols still want to break the habit soon.

The Lady Vols slumbered through much of their game with winless Oakland on Sunday before a halftime lineup change sparked a 21-0 run that helped them breeze to an 84-50 victory. Tennessee (5-0) was clinging to a one-point lead late in the first half Sunday and has been tied or behind at halftime in two of its other four victories.

"The second half, we settled down and we decided to play, but the sign of a great team is we've got to play 40 minutes," Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said. "We're very capable of it. We've got the talent to do it. I'm just waiting for us to bust out and play the perfect game."

Tennessee's Bashaara Graves had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead all players in both categories. Meighan Simmons added 14 points, Ariel Massengale had 13, Isabelle Harrison had 11 and Mercedes Russell scored 10 for Tennessee. Victoria Lipscomb scored 13 points for Oakland.

Oakland (0-5) outhustled Tennessee at the start of the game and only trailed 28-27 with 2:07 left in the half when Amy Carlton missed a 3-pointer that would have put the Golden Grizzlies ahead. Tennessee's Jordan Reynolds sank a 3-pointer 10 seconds later to help Tennessee lead 34-27 at halftime.

"We were just playing basketball," Lipscomb said. "We were having fun. That was one thing we talked about coming in was just having fun. Even though it was a one-point game, I don't think a lot of people on the court realized it was a one-point game."

Warlick responded to her team's sluggish start by altering her lineup to open the second half. Russell, Reynolds and Andraya Carter joined usual starters Graves and Massengale on the floor. Simmons, Harrison and Cierra Burdick were on the bench at the beginning of the second half after opening the game in the starting lineup.

"She said we had let our fans down," Massengale said. "We have 10-11,000 people here watching us play, and in those first 20 minutes, we let them down."

Among those spectators was former Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt, who remains on staff as head coach emeritus and is the subject of a campus statue that was unveiled Friday. Summitt watched Sunday's game while sitting between Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings and Billie Moore, who coached her on the 1976 U.S. Olympic team. Summitt received a standing ovation during a timeout as a video of Friday's statue dedication ceremony played on the scoreboard.

"It's a huge crowd," Warlick said. "They deserve to be, in my opinion, entertained. What I mean by entertainment is you play every possession as hard as you can play. You might not make every shot. We're not going to get every steal. But my expectation is you are going to play as hard as you can every possession. ... Our fans don't want to see us walk the ball up the floor, turn the ball over, not have effort, not have hustle plays."

There wasn't much hustle from Tennessee early on.

One week after Tennessee pulled down 33 offensive rebounds in an 87-76 victory over Georgia Tech, the Lady Vols had just two offensive boards in the first half Sunday. Oakland outrebounded Tennessee 24-20 and outblocked the Lady Vols 4-1 in the first half despite facing a major height disadvantage. Oakland had three starters 5-foot-8 or shorter and didn't play anyone taller than 6-1. Tennessee has six players 6-2 or taller.

Tennessee attempted only one free throw in the first half and struggled to solve Oakland's zone defense.

The Lady Vols showed much more energy and scored the first 15 points of the second half, as Graves scored six points during a 21-0 run that broke the game open. Oakland committed three turnovers in the first 41 seconds of the half and faced a 22-point deficit by the time Kim Bee scored the Grizzlies' first second-half points with 15:19 remaining.

Tennessee never looked back and finally utilized its height advantage as the game wore on. Tennessee outrebounded Oakland 24-13 in the second half and finished the game with 44 rebounds to Oakland's 37.

"It's an outstanding basketball team and one that we'll be seeing here in the Final Four, I'm sure," Oakland coach Jeff Tungate said.

Pat Summitt Statue

Joan Cronan, AnDe Summitt, Tyler Summitt, Pat Summitt, Dr. Jimmy Cheek and Dave Hart after the statue unveiling on November 22, 2013.

Pat Summitt Plaza Dedicated

Honoring Pat Summitt's legacy: UT unveiled the statue and plaza that serve as a monument to Lady Vols legendary coach Pat Summitt.

"I don't think I'll ever forget it," Pat Summitt said during a dedication ceremony, unveiling Pat Summitt Plaza Friday morning.

Pat Summitt has eight national titles, over one-thousand wins, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. On Friday morning - the legendary coach added another honor to the stack - a permanent place honoring her achievements at the University of Tennessee.

Many of her former players, her son Tyler, UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, and Director of Athletics Dave Hart were among the large crowd that attended the 11 a.m. dedication ceremony for "Pat Summitt Plaza."

Hart opened the ceremony saying it was "a goose bumps day on Rocky Top." And that it was - with Tyler Summitt constantly at his mother's side along with the Lady Vols lining the stage in their coach's honor.

For many, including Tamika Catchings, the event was a way to say thank you to the coach who shaped so many lives on and off the court.

"Thank you Pat. . . thank you for everything. . . We love you," Catchings tearfully said before giving her former coach a hug.

Tyler Summitt said his mother had such a profound impact as a coach, mother and role model for three reasons: her passion to compete, her character, and her love of family.

"Every moment is a teaching moment - a very common phrase that my mother used - that she still uses today," said Tyler.

And teaching others is something Tyler said still makes his mother "light up." He told the crowd he wouldn't be where he is today without the lessons his mother taught him along the way.

"This happens because of you," Tyler said looking at his mom. "I used what you taught me to make this happen."

When Pat Summitt took the podium, she exuded exactly why she has made such a lasting footprint in sports history - her humility.

"I just want everyone to know - for me - it's not about me. It's about everyone out there who loves the University of Tennessee," said Pat.

At end of the speeches, the players, Tyler, and Hart unveiled the nearly nine foot, 500 pound, bronze statue of the legendary coach.

David Adickes, 86, has sculpted many historical figures - the Beatles, Stephen F. Austin, and 43 U.S. presidents. Now, the next figure cemented into his sculpting portfolio is Lady Vols legendary coach Pat Summitt.

Adickes has never actually met Summitt, so he relied on countless pictures and videos to encapsulate Summitt's character. Their only face-to-face contact was on FaceTime.

"Well I just wanted to get the right pose of her and the right attitude and expression," said Adickes. "I have her leaning back; she always had her arms crossed. There's hardly an exception. It's a pose of triumph."

Tamika Catchings couldn't agree more, saying the statue embodied her former coach and mentor. Now, everyone can remember why Summitt has changed basketball and women's history - her shinning confidence, strong character, and powerful leadership. Friday was truly a fitting honor to a basketball powerhouse who personifies what it means to be a Lady Vol.

Read more at utsports.com.

Pat Summitt Coaching Tree

Lady Vols head coach emeritus Pat Summitt did not only produce a number of outstanding players during her 38 years at the helm of the UT program, but she turned out some successful coaches as well. Take a look at this list of Pat Summitt's former players, assistants, graduate assistants and more that are currently head coaches at colleges across the nation.

Pat Summitt's Influence in College Basketball Administration

Click here to see map.

Pat Summitt Plaza dedication on Friday

At 11 a.m. on Friday, UT will honor the legacy of legendary Lady Vol basketball coach Pat Summitt with the dedication of a plaza bearing her name and the unveiling of a statue that was created in her likeness.

The dedication and unveiling of the bronze statue, created by internationally-known artist and sculptor David Adickes of Houston, Texas, will be held at the newly-constructed plaza on the corner of Lake Loudoun Blvd. and Phillip Fulmer Way. The event will be streamed live on UTSports.com.

UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Dave Hart will help the university pay tribute to Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA men's or women's basketball history. During her 38-year tenure from 1974 to 2012, the Lady Vols posted a 1,098-208 record (.840), won eight NCAA National Championships and claimed a combined 32 SEC regular season and tournament titles while graduating all 122 players who completed their eligibility at UT.

Along with the current Lady Vol staff members and players, several former players are expected to be on hand to help celebrate the accomplishments of Summitt during the late-morning ceremony. Following the unveiling of the statue and snapping of some group photos, a private luncheon honoring Summitt will be held in the Anderson Training Center.

The dedication is an outdoor event, and public seating will not be provided. Guests attending the ceremony will not be allowed to bring folding chairs of any kind.

Parking for the event will be available in the G-10 garage, located between Thompson-Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium. Access to G-10 will be via Neyland Drive only. Spaces for vehicles with disabled parking placards will be available in staff lot 23, located at the corner of Neyland and Lake Loudoun Blvd.

UT visitors and employees should be aware of temporary street closings for the dedication and plan travel accordingly.

Phillip Fulmer Way will close at 9 a.m. on Nov. 22 from the Andy Holt Tower administrative parking garage entrance to the intersection with Lake Loudoun Blvd. At 10:30 a.m., Lake Loudoun Blvd. will close from Neyland Drive to Volunteer Blvd. UTPD will manage traffic and crowd control for the event and will reopen streets when the crowd has dissipated following the event.

Approximately 600 donors stepped forward to provide financial support for the Pat Summitt Plaza, with leadership gifts coming from the LaPorte family of Elizabethton, Tenn., and Houston, Texas, and the Hilleary family of Spring City, Tenn. The LaPortes donated the statue, while the Hillearys provided the lead gift for the plaza in honor of Bill Hilleary, a community and business leader from Rhea County.

#4/3 Lady Vols 87, Georgia Tech 76

Tennessee is off to a 4-0 start after topping Georgia Tech, 87-76, on Sunday night. The #4/3 Lady Vols pounded the glass to the tune of 65 total rebounds including 33 offensive boards. Bashaara Graves had the best game of her career with highs of 23 points, 18 rebounds and five assists. It was Graves' 13th career double-double.

Isabelle Harrison had 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for her seventh career double-double. It marked the second game that both Graves and Harrison each had double-doubles.

Freshman Mercedes Russell had 14 points in only 23 minutes.Meighan Simmons scored 13 for UT.

The Yellow Jackets (2-1) were led by freshman Kaela Davis -- the twin of Vols' freshman forward A.J. Davis -- who had 28 points on her brother's home court. Aaliyah Whiteside had 16 for Tech.

After Georgia Tech crept within five points, the Lady Vols ripped off a 12-0 run to firmly regain control of the win. Massengale canned back-to-back jumpers followed by a bevy of free throws to put Tennessee ahead 82-65 with just under three minutes remaining.

Georgia Tech made a run which brought the Yellow Jackets within five points at 70-65 on a jumper by Sydney Wallace with 6:48 left in the game. Earlier in the half, Tech cut its deficit to four points, 64-60 with 10:30 left in the game.

Tennessee corralled 65 rebounds, the most in a game since also grabbing 65 vs. Marquette on Nov. 23, 1996. That ties for the sixth-most in a game in school history.

The 33 offensive rebounds were the most since the Lady Vols had 34 vs. Arkansas on Jan. 10, 2000. Graves' 14 offensive boards are the most since at least 2000.

Graves had a double-double in the first half alone with 14 points and 11 rebounds as Tennessee jumped out to a 44-35 lead on the Yellow Jackets. Harrison also had 10 rebounds to go along with seven points.

Tennessee led by as many as 18 late in the first half at 41-23.

The Lady Vols dominated the glass, out rebounding Tech, 33-18 including 20 offensive rebounds in the first half.

Tennessee is now 6-0 all-time versus Georgia Tech including Holly Warlick's first-career win as a head coach last season, 71-54 in Atlanta.

The Lady Vols will have a week off before returning to action on Sunday, Nov. 24 as Oakland comes to Knoxville for the first time ever. The Lady Vols and Golden Grizzlies tip-off at 2 p.m., in a game that can be viewed on UTSports.com and heard on the Lady Vol Network.

#4/3 Lady Vols 80, UTC 56

A year after being upset at Chattanooga, the Lady Vols made sure the Lady Mocs' visit to Knoxville didn't end with a similar result. After being tied at halftime, Tennessee pulled away for an 80-56 victory on Thursday night.

The #4/3 Lady Vols were led by junior guard Ariel Massengale, who scored 13 of her game-high 16 points in the decisive second half. In her regular-season home debut Mercedes Russell posted a career-high 15 points. Bashaara Graves chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds. Meighan Simmons scored 10.

Tennessee moved to 3-0 while Chattanooga evened its record at 1-1. Last season, the Lady Mocs pulled off the 80-71 stunner to spoil Holly Warlick's head coaching debut. On Thursday, Holly Warlick won her 30th game as a head coach.

The Lady Vols shot 48.5 for the game including 52.9 in the second half, making its first five 3-point attempts in the final 20 minutes. UT's bench combined for 37 points. The Lady Vols out rebounded UTC, 50-33, led by Cierra Burdick's eight.

Chattanooga was led by Ashlen Dewart (13) and Taylor Hall (12).

Tennessee opened the second half on a 21-4 run keyed by seven consecutive points by Massengale to start the game's second stanza. After scoring just three points in a foul-plagued first half, Massengale had 10 of the Lady Vols' first 21 points. UT led 53-36 less than seven minutes into the second half and never looked back.

UT's pressing defense forced the Lady Mocs into several violations and poor shooting. Chattanooga shot 22.9 in the second half and forced UTC into 16 total turnovers.

The lead expanded to 21 on Russell's layup with 12 minutes left in the game, putting the Lady Vols ahead, 59-38.

Jasmine Jones' gave Tennessee a 75-50 lead with three minutes left.

Tennesse outscored Chattanooga, 48-24, in the second half after the teams stood deadlocked at 32 at halftime.

Through three games, UT has outscored its foes 134-84 in the second half after standing tied at 94 in the trio of first halves.

In the first half, Chattanooga attacked primarily from long distance, going 6-of-16 from 3-point range. Faith Dupree led UTC with nine first-half points on 4-of-7 shooting. Tennessee did much of its damage in the paint, scoring 14 of its 32 first-half points inside. Isabelle Harrison had six points and four rebounds at the half while freshman Mercedes Russell went 3-for-3 for six points in just 10 minutes.

Chattanooga's Alex Black made a 3-pointer with 1:01 left in the first half and Simmons answered with a short jumper from the right side 20 seconds later. Ka'Vonne Towns drove for a layup with 13 seconds remaining to knot the game at 32-32 heading into the break.

Lady Vol freshman Mercedes Russell had back-to-back buckets in the paint with under four minutes until halftime to push UT's lead to 26-23. The 6-6 rookie swished a smooth turnaround jumper from 10 feet out with 3:10 left to excite the home crowd.

Andraya Carter nailed a three pointer from the left wing at the 7:44 mark to tie the game at 18-18. That shot sparked a 7-0 Tennessee run to push UT ahead. Carter hit a pair of free throws with 6:08 left to give UT a 20-18 lead. Simmons followed with a steal and a layup to give the team a four-point advantage.

Down seven points, the Lady Vols started climbing back. Jordan Reynolds hit a jumper from the top of the key at 10:31 and Harrison connected on a long jumper from the left side a minute later to pull UT to within 16-13. Harrison knocked down a jump shot from the right side to make it a one-point game with 8:25 left in the half.

Massengale got into foul trouble coming out of the first media timeout. With UT down 8-7, Massengale charged down the lane and drew an offensive foul at the 14:28 mark. With two fouls, she went to the bench. With Carter running the point, Chattanooga went on an 8-2 run to build a 16-9 lead.

Tennessee took the lead when Graves made a layup 42 seconds in to the game. On the Lady Mocs' ensuing possession, Graves and Harrison picked up fouls before Taylor Hall sunk a jumper to even the game at 2-2.

Tennessee will next host Georgia Tech on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on FOX Sports South/FOX Sports Tennessee. The Lady Vol Network will also carry a radio broadcast.

Lady Vols Announce Signings of Dunbar, Nared, and Middleton

Tennessee has signed guard Alex Middleton and guard/forwards Kortney Dunbar and Jaime Nared to letters of intent.

The school announced the signings Wednesday in a university release.

Nared, who is 6-foot-1, is rated as one of the nation’s top 10 prospects in her class by multiple recruiting services. She averaged 23.7 points, 9.6 rebound and 4.7 steals per game last season for Portland (Ore.) Westview High.

Middleton, who is 5-9, averaged 16 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game last season for Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Riverdale High. She was a finalist for Tennessee Miss Basketball honors and is rated as a top-35 national prospect by multiple recruiting services.

Dunbar, who is 6-1, had 14.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.7 assists per game last season for Edwardsville (Ill.) High.

Pat Summitt on Cover of American Profile

Pat Summitt and her fight against Alzheimer's is the featured story in this week's American Profile, a mini-mag (newspaper insert). She makes an attractive cover girl. :)

A shortened version of the article appears here.

#4 Tennessee 81, #12 North Carolina 65

Fourth-ranked Tennessee played tough defense early to take control on the road, then did enough to turn away every charge from No. 12 North Carolina.

And yet, to listen to junior Cierra Burdick, starting the season with two road wins just wasn't good enough.

"We're striving for greatness," Burdick said after Monday night's 81-65 victory over the Tar Heels. "We want to get to the Final Four and that display was not going to get us there."

True, the Lady Vols weren't always sharp. The defense that shut down the Tar Heels early faded a bit after Tennessee (2-0) built a big lead. They committed 24 turnovers and gave up 20 offensive rebounds.

But they always had an answer for the Tar Heels (1-1), following a comeback from 12 points down at halftime to win at Middle Tennessee on Friday night.

"I didn't know if we'd be ready for the environment we've been in," Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said. "But both games, we stepped it up when we needed to."

Ariel Massengale scored a career-high 20 points while Isabelle Harrison added 14 for the Lady Vols, who led by 12 at halftime then scored the first seven points of the second half to blow the game open. Tennessee shot 40 percent but knocked down eight 3-pointers, while its defense harassed the Tar Heels into 23 turnovers.

The Tar Heels were again without coach Sylvia Hatchell, as the recently inducted Naismith Hall of Famer focuses on treatment for leukemia.

Hatchell, who was released from the hospital last week, addressed the team during their pregame meal and longtime assistant Andrew Calder led the team from the sideline.

In the end, it was a learning experience for North Carolina's youngsters, including a freshman class ranked No. 1 nationally by ESPN.

"We're talented and we're going to be very, very good at the end when it all clicks and we learn to play together as a team," Calder said. "But we battled hard."

Freshman Allisha Gray had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead UNC, while top recruit Diamond DeShields finished with eight points on 3-for-15 shooting before fouling out with 2:10 left.

North Carolina shot just 9 for 37 in the first half (24 percent) and finished the game at 30 percent, struggling to string together enough baskets to cut into the Lady Vols' lead.

"They're aggressive, fast and they were in passing lanes a lot," said freshman Stephanie Mavunga, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out late. "... I don't think it was anything we couldn't get through. We have amazing guards and people who can handle the ball and we work on dribbling every single day in practice. But we just had to take a step back and really think about exactly what it is, and make good passes."

The Tar Heels beat Air Force 87-26 in Friday night's opener, with DeShields and Mavunga saying afterward that they were focused on taking advantage of those 40 minutes to get ready for the Lady Vols.

But the Lady Vols' physical defense locked down on the Tar Heels early, frustrating the youngsters to the point that UNC's offense began devolving into a lot of 1-on-1 play. UNC went 5 1/2 minutes without a field goal in the first half, and at one point Calder wandered out onto the court during a stoppage and screamed at his team to "Run the offense!"

Massengale, a 5-foot-7 junior, finished 5 of 12 from the field with all of her baskets coming from 3-point range. She matched her career-high with six rebounds to go with seven assists and three steals in 40 minutes.

Harrison went 4 of 5, including a key jumper at the 5-minute mark after the Tar Heels had cut a 21-point lead down to 11.

Sophomore Xylina McDaniel added 12 points and 10 rebounds for UNC, which lost sophomore reserve Megan Buckland to a right knee injury in the second half.

Mechelle Voepel: Time for Tennessee to just play

Link to article by Mechelle Voepel: - Time for Tennessee to just play

#4 Lady Vols 67, Middle Tennessee State 57

A year after opening the season with a road loss to an in-state foe, the Lady Vols were determined to not let that same predicament happen again.

After the first 20 minutes at the Murphy Center on Friday night, the fourth-ranked Lady Vols were once again in a perilous situation.

But a furious charge to begin the second half made sure Holly Warlick's team didn't have a repeat of last season's opener as Tennessee played stout defense while getting its shooting in gear in the final 20 minutes for a 67-57 victory over Middle Tennessee.

The Orange & White were serenaded with "It's Great To Be A Tennessee Vol" as the time expired with the Lady Vols moving to 1-0.

Tennessee trailed 34-22 at halftime before reeling off the first 14 points of the second half to surge into the lead at 36-34 with 14 minutes left in regulation.

The game stayed within one possession for the next five minutes before Tennessee was able to secure a comfortable advantage.

Junior Isabelle Harison led Tennessee with 13 points while grabbing seven rebounds. Junior guard Ariel Massengale scored 12 points and handed out five assists.

Freshman Mercedes Russell tallied 11 points in her debut game with the Lady Vols. In her return to the court after missing most of last season with an injury, Andraya Carter added 10 points including a pair of clutch 3-pointers.

Despite a tough shooting night, Cierra Burdick grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds as Tennessee out rebounded the Blue Raiders, 46-44.

UT's top two scorers from a year ago: Meighan Simmons (9 points) and Bashara Graves (4 points) were limited to a total of 13 points. Last season, the pair combined to average 30 points per contest.

MT was led by Ebony Rowe, who tallied 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Shanice Cason also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Raiders (0-1). Russell's jumper with 13:58 left in the second half gave Tennessee a 36-34 lead, the team's first edge since 10-9 midway in the first half.

After Middle Tennessee briefly regained the lead, the Lady Vols took the lead for good on a jumper by Harrison with 9:39 left in regulation. The lead moved to six on a 3-pointer by Carter with 8:18 on the clock. The lead steadily moved to as large as 10. A pair of free throws by Massengale gave UT a 57-47 lead with 4:12 left in the game.

MT continued to pressure in the final minute, cutting its deficit to five points on a pair of free throws by Cason with 25 seconds left.

The Lady Vols' defense in the second half was outstanding, MT was limited to just 6-of-29 from the floor for 20.7 percent.

Tennessee shot 36.1 for the game including 46.4 in the second half as the Lady Vols outscored Middle, 45-23 in the final 20 minutes.

Last season, Tennessee suffered a stunning 80-71 loss at Chattanooga in the first game of Warlick's tenure as UT's head coach. The Lady Vols rebounded to seven games in a row and finished the season 27-8, advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.

Fast forward to 2013-14, and Tennessee will take its 1-0 record on the road to #12 North Carolina to play the Tar Heels on Monday, Nov. 11 at 9 p.m., as part of ESPN's 24-Hour Marathon of Basketball to kickoff the new season.

Catchings Inducted Into Lady Vol Hall of Fame

The 13th group of inductees was formally welcomed into the Tennessee Lady Volunteer Hall of Fame Friday night in a private ceremony held in front of family, friends and UT Athletics administrators at the Knoxville Hilton downtown.

"These women and their accomplishments are worthy of this special recognition," UT Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart said. "Two members of this year's class are Olympic medalists; all four have earned All-America honors and their addition to this prestigious group of women is a testament to our history in women's athletics."

The four inductees in the Class of 2013 represent five different sports. The honorees are Valerie Bertrand Bachmann (cross country/track & field), Vilmarie Castellvi (tennis), Tamika Catchings (basketball) and Rhian Wilkinson (soccer). Athletes are eligible for inclusion 10 years after they have graduated from the University, while administrators may be admitted to the Lady Vol Hall of Fame five years following their last service to UT.

In addition to Friday night's enshrinement activities, the inductees will be introduced during an on-field presentation at the Tennessee versus Auburn football game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Throughout the 37-year history of Lady Vol student-athletes, 1,947 women have donned the Orange and White Tennessee uniform. With the addition of the four individuals in the 2013 class of the Lady Vol Hall of Fame, membership now has reached 74 in this very elite Hall, including 65 former UT student-athletes.

TAMIKA CATCHINGS (BASKETBALL)
A member of the basketball team from 1997-2001, Tamika Catchings was on Tennessee's famed 39-0 NCAA Championship team of 1997-98, earning NCAA All-Final Four honors that season as well as USBWA and SEC Freshman of the Year accolades. Along with fellow Lady Vol Hall of Famers Chamique Holdsclaw and Semeka Randall, the talented trio became known as the "Three Meeks" during that magical campaign. Averaging 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest during her career, Catchings ranks fourth in career scoring (2,113) and rebounding (1,004) at UT. One of only two four-time WBCA All-Americans in Lady Vol history, Catchings helped Tennessee win four SEC titles, was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection and was named AP, Naismith, USBWA and WBCA Player of the Year in 2000 as a junior and surely would have raked in more accolades as a senior if not for a season-ending knee injury 17 games into her final year. That malady only served as a speed bump, as she embarked on a post-collegiate career that saw her win gold medals with the United States at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. She still plays professionally and is a perennial all-star for the Indiana Fever, who drafted her with the third overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft.

Lady Vols 115, Carson-Newman 31

A 20-0 run to start the 2013-14 season sealed a dominating 115-31 victory for the No. 4 Lady Vols over Carson-Newman in the team's lone exhibition on Monday night in front of 10,507 at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Led by sophomore forward Bashaara Graves, Tennessee had six double-digit scorers and all nine Lady Vols that saw the floor registered a bucket.

Graves - last season's SEC Freshman/Newcomer of the Year - led UT with a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double. She hit nine points from the free throw line, finishing the night 9-of-10 from the stripe. The 6-foot-2 Clarksville, Tenn., native was 6-of-8 from the floor and added five steals.

Making their Lady Vol debuts, freshmen Jordan Reynolds and Mercedes Russell scored 17 and 16 points, respectively, while shooting a combined 13-of-23 from the floor. Reynolds added six rebounds and four steals and the 6-foot-6 Russell finished with a game-high four blocks.

Senior Meighan Simmons (14 points) and juniors Isabelle Harrison (12) and Cierra Burdick (12) also reached double-digits.

Junior point guard Ariel Massengale led the game with 11 assists. Andraya Carter and Nia Moore added nine points each.

Tennessee was superior in all areas of the game, dominating the Lady Eagles on points off turnovers, 49-0, and points in the paint, 60-8. UT forced 33 Carson-Newman turnovers on the night.

The Lady Vols also captured the rebounding battle, 58-32, and outshot Carson-Newman 51.9 percent to 15.8 percent.

The Lady Vols held the Division II Lady Eagles without a field goal for the opening 10:56 of the game en route to a 51-17 halftime score. In addition to the 20-0 run after tip-off, UT used a 16-0 stretch to turn a 34-10 lead into a 40-point, 50-10 advantage with 2:37 to go in the period.

Tennessee shot 45 percent in the half, while holding Carson-Newman to just 10.7 percent from the field and forcing 18 Lady Eagle turnovers in the half.

Simmons, a Co-SEC Player of the Year last season, extended the lead to 30 points at 40-10 with a fastbreak layup with 4:41 remaining in the first half. The Lady Vols hit the 50-point mark with 2:37 to go in the period, as Graves converted a fastbreak layup to give UT a 40-point lead. The Lady Eagles closed the gap with a 7-1 run over the final 2:14.

It was more of the same in the second stanza as Tennessee used early runs of 12-0 and 15-1 to build an 80-24 lead with 12:46 to go. A layup from Russell with 6:14 on the clock put the Lady Vols over the 100-point mark. The Orange and White extended its advantage to its biggest of the contest at the final 84-point margin of 115-31.

Tennessee officially opens the 2013-14 regular season on Friday, Nov. 8 at Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET at the 11,520-seat Murphy Center. The Lady Vols came out on top in an overtime battle in Knoxville a year ago, topping the Blue Raiders 88-81 on Nov. 28, 2012.

Pat Summitt in hospital since Sunday

Former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is expected to be released Tuesday afternoon from a Knoxville hospital, where she has been since Sunday for what her foundation describes as "routine medical testing."

The Pat Summitt Foundation said Tuesday on Twitter that Summitt had entered a hospital late Sunday. Foundation spokeswoman Susan Arp confirmed the information in the tweet to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Arp didn't offer details on which hospital Summitt entered or the nature of her tests.

Summitt, who led the Lady Vols to eight national titles and 1,098 wins in 38 seasons, stepped down in April 2012 after announcing a year earlier she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's type. She remains on Tennessee's staff as head coach emeritus.

Pat Summitt Plaza Dedication Date Set

Statue of NCAA’s Winningest Coach To Be Unveiled November 22

The University of Tennessee announced Wednesday that the dedication of the Pat Summitt Plaza and Statue will take place at 11:00 a.m. on November 22.


The dedication and unveiling of the bronze statue, created by internationally known artist and sculptor David Adickes of Houston, Texas, will be held at the soon-to-be-completed plaza on the corner of Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Phillip Fulmer Way. The public is invited to attend, and nearby Thompson-Boling Arena will offer access to restrooms.

Approximately 550 donors have stepped forward to provide financial support for the project thus far, with leadership gifts coming from the LaPorte family of Elizabethton, Tennessee, and Houston, Texas, and the Hilleary family of Spring City, Tennessee. The LaPortes donated the statue, while the Hillearys provided the lead gift for the plaza in honor of Bill Hilleary, a community and business leader from Rhea County.

View of photo gallery of the work being done on Pat Summitt Plaza on utsports.com.

Parking will be available in the G-10 garage, located between Thompson-Boling Arena and Neyland Stadium. Access to G-10 will be via Neyland Drive only. Spaces for vehicles with handicap placards will be available in staff lot 23, located at the corner of Neyland and Lake Loudoun Blvd.

UT visitors and employees should be aware of temporary street closings for the dedication. Phillip Fulmer Way will close at 9:00 a.m. on November 22 from the Andy Holt Tower administrative parking garage entrance to the intersection with Lake Loudoun Boulevard. At 10:30 a.m., Lake Loudoun Boulevard will close from Neyland Drive to Volunteer Boulevard. UTPD will manage traffic and crowd control for the event and will reopen streets when the crowd has dissipated following the event.

Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA men’s or women’s basketball history, led the Tennessee women’s basketball program from 1974 to 2012. During her thirty-eight-year tenure, the Lady Vols posted a 1,098-208 record (.840), won eight NCAA National Championships, and claimed a combined thirty-three SEC regular season and tournament titles while graduating all 122 players who completed their eligibility at UT.

For more information on how to contribute to the project, go to www.patsummittplaza.com.

Pat Summitt documentary now available on DVD

The ESPN Films documentary “Pat XO,” about former Lady Vols’ coach Coach Pat Summitt that aired in July, is available on DVD. Click here to order.

Directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters and produced by Robin Roberts, “Pat XO” tells the story of Summitt’s life and coaching career.

The documentary takes the camera from the filmmaker’s hands and places it into those who know her best.

The archival footage and statistical records woven into the film provide their own insights into a woman who cared about winning but also about elevating her players and her university.

With son Tyler Summitt as the lead storyteller, recollections are shared by Summitt’s assistant coaches, including current Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick and assistant Dean Lockwood as well as former players such as Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Michelle Marciniak, UConn coach Geno Auriemma, former UT quarterback Peyton Manning and Vols fan Kenny Chesney.

Lady Vols ready to compete for championships again

Tennessee considers the opportunity to play for a national title in its home state the perfect chance to end its Final Four drought.

The Lady Vols opened practice this week with five of their top six scorers back from a team that went 27-8 last year and lost in a regional final for the third straight season. After overachieving in the first season of the post-Pat Summitt era, Tennessee believes it's ready to start competing for national titles again.

Tennessee hasn't reached a Final Four since its 2008 national championship, the Lady Vols' longest absence from that event since the NCAA started running the tournament in 1982. This year's Final Four takes place in Nashville, about a three-hour drive from Tennessee's campus.

"It does feel a little bit different because our goal is just right up the street," senior guard Meighan Simmons said Tuesday. "It's one of those things where we have to pay attention to detail and not think too far ahead of ourselves."

The high expectations represent a change from last year, when Southeastern Conference coaches picked Tennessee to finish fifth in the league. Tennessee instead won the SEC regular-season title.

"I think we have a great chance of winning the entire thing," junior forward Cierra Burdick said. "I think we have an awesome opportunity to go to Nashville and compete in that Final Four and bring it on home to Knoxville."

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick embraces these ambitious goals. She started talking to her players about the possibility of getting to Nashville almost as soon as their 2012-13 season ended with a surprising 86-78 loss to Louisville in the Oklahoma City Regional final.

The Lady Vols, who have won eight national championships during Summitt's 38-year tenure, adopted the slogan "Grind For Nine" as they began preseason workouts Monday with a 6 a.m. workout.

"We're not trying to hide it," Warlick said. "We want to be there. We need to be there. You just talk about it. It's part of this program. It's part of the foundation Pat built. You don't shy away from competition and you approach things. It is what it is. We've got to go out and compete and make sure that we have a chance to be in Nashville."

The Lady Vols welcome back 2013 SEC newcomer of the year Bashaara Graves as well as Simmons, an Associated Press All-America third-team selection last season. Tennessee also adds one of the nation's most highly touted freshmen in 6-foot-6 post player Mercedes Russell, who should team up with Graves and 6-3 junior Isabelle Harrison to give Tennessee a formidable collection of post players.

"I think hands down we have the best frontcourt in the country," Burdick said.

Tennessee's backcourt returns Simmons and junior Ariel Massengale, last year's starting point guard. Redshirt freshman Andraya Carter started five of Tennessee's first seven games last year before a torn labrum in her right shoulder ended her season. The backcourt also adds freshman Jordan Reynolds.

Tennessee is spending the preseason working on its conditioning and defense. Conditioning could prove critical because Tennessee's roster includes only 10 players. Warlick constantly stresses that rebounding and defense have been the hallmarks of Tennessee's title winners.

Simmons, the Lady Vols' lone senior, believes this group is capable of being Tennessee's next championship team.

"For my senior year, this is the last go-around," Simmons said. "I've got to grind it out for the ninth championship because I know I don't want to leave without a championship."

Pat Summitt Attends Fundraiser for Her Foundation

Hundreds of family members, friends and fans gathered at the Charles Hand Family Farm to show their support for legendary Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt.

The second annual "Evening for Pat" raised money for the Pat Summitt Foundation. The event was organized by Oasis In-Home Care, Avalon Hospice and Walking Horse Meadows Assisted Living.

"We deal so much one on one with families who have members suffering from Alzheimer's," said Cindy Hancock, Director of Community Relations for Oasis In-Home Care. "It is huge for us to raise awareness to find a cure."

Participants enjoyed music, food, a silent auction, and the opportunity to see Coach Summitt. Throughout the night she shook countless hands, took photos and received plenty of hugs.

"It's been great," said Pat Summitt, Lady Vols Coach Emeritus. "There are so many people here, and that is really special."

Summitt was diagnosed with early on-set dementia in 2011. While she did step down from her head coaching position at the University of Tennessee, the Cheatham County Central High School grad hasn't slowed down.

"Pat has brought so much energy and excitement to this cause," said Adam Waller, Director of Community Relations at The Pat Summitt Foundation. "She has helped increase funding with the federal government, and donations at events like this."

The Pat Summitt Foundation was set up to make grants to nonprofits which provide education and awareness of Alzheimer's, its onset and treatment. The organization also provided support services to patients, their families and caregivers.

Last year's fundraiser for The Pat Summitt Foundation raised $8,000. This year organizers expected to raise more than $15,000.

"It just feels good to see all these people here helping the foundation," said Summitt. "I'm happy to be here."

For more information on The Pat Summitt Foundation, visit their Web site.

Catchings, Fever overwhelm Sky

Indiana advances to Eastern Conference finals to play either Atlanta or Washington

Sometimes, Indiana rookie guard Layshia Clarendon suddenly will remember that her down-to-earth, low-key, friendly teammate is actually a very big deal.

"I see the way people cheer for her, the way the other team reacts when they announce her name," Clarendon said. "And I think, 'Oh, my gosh, that's right. This is the Tamika Catchings, three-time gold medalist, awesome community leader.' They are those 'oh wow' moments. But she makes you feel like she's just another person."

Of course, Catchings isn't just another player. She is a future Hall of Famer, someone who is at least in the MVP discussion every WNBA season. And in the Fever's Eastern Conference first-round series victory over Chicago, Catchings displayed her usual relentlessness. She was the best player on the court.

Sorry, Sky, but you'll just have to chalk this one up to a hard lesson. Chicago finished first in the East, but had its season ended decisively by Catchings and the Fever, 79-57, Sunday. Catchings led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds, her 20th double-double in 49 career playoff games.

"She carries this team," Fever coach Lin Dunn said. "Often in her career, she's been overlooked, but she does so many things on both ends of the floor."

In some ways, though, it's less that Catchings is overlooked than she is taken for granted. But this year, with players such as center Jessica Davenport and guard/forward Katie Douglas out virtually all season with injuries, the Fever had to rely on Catchings as much as ever.

And the Tennessee graduate -- who turned 34 in July -- came through once again. Sunday was the Fever's largest margin of victory in a playoff game, and came two days after an 85-72 win Friday in Chicago. Catchings had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, plus – as always -- set the tone defensively in Game 1. There was no backing down from the Fever in Game 2; if anything, they were even more intense.

The Sky might have been the East's No. 1 seed and the Fever No. 4, but Indiana had won the regular-season series 3-1 and was appearing in the postseason for the 10th time. Meanwhile, this was Chicago's first playoff appearance, and it looked like it. The Sky were pretty much whipped in every facet of play.

Defending WNBA champion Indiana led by 20 at halftime, and it never seemed as if the Sky had a realistic chance to catch up. The Sky shot 29.8 percent (17 of 57), were outrebounded 38-30, and were outscored in the paint 34-24.

"I look at areas of play where we were basically dominated," Sky coach Pokey Chatman said. "In terms of the boards, second-chance [points], paint points -- and that can't happen. The result: 17 made field goals.

"We knew coming in it wouldn't be a different game plan from Indiana, because they had success before. So it was a matter of us connecting some of the dots, and being high-IQ basketball players, making reads and plays. It gets down to toughness -- loose balls, rebounds, deflections. I'm disappointed that we went out like this; I like this team; I understand the areas we need to grow."

To do that, no team could be a better example for the Sky to follow than Indiana. Let's certainly not forget that the Fever have taken their lumps and shed bitter tears of frustration over the years, too, at playoff disappointments since the franchise began in 2000.

Catchings, the No. 3 pick in the 2001 draft, couldn't play that season because of a torn ACL she suffered her senior season in college, but then she helped lead the Fever to the playoffs in her rookie-of-the-year season of 2002. But it would take a decade before the Fever won the WNBA title in 2012, which was their ninth appearance in the playoffs.

"The way we had the upper hand was experience," Dunn said of this series. "That's a very, very talented team [in Chicago]. Do not underestimate the value of experience -- we've won a championship, and we've been in the Finals before [in 2009]."

All true, but there's a lot of talent on this Indiana team, too. Guard Shavonte Zellous, a fifth-year pro, was given the league's most improved player award before the game, as she nearly doubled her season scoring average from 2012 (7.5 ppg to 14.7).

Zellous, who had team-high 20 points Friday, scored 10 Sunday. Erlana Larkins, who like Zellous was such a key player during the 2012 WNBA Finals, had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, plus held her own against Sylvia Fowles inside.

Fowles had 14 points and 14 rebounds, with Epiphanny Prince and 2013 rookie of the year Elena Delle Donne scoring 10 points each.

Indiana has just four available players off the bench, but got 23 points out of them, led by Clarendon's nine. The Fever shot 45.8 percent from the field Sunday, after a 50.8 percent performance on Friday. Very impressive, especially for a team known for its defense. Dunn joked that maybe the Fever were making so many shots because they spent so much time in practice playing defense that they really enjoyed shooting in the games.

Now the Fever await the winner of Monday's deciding Game 3 between No. 2 seed Atlanta and No. 3 Washington; either way, Indiana will travel for Thursday's first game of the East finals, since the Fever are the lowest seed.

But Indiana has played well from that position of late: This was the third series in a row, dating back to 2012, where Indiana won as the lower seed. The Fever beat East No. 1 Connecticut and West No. 1 Minnesota in last year's playoffs.

"We came into this series knowing Chicago had three really good players, and we had to defend at a high level," Zellous said. "And I think we did that. I think now our goal is to try to get back to the Finals. So whatever it takes."

LA's Candace Parker wins WNBA MVP

Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker has won the WNBA MVP, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Parker will receive the award Thursday night in Los Angeles before the Sparks play the Phoenix Mercury in the opener of their Western Conference playoff series. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.

Parker edged out Minnesota's Maya Moore and Chicago's Elena Delle Donne in one of the closest ballots in league history, the person told the AP. Parker finished with 234 points, Moore had 218 and Delle Donne 189. It's the closest the top two players have been in the voting since Sheryl Swoopes edged Lauren Jackson by two points in 2005.

Parker and Moore each received 10 first-place votes from the 39-member national media panel.

The 27-year-old Parker averaged 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists in helping the Sparks (24-10) finish second in the Western Conference.

It's the second MVP award for Parker, who won it her rookie year. Parker also won the All-Star game MVP this past July. She was runner-up to Tina Charles last season for the award.

Parker, who is still looking for her first WNBA championship, is the fifth player to earn multiple MVP awards, joining Jackson, Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Cynthia Cooper.

Taste of Turkey Creek events raises $10k for Pat Summitt Foundation

About 750 people got a chance to sample food from Knoxville-area restaurants Friday, as well as join in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.

The Taste of Turkey Creek was a fund-raising event for the Pat Summitt Foundation.

A total of $10,000 was raised by attendees as they sampled food and drinks from 16 restaurants. There was also a silent auction and music performances.

Proceeds will be used by the Pat Summitt Foundation in efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's, as well as for support services for families.

"I think it's actually making people aware, bringing people out, and allowing people to see that the Pat Summitt Foundation is making an impact," Ryan Collins said about the event.

The Pinnacle at Turkey Creek hosted the event. The Cole Neuroscience Center at The University of Tennessee Medical Center served as the presenting sponsor.

Annual Summitt fundraiser is Sept. 26

The second annual “Evening for Pat” — a fundraiser for the The Pat Summitt Foundation — will be held Sept. 26 from 5-7 p.m. at the Charles Hand Farm in Cedar Hill. Summitt, a 1970 graduate of Cheatham County Central High School, resigned in 2012 as the head women's basketball coach at the University of Tennessee after being diagnosed with early on-set dementia a year earlier. Tickets for the fundraiser are $25 and includes dinner, dessert and drinks. Tickets are limited. The event will also feature an anticipated visit from Summitt, a silent auction and entertainment. For ticket information, call Alison Hurt with Avalon Hospice at 931-561-7915; Cindy Hancock of Oasis In-Home Care at 931-266-4441 or 270-839-2706; or Denise Rangel at 931-436-0979. The Charles Hand Farm is on Ross Road (located off Interstate 24, exit 19, Maxey Road). Summitt is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA men's or women's basketball with 1,098 victories. She led the Lady Vols to eight national championships, 18 NCAA Final Fours and a combined 32 SEC regular season and tournament titles during her 38-year career at Tennessee.

Pat Summitt Has Ankle Surgery

Quote from Pat: "Home recovering from ankle surgery. All went well! Will miss walks with the dogs for the next little bit. Motivated to get well soon!"

Pat Summitt helps the New York Yankees launch Worldwide Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Before the start of the New York Yankees afternoon game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, the organization helped launch the Alzheimer's Association's "Worldwide Alzheimer's Awareness Month."

The Yankees were joined by Tennessee head coach emeritus Pat Summitt and her son Tyler — who received the 2012 Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award from the Alzheimer's Association for the work they've done with the Pat Summitt — in the pregame ceremony. Representatives from the Alzheimer Association were also on the field for the launch.

"My son, Tyler, and I want to thank the New York Yankees for stepping up in a big way to increase awareness and funding for the fight against Alzheimer's disease," Summit said in a statement on Friday. "We are honored to have been invited to stand with them and the Alzheimer's Association to launch this month-long public awareness effort."

Summitt won 1,098 games and eight national titles in her Hall of Fame tenure with the Volunteers. The 61-year-old coach was diagnosed with early-onset dementia and retired from coaching in April 2012.

The Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Los Angeles Dodgers are the other six MLB franchises that are joining the Yankees in support of the cause.

Pat Summitt's statement:

"My son, Tyler, and I want to thank the New York Yankees for stepping up in a big way to increase awareness and funding for the fight against Alzheimer's disease," said Summitt, who is the NCAA's all-time winningest basketball coach for men's or women's programs. "We are honored to have been invited to stand with them and the Alzheimer's Association to launch this month-long public awareness effort."

Warlick Announces Women's Hoops Schedule

Candace Parker's Jersey Retirement Slated For Jan. 2

After the Southeastern Conference Office unveiled this year's league schedule on Tuesday, Tennessee Head Women's Basketball Coach Holly Warlick announced her team's 2013-14 slate. UT also revealed it will retire Candace Parker's jersey on Jan. 2 prior to the LSU game.

The defending SEC champion Lady Volunteers, who were 27-8 in 2012-13 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, will play 18 regular-season games vs. teams that saw postseason action a year ago. That group includes 11 teams that made the NCAA Tournament and five that played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

Warlick's squad, which enters the campaign ranked No. 3 in Charlie Creme's espnW 2013-14 preseason top 25, already has four games being televised by the ESPN family of networks, including a pair of "Big Monday" home tilts vs. Notre Dame and Vanderbilt, an "ESPN Sunday" showdown vs. Kentucky and an "ESPN Tip-Off Marathon" match-up at North Carolina. The rest of the TV schedule and remaining start times will be announced at a later date.

Season tickets go on sale starting Tuesday, Sept. 10, and can be purchased by visiting UTTIX.com or calling 1-800-332-VOLS (8657).

Just as it did last season, Tennessee will play its first two contests of the campaign on the road, starting with an in-state foe, followed by an ACC school from a neighboring state.

The Lady Vols will pop the top on the 2013-14 slate in Murfreesboro on Nov. 8 against Middle Tennessee, which the Lady Vols needed overtime to defeat last season, 88-81. A road trip to Chapel Hill comes next, as UT faces a talent-laden North Carolina squad in a contest that is slated to be televised on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 11 as part of the 24-hour "ESPN Tip-Off Marathon."

"It's a great schedule for us," Warlick said. "I think it is challenging early, when we open with Middle Tennessee and North Carolina on the road. Middle took us to overtime on our home court last season, and North Carolina is a very talented team. Those are two pretty tough games right off the bat."

The schedule features a trip to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam at Freeport/Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island over Thanksgiving, UT's first international travel since going to the Virgin Islands in 2010-11, and the much-anticipated recognition of Parker before UT opens its SEC slate vs. the Lady Tigers.

Parker's banner will become the seventh honoring a member of the Lady Vol program, joining head coach emeritus Pat Summitt as well five other players whose jerseys have been retired. That group includes Warlick, Bridgette Gordon, Daedra Charles, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings.

"Candace just exemplifies what it means to be a Lady Vol," Warlick said. "She plays hard, she's won championships, she's won awards, she's a great role model, she has her degree and she loves this program. She's what a Lady Vol should be.

"She has represented our country and won gold medals, played in Europe, been named MVP, Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game MVP for the WNBA, won NCAA titles, you name it. Through all of that, Candace has never lost sight of where she's come from and how hard the road has been to get there. I think she loves this program as much as anyone can."

In addition to a rigorous 16-contest Southeastern Conference schedule, Tennessee will face 13 non-conference foes, including 2013 NCAA Women's Final Four participant Notre Dame. The Irish women will make a second-straight appearance in Knoxville on Jan. 20 (7 p.m., ESPN2, "Big Monday") after UT already has begun conference play. A trip to perennial power Stanford also is on the calendar for Dec. 21.

Besides having the marquee home match-up vs. the Irish, the Lady Vols will welcome non-conference foes Chattanooga (Nov. 14), Georgia Tech (Nov. 17), Tennessee Tech (Nov. 21) and Oakland (Nov. 24) to Thompson-Boling Arena during the first month of the season and Texas (Dec. 8), Troy (Dec. 14) and Lipscomb (Dec. 29) in month two. Lipscomb is coached by former UT graduate assistant and assistant Greg Brown and joins Oakland and Troy in making first-time appearances on the Tennessee schedule.

The home opener vs. the Mocs features the foe from Warlick's first game as head coach a year ago (an 80-71 UTC win on Nov. 9), while the second home game is against the Yellow Jackets, the team Warlick recorded her first head coaching victory against last Nov. 11.

"It's a solid home schedule for us," Warlick said. "Notre Dame is a great home game for us, and I expect the atmosphere to be incredible in Thompson-Boling Arena for that "Big Monday" game. We also have three of our road opponents from last season, Chattanooga, Georgia Tech and Texas, in Knoxville this year. We know what all three programs are capable of doing.

"We also look forward to renewing our rivalry with Tennessee Tech (first meeting since 1991) and adding Oakland, Troy and Lipscomb to our schedule. We can't express enough how much we enjoy playing in front of our fans, who have helped us lead the nation in attendance 18 times in the past 22 seasons."

After playing Middle Tennessee and North Carolina to open the season, Tennessee won't hit the road again until the Junkanoo Jam. In the Bahamas, the Lady Vols are scheduled to face Virginia in a Thanksgiving Day affair at 2 p.m. ET on Nov. 28. Kansas State and SMU will battle in the other Lucaya Bracket game at 4:15 p.m. ET, with the winners of those contests meeting for the championship at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 29. The losing teams play for third place earlier that day at 4:45 p.m.

"I'm excited about the Junkanoo Jam," Warlick said. "We were looking for somewhere to go and hadn't been to the Bahamas. Playing Virginia, who we lost to on the road two seasons ago, and facing either Kansas State or SMU (WNIT teams last season) in the second game, we think this will be a good tournament for us to compete and grow as a team.

"When you can take players out of the country to a tropical setting and enjoy that location while also focusing on playing basketball games, it's a great thing to do. It's a competitive tournament, so we're going to be challenged on the court, but we're also going to enjoy being on the island over Thanksgiving."

The next true road contest and the final regular-season non-conference game away from Knoxville takes place on Dec. 21, as the Lady Vols head to California to take on Stanford in Maples Pavilion. UT is 22-8 all-time vs. the Cardinal, but the Big Orange possesses only a 5-6 mark in Maples and has suffered losses in each of its last three trips there.

Following the Lipscomb game on Dec. 29, UT launches into league play. This marks the fifth year of the 16-game SEC schedule for women's basketball and the second with 14 teams. The league slate is a single round robin with one permanent opponent and two random opponents.

The Lady Vols, who went 14-2 in conference play a year ago, will welcome LSU (Jan. 2), Ole Miss (Jan. 9), Florida (Jan. 23), Arkansas (Jan. 30), Vanderbilt (Feb. 10, 9 p.m., "Big Monday"), Kentucky (Feb. 16, 1 p.m., "ESPN Sunday"), Auburn (Feb. 20) and South Carolina (March 2) to Thompson-Boling Arena. UK, USC, VU and LSU all were NCAA participants in 2012-13, while AU, ARK and UF competed in the WNIT.

Tennessee, of course, will have a road trip to Vanderbilt (Jan. 12), its permanent opponent. The Lady Vols also will travel to LSU (Feb. 27) and Ole Miss (Feb. 6), their two random opponents this season. Other SEC road trips include Georgia (Jan. 5), Mississippi State (Jan. 16), Texas A&M (Jan. 26), Alabama (Feb. 2) and Missouri (Feb. 23). UGA and A&M were NCAA teams last season, while Missouri played in the WNIT.

"The SEC is the toughest conference in the country," Warlick said. "We had 11 teams in postseason play last year, so that tells you who you're facing every game. We have two new coaches in the conference who will bring the quality of play up even more, so I don't expect it to get any easier."

Tennessee opens up the 2013-14 campaign with one exhibition contest this season. The Lady Vols once again will play Carson-Newman, hosting the Lady Eagles on Nov. 4 and marking the ninth-straight year the teams have met in the preseason.

Postseason play will begin in Duluth, Ga., where Tennessee will try to win its fourth SEC Tournament title in seven seasons on March 5-9 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.

While Tennessee has its focus squarely on making the NCAA Final Four in Nashville on April 6 & 8, the available paths to Bridgestone Arena have not been revealed. The NCAA will announce the sites for the First and Second Rounds and Regionals no later than Oct. 1.

"The Final Four is our goal, whether it's in Nashville or New Orleans like it was last season," Warlick said. "We're going to embrace it, because it is special to be there. I hope it gives us more incentive, more motivation to play for a national championship in our home state.

"We're not shying away from it. It's something we are talking about. It's a great opportunity and should be a great motivation for our team this season."

Click here to view the schedule.

Lady Vols' Warlick receives raise, extension

Tennessee coach Holly Warlick has received a one-year contract extension and a $65,000 raise after leading the Lady Vols to a Southeastern Conference regular-season title and a regional final appearance in her debut season.

Tennessee athletic department spokesman Eric Trainer confirmed the extension and raise, which were first reported Tuesday night by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Warlick's contract now runs through March 2017. The raise increases her total annual pay to $550,000.

Warlick went 27-8 in her first season after taking over for Pat Summitt, who won 1,098 games and eight national titles in 38 seasons at Tennessee. Warlick played for Summitt at Tennessee and worked as her assistant for 27 seasons.

Warlick won the Maggie Dixon Award given annually to the nation's top Division I rookie coach.

Summitt documentary to air July 9

Don't forget that Pat XO, a documentary on Pat Summitt's life, airs July 9 on ESPN.

Two Tennessee Lady Vols pack bags for USA Basketball games

Two Tennessee Lady Vols will see the world this summer courtesy of USA Basketball.

Point guard Ariel Massengale left for Colorado Springs last Tuesday to begin practicing with the U.S. World University Games team. The Games are July 8-15 in Kazan, Russia.

Forward Bashaara Graves, meanwhile, will play for the U19 team in the World Championship for Women July 18-28 in Panevezys, Lithuania. She leaves for Colorado Springs on Monday to begin practice. The team will play a warm-up tournament in the Canary Islands July 12-14 before heading for Lithuania.

Pat Summitt says she’s ‘very, very content’ while attending screening of documentary about her

Pat Summitt says she’s “very, very content” in her new role now that she’s had a year to adjust to life after coaching.

The former Tennessee women’s basketball coach showed no obvious signs of her illness Wednesday during a rare three-minute session with local media at a preview screening of “Pat XO,” a documentary on her life airing July 9 on ESPN.

Summitt stepped down in April 2012, one year after announcing she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. Summitt, whose 1,098 career victories make her the winningest Division I men’s or women’s basketball coach in history, attended most of the Lady Vols’ practices and watched nearly every home game from the stands this past season as head coach emeritus.

“At first, it was different, obviously,” Summitt said. “But you know, I decided I was going to step down and let Holly (Warlick) take care of it. I’m very, very content in my role. Obviously I go to practice with them and all, but I think Holly is doing a great job.”

Summitt received a warm welcome at a downtown Knoxville screening that took place less than two miles from Thompson-Boling Arena, the home floor where she led Tennessee to eight national titles.

She posed for pictures and greeted fans while walking the length of an orange carpet that led to the theater. The invitation-only screening drew 250 people, though dozens more fans and the Tennessee cheerleading squad arrived to celebrate her appearance.

“That’s just Tennessee,” Summitt said of the reception. “That’s what people do. They come out and they support you. I’m just really excited we’re going to have a lot of people her so they can actually see it.”

Summitt has signed on for a second year as head coach emeritus on Warlick’s staff. Tennessee went 27-8 and reached a regional final this past season under Warlick, who played for Summitt and Tennessee and worked as her assistant for 27 seasons.

Her new role also gave Summitt more time to spend watching her son, Tyler, who just completed his first season as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Marquette. Summitt spent part of her session with reporters talking about her son’s “great wedding” that took place in Knoxville earlier this month.

“I was happy for him,” Summitt said. “They’d been wanting that for a long time.”

One of the people attending Wednesday’s preview screening was North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, who flew down from Chapel Hill and left her basketball camp just to catch the movie and support her former graduate school classmate.

“It is the first time I haven’t given out the awards at one of my camps in 27 years, but it’s that important, that special,” Hatchell said. “I’ll do anything for Pat.”

The preview screening occurred on the same day that Tennessee officials formally announced plans to build a plaza on campus honoring Summitt and including a bronze statue of the Hall of Fame coach. The plaza will be privately funded by donations, though athletic director Dave Hart said he was unsure of its exact cost.

Hart said he hoped it would be completed in time to have a dedication ceremony later this year.

“I’m hoping this fall at some point during the middle to late part of the football season we could have a dedication,” Hart said. “A lot of things have to fall into place for us to hit that target, but I’m hopeful that we can find a way to hit that target.”

UT Announces Pat Summitt Plaza

Statue, Plaza To Honor NCAA's All-Time Winningest Coach

From 1974-2012, Pat Summitt built an incomparable legacy as head coach of the Lady Vol basketball program. As a way of saying thank you for all she has meant to the University of Tennessee and the Volunteer State, the UT Athletics Department would like to honor the Hall of Fame coach and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient in a spectacular and lasting way.

Plans call for Pat Summitt Plaza to be built at the corner of Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Phillip Fulmer Way, providing an impressive entry to the campus and greeting fans as they arrive via those avenues for basketball games at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Tennessee Fund is providing the opportunity for all Tennessee fans to pay tribute to the coach with the most victories in NCAA basketball history.

The plaza will serve as a permanent testament to the career of college basketball's greatest coach. A prime entry point for the new Lake Loudoun Boulevard entrance of campus, the area will feature a bronze statue of Coach Summitt and will celebrate the success of the Lady Vol basketball program.

"This is an exciting opportunity to honor, in perpetuity, the coach who is synonymous with the sport of women's basketball," Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart said of the legendary Summitt. "Generations to come will enjoy seeing this beautiful statue and plaza named for this exceptional leader, role model and the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history."

Pat Summitt's influence stretches all over the world," WNBA standout, ESPN analyst and former Lady Vol Kara Lawson said. "I'm thrilled the University of Tennessee is honoring a woman who, as a pioneer, champion and catalyst, shaped the women's game. As a former player, I feel fortunate to have learned under the greatest basketball coach in history."

In her 38 seasons as head coach at UT, Summitt guided the Lady Vols to an eye-popping 1,098-208 record and a remarkable winning percentage of .840. Along the way, her teams won eight NCAA championships and 32 combined SEC regular season and tournament titles.

During her tenure, Summitt produced 14 Olympians, 21 WBCA/Kodak/State Farm All-Americans who earned 36 honors and 39 All-SEC players who were recognized a total of 82 times. She also sent 34 of her players to the WNBA, including 15 drafted in the first round and three chosen with the first pick.

The most impressive statistic of Summitt's career, however, is the 100-percent graduation rate for players who completed their eligibility at Tennessee. That figure represents 122 Lady Vols who earned diplomas, including several who obtained master's degrees before leaving Rocky Top.

"This is a well-deserved honor for my coach, mentor and friend," said Holly Warlick, current head coach of the Lady Vols, who played for Summitt from 1976-80 and coached alongside her for 27 years. "She will always be a legend for Tennesseans and others throughout the country."

To support this important project or for more information, please call the Tennessee Fund office at (865) 974-1218, visit patsummittplaza.com, or email info@patsummittplaza.com.

Summitt joins FIBA Hall of Fame

Lady Vols head coach emeritus Pat Summitt has been inducted into the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Hall of Fame in Switzerland.

The ceremony took place Tuesday in Mies, Switzerland.

Summitt was among six former players, three coaches, two technical officials and a contributor composed the class of 2013.

Coach Holly Warlick attended the induction on Summitt's behalf.

In addition to Summitt, other inductees included Jean-Jacques Conceiçao of Angola, Australia's Andrew Gaze, Paula Gonçalves of Brazil, Serbia's Zoran Slavnic and the USA pair of David Robinson and Teresa Edwards making up the contingent of players. They were joined from the coaching profession by the late John 'Jack' Donohue of Canada and Italy's Cesare Rubini.

Technical officials Valentin Lazarov of Bulgaria and Costas Rigas of Greece, along with contributor Aldo Vitale of Italy, rounded out the impressive list.

"The 2013 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame is truly a special one," said FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann.

"These are great personalities who have experienced great success on and off the court, but who also stand out for the character they have shown and for the countless efforts they have made to help promote our sport."

"It's a tremendous honor for Coach Summitt," Warlick said. "Obviously, everyone knows about her collegiate career and what she has done. Her international accomplishments as a player and coach are just incredible.

"She played on the first Olympic Team in 1976, and she coached and won a gold medal in 1984 at the Games in Los Angeles. She is an icon, not only in the States, but all over the world. It is a great accomplishment for Coach Summitt, and I was very honored to accept this for her."

Summitt is the ninth coach inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. She's also a member of the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame, National Association for Sport and Physical Education Hall of Fame, Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and Lady Vol Hall of Fame.

Pat Summitt wins Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award from college sports information directors

Former Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt is the winner of the Keith Jackson Eternal Flame Award, an honor given annually by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Tennessee women’s athletic director emeritus Joan Cronan accepted the award on Summitt’s behalf Friday during the sports information directors’ convention.

The award goes to an individual or an organization that has made a lasting contribution to college athletics.

Summitt stepped down as the Tennessee women’s basketball coach in April 2012, one year after announcing she had early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. Summitt led Tennessee to eight national titles and 18 Final Four appearances in 38 seasons. Her 1,098 career wins are the most by any Division I men’s or women’s basketball coach.

Summitt remains on Tennessee’s staff as head coach emeritus.

Holly Warlick, Geno Auriemma to host hall of fame fund-raiser

Tyler Summitt marries AnDe Ragsdale in Knoxville

Tyler Summitt tied the knot with AnDe Ragsdale in Knoxville on Saturday.

Before the wedding ceremony, Tyler tweeted, "Getting married to the love my life, and better half - AnDe. I can't thank God enough for blessing me with an angel."

According to ESPN, Tyler popped the question to his high school sweetheart in August even though he'd recently undergone an emergency appendectomy.

"He was still able to go on a walk with me," Ragsdale told ESPN. "He had this beautiful Bible made for me, and he read a verse out of it. On the front of it he had engraved, 'Mr. and Mrs. Summitt.' It was perfect - it was simple and sweet, and that's what I love. He was great. . . despite having a really sore abdomen."

Tyler is the only child of iconic women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, who now serves as head coach emeritus for the Lady Vols.

Tennessee fans watch Tyler grow up alongside his mother on the sidelines in Thompson-Boling Arena, eventually playing for the Vols basketball team. One of the most memorable moment was when Pat Summitt held young Tyler in her arms while cutting down the basketball net after the Lady Vols won the 1991 NCAA title.

Following in his mother's footsteps, Tyler is now an assistant coach at Marquette in Milwaukee, embarking on his own career path.

Summitt Chosen for FIBA Hall

Pat Summitt headlines the 2013 FIBA Hall of Fame class.

Summitt, the all-time leader in victories in college basketball, won a silver medal as a player on the 1976 Olympic team and guided the U.S. to gold in 1984. She is one of only two American women to win a medal as both a player and head coach, joining Anne Donovan. Summitt also was the coach of the 1979 world championship team that won America's first gold medal at the event since 1957.

"Pat is a great personality who has experienced great success on and off the court, but who also stands out for the character she has shown and for the countless efforts she has made to help promote our sport," said FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann.

The induction ceremony will be June 19.

Semeka Randall named new Alabama A&M women's basketball coach

An hour before being introduced as the new women's basketball coach at Alabama A&M, Semeka Randall huddled with several of the team's returning players.

"She told us she was going to throw things at us we've never seen before," guard Brittney Strickland said. "She said as long as we keep an open mind, it'll work."

More than what she said, it was Randall heard that may be most important.

"I don't think I spoke as much as I listened," she said. "They were very vocal, informing me about campus and what I needed to know. It was a breath of fresh air. There was an eagerness there."

Randall, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, had been head coach at Ohio University for five seasons, but was fired March 11. She had a record of 50-103, 22-58 in the Mid-American Conference. The Bobcats were 6-23 last season in what was essentially a lame-duck year after her five-year contract was not given an extension prior to the season.

She had been an assistant coach at Cleveland State (2002-03), Michigan State (2004-07) and West Virginia (2007-08) before taking the Ohio job.

Randall was a two-time All-America at Tennessee under the legendary Pat Summitt and was a member of the Lady Vols' undefeated 1998 national championship team, arguably one of the best teams in women's college history. Or, as Randall will attest, "the best team ever."

Of her decision to go to Tennessee, "Pat recruited me since I was in the eighth grade." Had she not gone to UT, Randall said she'd have signed with UConn. "Either way, I'd have played for two intense people."

She was the 17th pick of the WNBA draft in 2001 and played in the league through the 2004 season.

As for what she'll throw at her players, the Lady Bulldogs will be playing a more aggressive defense, Randall promised.

Alabama A&M has played an ambitious non-conference schedule under her predecessor, Altherias Warmley, who was fired a month ago after 11 seasons on the job. Randall was non-committal about the schedule but noted several vacancies remain.

In a press conference also attended by A&M athletic department staff and a smattering of fans, director of athletics Bryan Hicks called it "an exciting day for Lady Bulldog fans" and called Randall "an outstanding coach (and) is even a better person. She has handled the highest level of success on the brightest stage -- NCAA champion, All-American, professional athlete -- with dignity."

Randall said "I believe I have a story to tell and share with the young women. ... I'm here to build a winning tradition. It's going to take time. It's going to take hard work. Our program will be run in a first-class manner. We will maintain compliance with the NCAA rules. Our student-athletes will have a great experience and we will enjoy this ride."

Kara Lawson Receives Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award

Kara Lawson of the Connecticut Sun is the recipient of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding work in the community in 2012, the WNBA announced today. The award recognizes the player whose outreach inspires the community and reflects Staley’s leadership, spirit, charitable efforts, and love for the game.

Lawson was previously recognized for her achievements on and off the court with the 2012 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

“Kara Lawson has represented the WNBA admirably and has done a phenomenal job in elevating its name over the course of her career,” said WNBA President Laurel J. Richie. “As evidenced by her efforts on behalf of the Pat Summitt Foundation, Kara is an ambassador and leader for all levels of basketball as well as a role model to girls and women everywhere.”

During the 2012 season, Lawson donated $50 for each three-pointer made to the Pat Summitt Foundation in honor of her collegiate coach. Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Lawson, however, inspired by her former coach wanted to do more than donate money; she immersed herself in a cause with the goal of inspiring others. Summitt, the legendary coaching figure who guided the Tennessee women’s basketball program to 1,098 wins and eight national championships, announced she was stepping down from the Lady Vols in April of 2012.

The Pat Summitt Foundation seeks to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s, its causes and help work towards a cure. For 2012, Lawson finished the season with a team-record 74 3-pointers, and her donation was matched by the Connecticut Sun Foundation, the Mohegan Tribe as well as others and fan donations. In total, the three-point campaign raised $32,000. In January of 2013, Lawson was named an honorary co-chair of the Pat Summitt Foundation Advisory Board.

"It’s an honor to pay tribute to Kara Lawson with the Dawn Staley Community Leadership award,” said WNBA Legend and University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. “Her work with the Pat Summitt Foundation shows her commitment to making a lasting difference around the nation about Alzheimer's. Her spirit of compassion has inspired others to get involved in finding a cure for Alzheimer's and honor an icon in sports."

The Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award is presented annually. Each WNBA team nominated one player and a designated committee selected Lawson as the winner. The WNBA will make a $10,000 donation to the Pat Summitt Foundation on behalf of Lawson.

"I'm thrilled to receive the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. My relationship with Dawn goes back over 20 years,” said Kara Lawson. “She was the first female basketball player I looked up to and tried to model myself after. She left an indelible impression on the women's game. I've always felt that being mentioned in the same breath as Dawn meant you were doing things the right way. My goal has always been to have a positive impact in my community. In my role with the Pat Summitt Foundation, I have the opportunity to work with a passionate group dedicated to end Alzheimer's. Thank you to Dawn and the WNBA for this prestigious award."

Tennessee to honor Pat Summitt with statue

Legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt spent a brisk Monday morning greeting golfers and sharing laughs before her charity golf tournament got under way at the Cherokee Country Club.

“You sure you want a picture with me?” she joked to one group of golfers.

Summitt was all smiles for the charity event, but when her statue is unveiled later this year, it might be more likely to feature her trademark icy stare.

Tennessee plans to unveil a statue of Summitt as early as this fall as part of the renovated streetscape on Lake Loudon Boulevard near the university’s athletic facilities.

Summitt, who officially stepped down from full-time coaching and assumed the title of head coach emeritus last year, has already been honored with a statue at UT Martin, her alma mater.

Soon she’ll have a second statue in Knoxville.

“It’s a very important component of the larger Lake Loudon project,” Dave Hart said. “There’s a natural embankment by Thompson-Boling Arena, and we’re working with architects to find the best place for the statue.”

Hart said the timing of the project is still uncertain, but he hopes it can be completed soon.

“We’re hopeful that by fall the entire project will be completed. I can’t say for certain that the statue will be there by then, but it will be obvious where the plaza and the statue will go,” he said.

Hart said the decision to honor Summitt was a no-brainer.

“It’s very exciting to be able to present this to the greatest coach of all time,” he said.

14 Lady Vols on WNBA preseason rosters

The first preseason contest of the WNBA’s 17th season tips off Thursday night, and 14 University of Tennessee graduates currently are listed on team rosters around the league.

There are 12 teams in the WNBA, and there is at least one Lady Vol playing for eight of them. The only teams that don’t currently have a UT player on the roster are Atlanta, Chicago, Minnesota and San Antonio.

Kamiko Williams, the No. 15 pick in the recent WNBA Draft, has embarked on her professional career with the New York Liberty. The 5-11 product of Clarksville, Tenn. (Northeast H.S.) joins former UT standouts Kelley Cain and Loree Moore in the Big Apple under the direction of head coach and general manager Bill Laimbeer. The former NBA star is in his first year in New York but guided the Detroit Shock to WNBA titles in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

Williams averaged 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists while helping lead the Lady Vols to the 2013 SEC regular season championship and a berth in the NCAA Elite 8. She made the All-Oklahoma City Regional Team because of her play in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games.

Tamika Catchings, 2012 WNBA Finals MVP, begins her 12th season with the defending WNBA champion Indiana Fever. She is joined on the roster by Shyra Ely-Gash, who missed the 2012 season due to injury. Former Lady Vol assistant Mickie DeMoss is back for her second year on the coaching staff, which is led by Lin Dunn, who earned her master’s degree at Tennessee after attending UT-Martin as an undergrad.

All-WNBA First-Teamer Candace Parker leads Los Angeles into the 2013 campaign, her sixth with the Sparks. Nicky Anosike is once again on the L.A. roster as she enters her sixth season in the league.

Kara Lawson, recipient of the WNBA’s 2012 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, begins her 11th season in the league and is in her third with the Connecticut Sun. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, Alexis Hornbuckle is onboard for her second year with the Mercury and sixth season overall in the league as No. 1 draft pick Brittney Griner makes her pro debut with the squad.

Glory Johnson and Vicki Baugh are back in Tulsa, where draft pick Skylar Diggins added an immediate buzz to the squad. Johnson made the 2012 WNBA All-Rookie Team a year ago, while Baugh was released on May 13 after an injury limited her availability. After sitting out the season, Baugh still is considered a rookie.

In Seattle, Shekinna Stricklen returns for her second year with the Storm. Former Lady Vol assistant Nancy Darsch continues to serve in the same role for the Storm.

Shannon Bobbitt and Michelle Snow are listed on the roster of the Washington Mystics after spending the 2012 season there. Snow is in her 12th year in the WNBA, while Bobbitt is enjoying her fifth season.

The WNBA will open its 17th regular season as part of WNBA Tip-Off 2013 presented by Boost Mobile on Friday, May 24, when Catchings leads the Fever into San Antonio to face the Silver Stars. WNBA Tip-Off 2013 presented by Boost Mobile will feature a total of six games including a nationally televised doubleheader on ESPN2 on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, featuring the Mystics at the Shock (3 p.m. ET) followed by the Sky at the Mercury (5 p.m. ET).

Tyler Summitt interviews for Chattanooga opening

Tyler Summitt has emerged as a candidate to fill the women’s basketball head coaching vacancy at Chattanooga.

The Marquette assistant coach, the son of Tennessee women’s head coach emeritus Pat Summitt, interviewed for the job on Saturday, said a source familiar with the process. The source requested anonymity because the interview hasn’t been made public.

Summitt interviewed with David Blackburn, who was named Chattanooga’s athletics director last month. He came to the school from Tennessee, where he was a senior associate athletics director. Blackburn has coaching openings to fill in both men’s and women’s basketball.

The Lady Mocs’ job opened early last month when Wes Moore left after 15 seasons to become the head coach at North Carolina State. Chattanooga tied a program record with 29 wins last season, including an 80-71 season-opening victory over UT. The Lady Mocs swept the Southern Conference regular season and conference tournament championships before losing to Nebraska in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The timetable for filling the Lady Mocs opening is not known.

Summitt, a Tennessee graduate, just completed his first season on Marquette’s staff. He interviewed for a coaching opening last month at Coastal Carolina. The job eventually went to Wake Forest assistant Jaida Williams.

Pat Summitt extends contract with Lady Vols another year

The University of Tennessee announced Wednesday that Pat Summitt has extended her contract for a year, and will continue working with the Lady Vols as head coach emeritus.

The 2013-2014 season will be her 40th with the women's basketball program. She served as head coach for 38 seasons and led the team to 1,098 victories.

UT working on new deal for Summitt

While Pat Summitt’s one-year deal with the University of Tennessee concludes on Tuesday, her tenure as head coach emeritus for the women’s basketball program will continue at least for another year.

Negotiations between the university and the Lady Vols coaching legend are ongoing on a new one-year deal. UT spokesperson Jimmy Stanton said Tuesday afternoon that final details were being worked out on the contract.

Summitt stepped into her new role last April after stepping down as the Lady Vols coach after 38 seasons. She completed her final season after announcing in August of 2011 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.