A great blog post about Pat Summitt from Jamy Bechler, the head coach of a high scoring and exciting women's basketball program at NAIA school Martin Methodist College located in Pulaski, TN.
http://coachbechler.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-pat-summitt-is-best.html
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
UT's Pat Summitt Named Head Coach Emeritus
College basketball all-time wins leader won 1,098 games at UT; Warlick named head coach
The University of Tennessee announced today that head women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, the all-time wins leader among NCAA basketball coaches, has been named head coach emeritus following 38 seasons (1974-2012) and 1,098 victories at Tennessee. Summitt will report to Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart and will serve in a variety of endeavors. In that capacity, she will continue to serve the women’s basketball program and its coaching staff and as a liaison to the Director of Athletics, remain involved in on-campus recruiting, and serve as a personal mentor to players, including life skills coaching.
Associate head coach Holly Warlick, an assistant on the Tennessee staff for 27 seasons and a three-time All-American as a player for the Lady Vols, has been named Summitt’s successor and will assume head coaching duties for the Tennessee women’s basketball program.
“I’ve loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role,” said Summitt. “I support Holly Warlick being named the next head coach, and I want to help ensure the stability of the program going forward. I would like to emphasize that I fully intend to continue working as head coach emeritus, mentoring and teaching life skills to our players, and I will continue my active role as a spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer’s through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund.
“If anyone asks, you can find me observing practice or in my office. Coaching is the great passion of my life, and the job to me has always been an opportunity to work with our student-athletes and help them discover what they want. I will continue to make them my passion. I love our players and my fellow coaches, and that’s not going to change.”
The all-time wins leader among college basketball coaches, Summitt finishes her 38-season career at Tennessee with a 1,098-208 record and an .841 winning pct. The Lady Vols won an unparalleled eight national championships under her leadership (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008) and played in 13 national championship games. Tennessee also won the SEC Championship and SEC Tournament title 16 times each, and Summitt was named SEC Coach of the Year eight times and NCAA Coach of the Year in seven seasons. Her sixth national championship team, the 1997-98 team, finished a perfect 39-0.
Additionally, the Tennessee women’s basketball team has reached the NCAA Final Four 18 times, tied with the UCLA and North Carolina men for the most all-time by a college basketball program. Summitt’s 18 trips to the Final Four is the most all-time among coaches, and her eight national titles trails only the 10 won by former UCLA coach John Wooden in Division I college basketball. Including the years as a member of the AIAW and four Final Four trips between 1977-81, Tennessee played in a combined 22 Final Fours overall during Summitt’s tenure. The program has appeared in 25 NCAA Regional finals, posting an 18-7 record, and the Lady Vols are 48-1 all-time in NCAA First and Second Round games.
“It is extremely difficult to adequately express what Pat Summitt has meant to the University of Tennessee, the sport of basketball, and the growth of women’s athletics nationally,” said Hart. “She is an icon who does not view herself in that light, and her legacy is well-defined and everlasting. Just like there will never be another John Wooden, there will never be another Pat Summitt. I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role. She is an inspiration to everyone.
“Holly Warlick has earned the opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee and to lead the Lady Vol program she has embraced as a player and a coach. I watched Holly grow tremendously as a coach throughout this past season. Under unique circumstances, the job she did away from the glare of the lights and crowds was as impressive as the job she did during game action. At this time in our historic program, which Pat Summitt built from scratch, Holly Warlick, the former player and longtime assistant coach, is deserving of the head coaching position. Her mentor will be available for insight and advice, but this is Holly’s team now.”
Warlick, who recently completed her 27th season as an assistant coach for Tennessee and her 31st overall with the program as a player or coach, is the first head coach of the Lady Vols other than Summitt since 1974, when Margaret Hutson completed a four-year tenure as the leader of the program (1971-74). Named associate head coach before the 2003-04 season, Warlick has been on the Tennessee coaching staff for all eight NCAA titles, and as a player or assistant, she has a role in 949 of Summitt’s 1,098 victories at Tennessee.
“I’m very thankful for all Pat Summitt has done to prepare me for this opportunity,” said Warlick. “She is my coach, mentor, and great friend, and I am honored with the opportunity to continue and add to the great tradition of this program. I’d like to thank Dave Hart, Chancellor Cheek, and the University for having confidence in me to lead the Lady Vol program, and we will work as hard as we possibly can with the goal of hanging more banners in Thompson-Boling Arena.”
Warlick originally joined the Tennessee athletics program as a scholarship 400-meter track athlete and a walk-on to the basketball team. A three-time All-American as a point guard at Tennessee, Warlick led Tennessee to three AIAW Final Fours as a player (1977, 1979, 1980) and held numerous school records upon the completion of her playing career in 1980, including most assists in a season and a game, most steals in a game, and most games in career. Warlick was the first Tennessee athlete, male or female, to have her jersey retired at the end of her career in 1980.
Warlick was inducted the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and in October 2002, she was a member of the second induction class of the University of Tennessee Lady Vol Hall of Fame. She also served two seasons each as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech (1981-83) and Nebraska (1983-85).
Under Summitt’s leadership, Tennessee is the only school to appear in all 32 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournaments since its inception in 1982, Tennessee has posted more NCAA Tournament victories (112) and has played in more tournament games (135) than any other college basketball program. The Lady Vols have earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament 21 times, including nine consecutive from 1988-96.
Additionally, the Tennessee program has produced 12 Olympians, 21 State Farm All-Americans named to 36 different teams, including 2012 All-American Glory Johnson. Lady Vol players have also received All-SEC accolades on 120 occasions.
Summitt was the head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball team that captured the gold medal in Los Angeles. On Oct. 13, 2000, she was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility and was inducted along with former NBA greats Isiah Thomas and Bob McAdoo, high school coach Morgan Wootten and contributors C.M. Newton and Danny Biasone.
Summitt added to a remarkable career of accomplishments and accolades during the 2011-12 season, when she was named Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year, an honor she shared with SI Sportsman of the Year Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke men’s basketball head coach who has won more games all-time than any other coach in men’s college basketball. The NCAA also named Summitt this year’s recipient of the 2012 NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award, which is named after the 38th President of the United States and annually honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics over the course of their career.
A 1974 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in physical education, Summitt earned her master’s degree in physical education from UT Knoxville in 1975. Her son, Tyler, was a member of the men’s basketball team who graduates with a degree in communications studies from UT Knoxville this May.
The Pat Summitt File
Career Record: 1,098 wins and 208 losses
Born: June 14, 1951 in Clarksville, Tenn.
Children: Ross Tyler Summitt, born Sept. 21, 1990
Education:
B.S., Physical Education, UT Martin, 1974
M.S., Physical Education, UT Knoxville, 1975
Playing Career:
1970-74 UT Martin
1973 U.S. World University Games Team
1975 Pan American Games Team
1975 World Championship Team
1976 U.S. Olympic Team (co-captain)
Coaching Career:
1974-2012, University of Tennessee Head Coach
1977 U.S. Junior National Team
1979 Pan American Games Team
1979, 1983 World Championships Team
1980 U.S. Olympic Basketball Assistant
1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball Head Coach
HEAD COACH EMERITUS AGREEMENT
Title: Head Coach Emeritus
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Liaison to the Director of Athletics.
2. Advisor to women’s basketball; participate in permissible activities related to women’s basketball (see permissible list).
3. Serve as advisor to the Southeastern Conference on women’s basketball issues.
4. Assist development office and athletics department with men’s and women’s basketball locker room enhancement project and other projects as identified.
5. Serve as mentor to all Tennessee athletic department coaching staffs.
Permissible Basketball Related Activities
Practice and Competition
Observe practice.
Participate in general staff meetings.
Analyze team or opponent video.
Analyze game or practice activities with members of the coaching staff.
Enter the women’s basketball locker room during half-time and after games as long as the team and individual players are not instructed.
Recruiting
Engage in all components of on-campus recruiting in women’s basketball and other sports. Be present at on-campus meals; communicate with recruits and their families.
Send letters, emails or handwritten notes to recruits in women’s basketball and other sports.
Attend official visit meals and functions within 30 miles of campus, including hosting a prospect for a meal at a staff member’s home.
Accompany a coach to airport to bring a prospect to campus for an official visit.
Player Development
Personal mentoring.
Life skills coaching.
The University of Tennessee announced today that head women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, the all-time wins leader among NCAA basketball coaches, has been named head coach emeritus following 38 seasons (1974-2012) and 1,098 victories at Tennessee. Summitt will report to Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart and will serve in a variety of endeavors. In that capacity, she will continue to serve the women’s basketball program and its coaching staff and as a liaison to the Director of Athletics, remain involved in on-campus recruiting, and serve as a personal mentor to players, including life skills coaching.
Associate head coach Holly Warlick, an assistant on the Tennessee staff for 27 seasons and a three-time All-American as a player for the Lady Vols, has been named Summitt’s successor and will assume head coaching duties for the Tennessee women’s basketball program.
“I’ve loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role,” said Summitt. “I support Holly Warlick being named the next head coach, and I want to help ensure the stability of the program going forward. I would like to emphasize that I fully intend to continue working as head coach emeritus, mentoring and teaching life skills to our players, and I will continue my active role as a spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer’s through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund.
“If anyone asks, you can find me observing practice or in my office. Coaching is the great passion of my life, and the job to me has always been an opportunity to work with our student-athletes and help them discover what they want. I will continue to make them my passion. I love our players and my fellow coaches, and that’s not going to change.”
The all-time wins leader among college basketball coaches, Summitt finishes her 38-season career at Tennessee with a 1,098-208 record and an .841 winning pct. The Lady Vols won an unparalleled eight national championships under her leadership (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008) and played in 13 national championship games. Tennessee also won the SEC Championship and SEC Tournament title 16 times each, and Summitt was named SEC Coach of the Year eight times and NCAA Coach of the Year in seven seasons. Her sixth national championship team, the 1997-98 team, finished a perfect 39-0.
Additionally, the Tennessee women’s basketball team has reached the NCAA Final Four 18 times, tied with the UCLA and North Carolina men for the most all-time by a college basketball program. Summitt’s 18 trips to the Final Four is the most all-time among coaches, and her eight national titles trails only the 10 won by former UCLA coach John Wooden in Division I college basketball. Including the years as a member of the AIAW and four Final Four trips between 1977-81, Tennessee played in a combined 22 Final Fours overall during Summitt’s tenure. The program has appeared in 25 NCAA Regional finals, posting an 18-7 record, and the Lady Vols are 48-1 all-time in NCAA First and Second Round games.
“It is extremely difficult to adequately express what Pat Summitt has meant to the University of Tennessee, the sport of basketball, and the growth of women’s athletics nationally,” said Hart. “She is an icon who does not view herself in that light, and her legacy is well-defined and everlasting. Just like there will never be another John Wooden, there will never be another Pat Summitt. I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role. She is an inspiration to everyone.
“Holly Warlick has earned the opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee and to lead the Lady Vol program she has embraced as a player and a coach. I watched Holly grow tremendously as a coach throughout this past season. Under unique circumstances, the job she did away from the glare of the lights and crowds was as impressive as the job she did during game action. At this time in our historic program, which Pat Summitt built from scratch, Holly Warlick, the former player and longtime assistant coach, is deserving of the head coaching position. Her mentor will be available for insight and advice, but this is Holly’s team now.”
Warlick, who recently completed her 27th season as an assistant coach for Tennessee and her 31st overall with the program as a player or coach, is the first head coach of the Lady Vols other than Summitt since 1974, when Margaret Hutson completed a four-year tenure as the leader of the program (1971-74). Named associate head coach before the 2003-04 season, Warlick has been on the Tennessee coaching staff for all eight NCAA titles, and as a player or assistant, she has a role in 949 of Summitt’s 1,098 victories at Tennessee.
“I’m very thankful for all Pat Summitt has done to prepare me for this opportunity,” said Warlick. “She is my coach, mentor, and great friend, and I am honored with the opportunity to continue and add to the great tradition of this program. I’d like to thank Dave Hart, Chancellor Cheek, and the University for having confidence in me to lead the Lady Vol program, and we will work as hard as we possibly can with the goal of hanging more banners in Thompson-Boling Arena.”
Warlick originally joined the Tennessee athletics program as a scholarship 400-meter track athlete and a walk-on to the basketball team. A three-time All-American as a point guard at Tennessee, Warlick led Tennessee to three AIAW Final Fours as a player (1977, 1979, 1980) and held numerous school records upon the completion of her playing career in 1980, including most assists in a season and a game, most steals in a game, and most games in career. Warlick was the first Tennessee athlete, male or female, to have her jersey retired at the end of her career in 1980.
Warlick was inducted the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and in October 2002, she was a member of the second induction class of the University of Tennessee Lady Vol Hall of Fame. She also served two seasons each as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech (1981-83) and Nebraska (1983-85).
Under Summitt’s leadership, Tennessee is the only school to appear in all 32 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournaments since its inception in 1982, Tennessee has posted more NCAA Tournament victories (112) and has played in more tournament games (135) than any other college basketball program. The Lady Vols have earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament 21 times, including nine consecutive from 1988-96.
Additionally, the Tennessee program has produced 12 Olympians, 21 State Farm All-Americans named to 36 different teams, including 2012 All-American Glory Johnson. Lady Vol players have also received All-SEC accolades on 120 occasions.
Summitt was the head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball team that captured the gold medal in Los Angeles. On Oct. 13, 2000, she was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility and was inducted along with former NBA greats Isiah Thomas and Bob McAdoo, high school coach Morgan Wootten and contributors C.M. Newton and Danny Biasone.
Summitt added to a remarkable career of accomplishments and accolades during the 2011-12 season, when she was named Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year, an honor she shared with SI Sportsman of the Year Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke men’s basketball head coach who has won more games all-time than any other coach in men’s college basketball. The NCAA also named Summitt this year’s recipient of the 2012 NCAA President’s Gerald R. Ford Award, which is named after the 38th President of the United States and annually honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics over the course of their career.
A 1974 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in physical education, Summitt earned her master’s degree in physical education from UT Knoxville in 1975. Her son, Tyler, was a member of the men’s basketball team who graduates with a degree in communications studies from UT Knoxville this May.
The Pat Summitt File
Career Record: 1,098 wins and 208 losses
Born: June 14, 1951 in Clarksville, Tenn.
Children: Ross Tyler Summitt, born Sept. 21, 1990
Education:
B.S., Physical Education, UT Martin, 1974
M.S., Physical Education, UT Knoxville, 1975
Playing Career:
1970-74 UT Martin
1973 U.S. World University Games Team
1975 Pan American Games Team
1975 World Championship Team
1976 U.S. Olympic Team (co-captain)
Coaching Career:
1974-2012, University of Tennessee Head Coach
1977 U.S. Junior National Team
1979 Pan American Games Team
1979, 1983 World Championships Team
1980 U.S. Olympic Basketball Assistant
1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball Head Coach
HEAD COACH EMERITUS AGREEMENT
Title: Head Coach Emeritus
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Liaison to the Director of Athletics.
2. Advisor to women’s basketball; participate in permissible activities related to women’s basketball (see permissible list).
3. Serve as advisor to the Southeastern Conference on women’s basketball issues.
4. Assist development office and athletics department with men’s and women’s basketball locker room enhancement project and other projects as identified.
5. Serve as mentor to all Tennessee athletic department coaching staffs.
Permissible Basketball Related Activities
Practice and Competition
Observe practice.
Participate in general staff meetings.
Analyze team or opponent video.
Analyze game or practice activities with members of the coaching staff.
Enter the women’s basketball locker room during half-time and after games as long as the team and individual players are not instructed.
Recruiting
Engage in all components of on-campus recruiting in women’s basketball and other sports. Be present at on-campus meals; communicate with recruits and their families.
Send letters, emails or handwritten notes to recruits in women’s basketball and other sports.
Attend official visit meals and functions within 30 miles of campus, including hosting a prospect for a meal at a staff member’s home.
Accompany a coach to airport to bring a prospect to campus for an official visit.
Player Development
Personal mentoring.
Life skills coaching.
Pat Summitt to step down: legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach won 1,098 games, 8 NCAA titles
Eight months after disclosing her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Pat Summitt was poised Wednesday to announce that she will step aside as the Tennessee women’s basketball coach, making way for longtime assistant Holly Warlick take over the Lady Vols.
The university will make the news official via a press release Wednesday afternoon after Summitt meets with her players in Knoxville, Tenn., to inform them in private. A news conference is expected to follow Thursday.
Summitt, who has won more college basketball game than any man or woman in the sport (1,098), is not retiring but will remain part of Tennessee’s staff, assuming the title “head coach emeritus,” which will give her latitude and flexibility to do as much mentoring with players as her health allows.
But her role will be circumscribed by NCAA rules, which will permit her to watch practice, collaborate on game plans and continue as a motivator, disciplinarian and mentor but will preclude her from actively coaching. Rather than sit on the bench during games, she’ll sit directly behind the Volunteers’ staff, able to consult with Warlick and, no doubt, telegraph her impressions of what’s unfolding on court through her famously piercing glare.
The development brings a measure of stability to an inherently fluid and unknowable situation, with neither Summitt nor her doctors able to predict the course of the disease.
In an exclusive interview with The Washington Post on Wednesday morning, Summitt said the decision to step aside after 38 seasons as Tennessee’s coach was not difficult, particularly given her long and productive association with Warlick, an assistant these last 27 years who shouldered game-day coaching duties last season, when Tennessee went 27-9 and lost to eventual national champion Baylor in a NCAA tournament region final.
“It is what it is,” Summitt said. “And Holly has been doing a lot, and we not only have a great friendship, we understand each other. And we can work through this.”
Warlick, 55, a three-time all-American and former Tennessee point guard, was a member of the coaching staff for all eight NCAA championships won under Summitt.
“She is my coach, mentor and great friend, and I am honored with the opportunity to continue and add to the great tradition of this program,” Warlick said.
Speaking to The Post, Summitt said that she felt good in terms of her health and intended to keep working not just for herself but also for the Lady Vols’ young players (Tennessee is losing five seniors) and for others facing medical challenges.
“I think I can help others just by my example,” she said.
And she intended to make that point when she met with her team on Wednesday.
“I want to talk to them and let them know I’m still going to be there,” Summitt said. “The thing is: I have to keep living and doing what I want to do, and those players mean the world to me. With s having five seniors leaving, I feel obligated in a positive way to be there for the team.”
Summitt’s new role, in which she’ll report to vice chancellor and director of athletics Dave Hart, was negotiated by Robert Barnett of Washington’s Williams and Connolly law firm, her longtime friend and attorney.
“This is just a progression,” Barnett said in an interview. “Pat has been — and will always be — a coach, a mentor and a friend to many. Her title may be different, but her role will be very much the same. She will guide — through instruction and example — players, coaches, the university, her community and, as an advocate, our country.”
Wednesday’s announcement coincided with another major development in the Summitt household. Her son Tyler Summitt, 21, due to graduate from Tennessee this spring after completing his degree in just three years, confirmed that he has accepted an assistant coaching job with Marquette’s women’s basketball team.
Summitt concludes her head coaching career with a 1,098-208 record and an .841 winning percentage. Her teams won the NCAA championship in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008.
The university will make the news official via a press release Wednesday afternoon after Summitt meets with her players in Knoxville, Tenn., to inform them in private. A news conference is expected to follow Thursday.
Summitt, who has won more college basketball game than any man or woman in the sport (1,098), is not retiring but will remain part of Tennessee’s staff, assuming the title “head coach emeritus,” which will give her latitude and flexibility to do as much mentoring with players as her health allows.
But her role will be circumscribed by NCAA rules, which will permit her to watch practice, collaborate on game plans and continue as a motivator, disciplinarian and mentor but will preclude her from actively coaching. Rather than sit on the bench during games, she’ll sit directly behind the Volunteers’ staff, able to consult with Warlick and, no doubt, telegraph her impressions of what’s unfolding on court through her famously piercing glare.
The development brings a measure of stability to an inherently fluid and unknowable situation, with neither Summitt nor her doctors able to predict the course of the disease.
In an exclusive interview with The Washington Post on Wednesday morning, Summitt said the decision to step aside after 38 seasons as Tennessee’s coach was not difficult, particularly given her long and productive association with Warlick, an assistant these last 27 years who shouldered game-day coaching duties last season, when Tennessee went 27-9 and lost to eventual national champion Baylor in a NCAA tournament region final.
“It is what it is,” Summitt said. “And Holly has been doing a lot, and we not only have a great friendship, we understand each other. And we can work through this.”
Warlick, 55, a three-time all-American and former Tennessee point guard, was a member of the coaching staff for all eight NCAA championships won under Summitt.
“She is my coach, mentor and great friend, and I am honored with the opportunity to continue and add to the great tradition of this program,” Warlick said.
Speaking to The Post, Summitt said that she felt good in terms of her health and intended to keep working not just for herself but also for the Lady Vols’ young players (Tennessee is losing five seniors) and for others facing medical challenges.
“I think I can help others just by my example,” she said.
And she intended to make that point when she met with her team on Wednesday.
“I want to talk to them and let them know I’m still going to be there,” Summitt said. “The thing is: I have to keep living and doing what I want to do, and those players mean the world to me. With s having five seniors leaving, I feel obligated in a positive way to be there for the team.”
Summitt’s new role, in which she’ll report to vice chancellor and director of athletics Dave Hart, was negotiated by Robert Barnett of Washington’s Williams and Connolly law firm, her longtime friend and attorney.
“This is just a progression,” Barnett said in an interview. “Pat has been — and will always be — a coach, a mentor and a friend to many. Her title may be different, but her role will be very much the same. She will guide — through instruction and example — players, coaches, the university, her community and, as an advocate, our country.”
Wednesday’s announcement coincided with another major development in the Summitt household. Her son Tyler Summitt, 21, due to graduate from Tennessee this spring after completing his degree in just three years, confirmed that he has accepted an assistant coaching job with Marquette’s women’s basketball team.
Summitt concludes her head coaching career with a 1,098-208 record and an .841 winning percentage. Her teams won the NCAA championship in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008.
Monday, April 16, 2012
WNBA Draft
Have you heard the great news from today's WNBA draft? Shekinna Stricklen was picked 2nd overall to Seattle Storm, Glory Johnson was picked 4th overall to Tulsa Shock, Kelley Cain was picked 7th overall to NY Liberty, and Vicki Baugh was picked 25th overall to join Glory with the Tulsa Shock. Congratulations to all our Lady Vols... Now go out and support them!
Friday, April 06, 2012
Summitt selected as the Tennessean of the Year
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame president Dr. Bill Emendorfer announced today that University of Tennessee head women's basketball coach Pat Summitt has been chosen to receive the Tennessean of the Year Award.
Summitt will be honored at the 2012 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on May 19 in Nashville, Tenn.
In making the announcement, Emendorfer said, "Pat Summitt is a shining example of why we are proud to be Tennesseans.
"It took great courage for her to step forward and share her medical diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, with the world last August. It took even greater courage for Pat to continue to coach and put a very real face on this invisible disease.
"No one has made a greater contribution to the state of Tennessee than Pat through her leadership and personal sacrifice for the betterment of society as a whole. She has dedicated herself to a cause that has greater value than her personal accomplishments," said Emendorfer.
This marks the second time that Summitt, a 2003 TSHF Inductee, has been selected as the Tennessean of the Year and the first time it has been awarded to the same person twice. Summitt first received the honor in 1988 which best exemplifies the volunteer sprit of the state of Tennessee.
Summitt has just completed her 38th year at the helm of the Lady Vols and sports a remarkable 1,098-208 overall record. In the 2011-12 season, she helped to lead her team to a 27-9 overall record, an SEC Tournament Championship and a trip to her record 31st NCAA Tournament where the Lady Vols advanced to the Elite 8.
Summitt's life, playing and coaching career and commitment to excellence will also be celebrated at the Tennessean of the Year luncheon. The tribute is part of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction weekend which starts on Friday, May 18 with a private tailgate at the Vanderbilt-Ole Miss baseball game and concludes with the banquet at the Renaissance Hotel Saturday night, May 19.
Tickets to the luncheon are $40.00 and may be purchased by contacting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame at 615.202.3996 (Tue-Sat, 10-5 p.m. CDT).
Some of the more notables to have received the award include the first winner Barbara Mandrell (1982), Lamar Alexander (1986), Cybil Shepherd (1993), Vince Gill (1995), Don Sunquist (1996), Philip Bredesen (1997), Peyton Manning (1998), Doug Dickey ( 2000), 101st Airborne Division/Air Assault (2002), Jim Haslam (2006), Hank Williams Jr. (2007), Kenny Chesney (2011 ), and the Tennessee Olympians (1985, 2001, 2005 ).
Summitt will be honored at the 2012 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on May 19 in Nashville, Tenn.
In making the announcement, Emendorfer said, "Pat Summitt is a shining example of why we are proud to be Tennesseans.
"It took great courage for her to step forward and share her medical diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, with the world last August. It took even greater courage for Pat to continue to coach and put a very real face on this invisible disease.
"No one has made a greater contribution to the state of Tennessee than Pat through her leadership and personal sacrifice for the betterment of society as a whole. She has dedicated herself to a cause that has greater value than her personal accomplishments," said Emendorfer.
This marks the second time that Summitt, a 2003 TSHF Inductee, has been selected as the Tennessean of the Year and the first time it has been awarded to the same person twice. Summitt first received the honor in 1988 which best exemplifies the volunteer sprit of the state of Tennessee.
Summitt has just completed her 38th year at the helm of the Lady Vols and sports a remarkable 1,098-208 overall record. In the 2011-12 season, she helped to lead her team to a 27-9 overall record, an SEC Tournament Championship and a trip to her record 31st NCAA Tournament where the Lady Vols advanced to the Elite 8.
Summitt's life, playing and coaching career and commitment to excellence will also be celebrated at the Tennessean of the Year luncheon. The tribute is part of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction weekend which starts on Friday, May 18 with a private tailgate at the Vanderbilt-Ole Miss baseball game and concludes with the banquet at the Renaissance Hotel Saturday night, May 19.
Tickets to the luncheon are $40.00 and may be purchased by contacting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame at 615.202.3996 (Tue-Sat, 10-5 p.m. CDT).
Some of the more notables to have received the award include the first winner Barbara Mandrell (1982), Lamar Alexander (1986), Cybil Shepherd (1993), Vince Gill (1995), Don Sunquist (1996), Philip Bredesen (1997), Peyton Manning (1998), Doug Dickey ( 2000), 101st Airborne Division/Air Assault (2002), Jim Haslam (2006), Hank Williams Jr. (2007), Kenny Chesney (2011 ), and the Tennessee Olympians (1985, 2001, 2005 ).
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
Lady Vols finish season ranked 7th
The Lady Vols finished the season ranked 7th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll.
1. Baylor (40-0)
2. Notre Dame (35-4)
3. Stanford (35-2)
4. Connecticut (33-5)
5. Maryland (31-5)
6. Duke (27-6)
7. Tennessee (27-9)
8. Kentucky (28-7)
9. Penn State (26-7)
10. Georgia Tech (26-9)
11. Miami (Fla.) (26-6)
12. Texas A&M (24-11)
13. Wisconsin-Green Bay (31-2)
14. Delaware (31-2)
15. St. John's (24-10)
16. Louisville (23-10)
17. Georgetown (23-9)
18. Purdue (25-9)
19. Gonzaga (28-6)
20. Georgia (22-9)
21. South Carolina (25-10)
22. Ohio State (25-7)
23. St. Bonaventure (31-4)
24. DePaul (23-11)
25. Kansas (21-13)
1. Baylor (40-0)
2. Notre Dame (35-4)
3. Stanford (35-2)
4. Connecticut (33-5)
5. Maryland (31-5)
6. Duke (27-6)
7. Tennessee (27-9)
8. Kentucky (28-7)
9. Penn State (26-7)
10. Georgia Tech (26-9)
11. Miami (Fla.) (26-6)
12. Texas A&M (24-11)
13. Wisconsin-Green Bay (31-2)
14. Delaware (31-2)
15. St. John's (24-10)
16. Louisville (23-10)
17. Georgetown (23-9)
18. Purdue (25-9)
19. Gonzaga (28-6)
20. Georgia (22-9)
21. South Carolina (25-10)
22. Ohio State (25-7)
23. St. Bonaventure (31-4)
24. DePaul (23-11)
25. Kansas (21-13)
Monday, April 02, 2012
Mickie DeMoss leaving Lady Vols for WNBA
University of Tennessee Lady Volunteer head basketball coach Pat Summitt announced today that assistant Mickie DeMoss was leaving her staff to join the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
“From my perspective, I am so excited for Mickie,” Summitt said. “Coaching at the next level has always been one of her professional aspirations, and the Fever is one of the best teams in the league.
“Obviously, Mickie is not only a great coach but she is a lifelong friend. We will certainly miss her at Tennessee and the contributions she has made during the 20 years she has been a part of our championship program.”
A 35-year veteran at the very height of NCAA women’s basketball and the 2006 SEC Coach of the Year, DeMoss served 20 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at Tennessee. She spent three seasons as an assistant to Gail Goestenkors at Texas and served four years with record-breaking results as the head coach at Kentucky.
“A few months ago, Indiana Fever head coach Lin Dunn contacted me about an opening on her staff,” DeMoss said. “I was very interested, but I told her my immediate concern was helping Pat and the Lady Vol basketball team.
“When Pat and I talked about the opportunity to coach at the next level, she told me she would support me in whatever decision I chose to make. I’ve been in the game for 35 years and this (the WNBA) is always something I’ve wanted to do.
“The Indiana Fever was a perfect fit, and the opportunity to coach with Lin will present a brand new learning experience for me,” said DeMoss. A participant in six national championships and 12 NCAA Final Four appearances, DeMoss joins returning assistant coach Stephanie White on the Fever bench.
“Mickie is one of the most highly respected basketball people in our business,” said Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. “She has been at the highest level in the collegiate game and has taught and prepared many of her players to move on and become great WNBA players. She is a winner and a tireless worker. I am very happy that she has chosen to join our franchise.”
DeMoss spent the past two seasons with the Lady Volunteers where she had previously spent 18 years as part of a coaching trio featuring Summitt and Holly Warlick. During a span from 1985-86 to 2002-03, the trio led the Lady Vols to six national titles and 12 trips to the Final Four. DeMoss took the coaching reins at Kentucky for the 2003-04 season and later spent time at Texas before returning to Rocky Top in 2010-11.
"I have known Coach DeMoss for 30 years,” added Dunn who has long-standing ties with the UT program. "She brings to our staff an elite knowledge both offensively and defensively. She has had tremendous experiences with championship teams at Tennessee. I have always been highly impressed with her work ethic, her ability to develop players, her attention to detail and her excellent communication skills. We are thrilled to have her with the Fever!"
During her first 18 seasons at UT, the Lady Vols amassed a 554-77 (.878) overall record. DeMoss was promoted to associate head coach in 2000, but stepped aside three years later to lead her own program.
In four seasons at Kentucky, she guided the Wildcats to a 71-56 record including consecutive 20-win seasons and three postseason appearances (one NCAA and two WNIT).
The 2006 SEC Coach of the Year honor was a first for a UK coach, as she guided the 22-9 Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons and punctuated the trip with an NCAA win. In 2006-07, Kentucky was 20-14 and advanced to the WNIT. That season, DeMoss' Cats attracted a school record attendance of 5,863 fans per game.
She elected to step aside as head coach at Kentucky in April 2007, but her coaching hiatus ended when she accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Texas in the summer of 2007. She was the Longhorns' top recruiter while also coaching the post game.
Over the past three decades, DeMoss has cemented a reputation as one of the country’s most elite coaches. A survey of the nation's NCAA Division I women's head basketball coaches tabbed her as the top assistant in the country in 2000. She also garnered that distinction from a 1998 The Women's Basketball Journal poll. While at UT, DeMoss was considered a great technical mind, floor coach and entertainer. Off the court, she was regarded as one of the best recruiters in the college game, year after year recruiting future All-SEC and All-America award-winners, while stockpiling rosters with the kind of players essential to winning national championships.
Some of DeMoss' most notable recruits at Tennessee include: Tonya Edwards, the 1987 Final Four MVP, Dena Head, the 1992 SEC Player of the Year, Chamique Holdsclaw, the 1996 and 1997 Final Four MVP, and Tamika Catchings, a four-time All-American and current star of the Fever. Another DeMoss recruit and All-SEC standout was 2005 SEC Tournament MVP Shyra Ely, an Indianapolis native and current Fever star who joins Catchings in welcoming their former college coach to Indiana.
Noted for her success coaching post players, DeMoss protégés have represented Team USA in every Olympic Games since 1992.
Prior to joining the Tennessee staff in 1985, DeMoss had been an assistant coach at Auburn University (1983-85), a head coach at the University of Florida (1979-83) and an assistant at Memphis State (1977-79). DeMoss received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Louisiana Tech University in 1977, where she starred at point guard. She then received her master's degree in education at Memphis State University in 1979. She is a native of Tallulah, La.
“From my perspective, I am so excited for Mickie,” Summitt said. “Coaching at the next level has always been one of her professional aspirations, and the Fever is one of the best teams in the league.
“Obviously, Mickie is not only a great coach but she is a lifelong friend. We will certainly miss her at Tennessee and the contributions she has made during the 20 years she has been a part of our championship program.”
A 35-year veteran at the very height of NCAA women’s basketball and the 2006 SEC Coach of the Year, DeMoss served 20 seasons as an assistant and associate head coach at Tennessee. She spent three seasons as an assistant to Gail Goestenkors at Texas and served four years with record-breaking results as the head coach at Kentucky.
“A few months ago, Indiana Fever head coach Lin Dunn contacted me about an opening on her staff,” DeMoss said. “I was very interested, but I told her my immediate concern was helping Pat and the Lady Vol basketball team.
“When Pat and I talked about the opportunity to coach at the next level, she told me she would support me in whatever decision I chose to make. I’ve been in the game for 35 years and this (the WNBA) is always something I’ve wanted to do.
“The Indiana Fever was a perfect fit, and the opportunity to coach with Lin will present a brand new learning experience for me,” said DeMoss. A participant in six national championships and 12 NCAA Final Four appearances, DeMoss joins returning assistant coach Stephanie White on the Fever bench.
“Mickie is one of the most highly respected basketball people in our business,” said Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. “She has been at the highest level in the collegiate game and has taught and prepared many of her players to move on and become great WNBA players. She is a winner and a tireless worker. I am very happy that she has chosen to join our franchise.”
DeMoss spent the past two seasons with the Lady Volunteers where she had previously spent 18 years as part of a coaching trio featuring Summitt and Holly Warlick. During a span from 1985-86 to 2002-03, the trio led the Lady Vols to six national titles and 12 trips to the Final Four. DeMoss took the coaching reins at Kentucky for the 2003-04 season and later spent time at Texas before returning to Rocky Top in 2010-11.
"I have known Coach DeMoss for 30 years,” added Dunn who has long-standing ties with the UT program. "She brings to our staff an elite knowledge both offensively and defensively. She has had tremendous experiences with championship teams at Tennessee. I have always been highly impressed with her work ethic, her ability to develop players, her attention to detail and her excellent communication skills. We are thrilled to have her with the Fever!"
During her first 18 seasons at UT, the Lady Vols amassed a 554-77 (.878) overall record. DeMoss was promoted to associate head coach in 2000, but stepped aside three years later to lead her own program.
In four seasons at Kentucky, she guided the Wildcats to a 71-56 record including consecutive 20-win seasons and three postseason appearances (one NCAA and two WNIT).
The 2006 SEC Coach of the Year honor was a first for a UK coach, as she guided the 22-9 Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons and punctuated the trip with an NCAA win. In 2006-07, Kentucky was 20-14 and advanced to the WNIT. That season, DeMoss' Cats attracted a school record attendance of 5,863 fans per game.
She elected to step aside as head coach at Kentucky in April 2007, but her coaching hiatus ended when she accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Texas in the summer of 2007. She was the Longhorns' top recruiter while also coaching the post game.
Over the past three decades, DeMoss has cemented a reputation as one of the country’s most elite coaches. A survey of the nation's NCAA Division I women's head basketball coaches tabbed her as the top assistant in the country in 2000. She also garnered that distinction from a 1998 The Women's Basketball Journal poll. While at UT, DeMoss was considered a great technical mind, floor coach and entertainer. Off the court, she was regarded as one of the best recruiters in the college game, year after year recruiting future All-SEC and All-America award-winners, while stockpiling rosters with the kind of players essential to winning national championships.
Some of DeMoss' most notable recruits at Tennessee include: Tonya Edwards, the 1987 Final Four MVP, Dena Head, the 1992 SEC Player of the Year, Chamique Holdsclaw, the 1996 and 1997 Final Four MVP, and Tamika Catchings, a four-time All-American and current star of the Fever. Another DeMoss recruit and All-SEC standout was 2005 SEC Tournament MVP Shyra Ely, an Indianapolis native and current Fever star who joins Catchings in welcoming their former college coach to Indiana.
Noted for her success coaching post players, DeMoss protégés have represented Team USA in every Olympic Games since 1992.
Prior to joining the Tennessee staff in 1985, DeMoss had been an assistant coach at Auburn University (1983-85), a head coach at the University of Florida (1979-83) and an assistant at Memphis State (1977-79). DeMoss received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Louisiana Tech University in 1977, where she starred at point guard. She then received her master's degree in education at Memphis State University in 1979. She is a native of Tallulah, La.
Sunday, April 01, 2012
An embrace heard around the world
The winningest moment of the women's Final Four has already happened: Summitt and Auriemma meet for a hug.
http://www.theday.com/article/20120401/SPORT01/304019902
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/ncwexperts
http://www.theday.com/article/20120401/SPORT01/304019902
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/ncwexperts
Glory Johnson named to Coaches All-America team
Lady Vol basketball player Shekinna Glory Johnson was named to the 10-player Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2012 State Farm All-America team on Saturday.
Johnson, a Knoxville native, became the 21st Lady Vol to earn a spot on the Coaches All-America Team. Teammate Shekinna Stricklen received those honors last year.
Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt and members of her staff were on hand in Denver for the All-America team announcement. "I am so excited for Glory," Summitt said. "I can't tell you the amount of hard work she has invested in her game throughout her career and particularly this season.
"Glory was an unbelievable player and a tireless worker for us this year. Whatever Glory had to do to improve or help this team, she did each and every day," Summitt said. "It was special for us to be in Denver with her and share in this moment today."
"I am humbled by this selection," Johnson said. "It was just an honor from the beginning to be selected to be a Lady Vol, and now to be named an All-America, it's just even better. Being able to represent Tennessee and the program means so much to me.
"I played with some amazing teammates under a great coaching staff and I am so thankful for what the University of Tennessee afforded me."
Also joining Johnson on the team are: Elana DellaDonne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Bria Hartley (UConn), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Chiney and Nnemka Ogwumike (Stanford) Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Alyssa Thomas (Maryland).
Johnson, a Knoxville native, became the 21st Lady Vol to earn a spot on the Coaches All-America Team. Teammate Shekinna Stricklen received those honors last year.
Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt and members of her staff were on hand in Denver for the All-America team announcement. "I am so excited for Glory," Summitt said. "I can't tell you the amount of hard work she has invested in her game throughout her career and particularly this season.
"Glory was an unbelievable player and a tireless worker for us this year. Whatever Glory had to do to improve or help this team, she did each and every day," Summitt said. "It was special for us to be in Denver with her and share in this moment today."
"I am humbled by this selection," Johnson said. "It was just an honor from the beginning to be selected to be a Lady Vol, and now to be named an All-America, it's just even better. Being able to represent Tennessee and the program means so much to me.
"I played with some amazing teammates under a great coaching staff and I am so thankful for what the University of Tennessee afforded me."
Also joining Johnson on the team are: Elana DellaDonne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Bria Hartley (UConn), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Chiney and Nnemka Ogwumike (Stanford) Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Alyssa Thomas (Maryland).
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Stricklen Third-Team AP All-America
The third-team members: Connecticut senior Tiffany Hayes, Kentucky junior A’dia Mathies, Duke freshman Elizabeth Williams, Tennessee senior Shekinna Stricklen and Miami senior Riquna Williams.
It marked only the second time since the All-America team was first honored in 1995 that no Tennessee or Connecticut player made either the first or second team. It also happened in 2005.
It marked only the second time since the All-America team was first honored in 1995 that no Tennessee or Connecticut player made either the first or second team. It also happened in 2005.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Baylor 77 - Lady Vols 58
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DES MOINES, Iowa — Baylor has just two wins to go for 40-0. Tennessee’s future is far less certain.
Brittney Griner had 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks before being ejected with less than a minute left and top-seeded Baylor rolled over Tennessee 77-58 Monday night to advance to the Final Four.
Shekinna Strickland had 22 points for Tennessee (27-9), whose seniors became its first four-year class not to reach a Final Four.
The second-seeded Lady Vols now face an uncertain future, as Pat Summitt has yet to say if she’ll return for a 39th season as Tennessee coach. She announced in August she’d been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.
The Lady Bears (38-0), who are back in the national semifinals for the second time in three years, will face either Stanford or Duke on Sunday night in Denver.
Baylor’s Odyssey Sims, who led the Bears with 27 points, tumbled to the floor with 46.8 seconds left, and she and Strickland had to be separated. No punches were thrown, but Griner and teammates Terran Condrey and Jordan Madden were ejected for leaving the bench.
The NCAA says none of the players will be suspended for the Final Four.
Should Baylor win it all next week, it’ll become the first men’s or women’s team in NCAA history to finish a year with 40 wins.
As for Summitt, she was given a standing ovation from Tennessee and Baylor fans alike when she came out roughly 15 minutes before tipoff. But as defeat became apparent, she sat silently on the bench with her legs crossed.
Summitt has 1,098 wins, more than any basketball coach in NCAA history.
But Baylor was too much for her Lady Vols.
Like most of Baylor’s games this season, the Bears regional semifinal was more about dominance than drama—until a scrum in the final minute.
Baylor led 35-20 at halftime despite a poor start shooting from Griner. Tennessee made a spirited charge to start the second half, highlighted when Glory Johnson scored a second-chance bucket on Griner and simply smiled when Griner tossed her to the floor.
But the Bears are unbeaten because they’re much more than Griner.
Sims followed a layup through traffic with a 3, to help Bears go back ahead 49-38 with 11:12 to go. Tennessee made one final run, cutting a 19-point deficit to 64-53 with 4:48 left, but Griner finished off the Lady Vols with six points in the next minute.
Johnson had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Tennessee, which had a habit of starting poorly.
But the Lady Vols were ready for this one—at least for the first few minutes.
Tennessee double-teamed Griner with center Vicki Baugh and help defenders, and Griner hit just three of 10 shots in the first half. But the Lady Vols missed nine shots in a row after an early lead, and Baylor slowly built its edge to 26-16 on three straight buckets by Sims and a 3 from Hayden.
Baylor’s lead grew to 35-20 in Johnson’s absence, as Tennessee shot an abysmal 22.9 percent in the first half.
The Lady Vols hung close with Baylor in late November before losing 76-67. The rematch wasn’t nearly as close, sending the Bears onto Denver and Tennessee grappling with the possibility that Summitt’s career is over after 38 seasons and eight national titles.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Baylor has just two wins to go for 40-0. Tennessee’s future is far less certain.
Brittney Griner had 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks before being ejected with less than a minute left and top-seeded Baylor rolled over Tennessee 77-58 Monday night to advance to the Final Four.
Shekinna Strickland had 22 points for Tennessee (27-9), whose seniors became its first four-year class not to reach a Final Four.
The second-seeded Lady Vols now face an uncertain future, as Pat Summitt has yet to say if she’ll return for a 39th season as Tennessee coach. She announced in August she’d been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type.
The Lady Bears (38-0), who are back in the national semifinals for the second time in three years, will face either Stanford or Duke on Sunday night in Denver.
Baylor’s Odyssey Sims, who led the Bears with 27 points, tumbled to the floor with 46.8 seconds left, and she and Strickland had to be separated. No punches were thrown, but Griner and teammates Terran Condrey and Jordan Madden were ejected for leaving the bench.
The NCAA says none of the players will be suspended for the Final Four.
Should Baylor win it all next week, it’ll become the first men’s or women’s team in NCAA history to finish a year with 40 wins.
As for Summitt, she was given a standing ovation from Tennessee and Baylor fans alike when she came out roughly 15 minutes before tipoff. But as defeat became apparent, she sat silently on the bench with her legs crossed.
Summitt has 1,098 wins, more than any basketball coach in NCAA history.
But Baylor was too much for her Lady Vols.
Like most of Baylor’s games this season, the Bears regional semifinal was more about dominance than drama—until a scrum in the final minute.
Baylor led 35-20 at halftime despite a poor start shooting from Griner. Tennessee made a spirited charge to start the second half, highlighted when Glory Johnson scored a second-chance bucket on Griner and simply smiled when Griner tossed her to the floor.
But the Bears are unbeaten because they’re much more than Griner.
Sims followed a layup through traffic with a 3, to help Bears go back ahead 49-38 with 11:12 to go. Tennessee made one final run, cutting a 19-point deficit to 64-53 with 4:48 left, but Griner finished off the Lady Vols with six points in the next minute.
Johnson had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Tennessee, which had a habit of starting poorly.
But the Lady Vols were ready for this one—at least for the first few minutes.
Tennessee double-teamed Griner with center Vicki Baugh and help defenders, and Griner hit just three of 10 shots in the first half. But the Lady Vols missed nine shots in a row after an early lead, and Baylor slowly built its edge to 26-16 on three straight buckets by Sims and a 3 from Hayden.
Baylor’s lead grew to 35-20 in Johnson’s absence, as Tennessee shot an abysmal 22.9 percent in the first half.
The Lady Vols hung close with Baylor in late November before losing 76-67. The rematch wasn’t nearly as close, sending the Bears onto Denver and Tennessee grappling with the possibility that Summitt’s career is over after 38 seasons and eight national titles.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Tennessee into regional final, tops Kansas 84-73
DES MOINES, Iowa — Tennessee was down 14 points against 11th-seeded Kansas, an unheralded bunch that few though could test the mighty Lady Vols.
Feisty sophomore Meighan Simmons gave Tennessee the boost it needed to survive and advance to yet another regional final.
Simmons scored 16 of her 22 points off the bench in the second half and Tennessee rallied past the Jayhawks 84-73 Saturday and advanced to its second straight regional final and 25th in 31 years.
Glory Johnson added 18 points for the second-seeded Lady Vols (27-8), who'll meet undefeated and top-seeded Baylor on Monday night for a spot in the Final Four.
It was the 1,098th win for Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, who announced in August she'd been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, and has yet to commit to coaching next season.
"The first half we tend to get ourselves in a hole, but we fought back," said Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick. "I thought our bench was outstanding."
The Lady Vols trailed 26-12 in the first half, but cut the deficit to 35-30 by halftime. They took the lead for good with a 19-9 run to open the second half.
Angel Goodrich had a game-high 23 points and Aishah Sutherland had 19 for Kansas (21-13), which fell to 0-3 in regional semifinals.
Simmons helped pick up the sluggish Lady Vols.
"She has a scoring mentality. We've said she's never seen a shot she didn't like. But I tell you what, a lot of those shots she takes she makes," Warlick said. "If we can learn from her and understand that great things can happen when you have a lot of heart, we won't get down like that in the first half."
Tennessee couldn't do anything right for the first 11 minutes, falling behind to a Kansas team that finished below .500 in the Big 12.
But there's a reason the Lady Vols always seem to be in the regional finals. The Jayhawks found out in the opening minutes of the second half, when Tennessee's superior depth and athleticism simply overwhelmed the underdogs.
"The second-chance points on the glass, the offensive rebounds, which is what they've always been about," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "They got into us in the offensive glass, they got into us in transition. That's the way they got the separation in the second half."
The Lady Vols finally took the lead, 44-42, thanks largely to back-to-back 3s from Ariel Massengale, and a pair of free throws made it 53-46 Tennessee with 11:07 to go.
Freshman post player Chelsea Gardner did her best to keep the Jayhawks close with 14 points and 10 rebounds. But Simmons hit a layup off a give-and-go from Baugh to give the Lady Vols their first double-digit lead, 63-53, with 7:07 left.
Shekinna Stricklen had 16 points and nine rebounds for Tennessee, which shot 51. 5 percent in the second half.
This looked like the ultimate mismatch at the outset. Kansas was playing in just its third regional semifinal, while Tennessee was playing in its 30th — and shooting for a record 19th Final Four.
But early on, the Jayhawks seemed ready for the late morning start.
Gardner bullied her way for four inside buckets in the opening five minutes, and back-to-back layups through the paint by Goodrich gave Kansas a surprising 18-10 lead. The Lady Vols called timeout in an effort to quell the run, but Goodrich and Tania Jackson buried 3s to help push the lead to 14 points.
"The first couple of minutes we came out with a lot of energy on defense and offense. We were hitting a lot of shots," Gardner said. "We just had great defense."
That's the kind of deficit that will get anyone's attention. They Lady Vols came out of a timeout with considerably more energy, responding with an energetic 19-5 run to get back within 31-29.
Kansas lost star Carolyn Davis to a knee injury last month, but rallied to earn its first regional semifinals berth since 1998 with upsets of Nebraska and third-seeded Delaware.
Tennessee's seniors now have the opportunity to avoid becoming the first four-year class in school history to miss the Final Four. They got it in large part because of the work of Simmons. She helped contribute 41 bench points, compared to 11 for Kansas.
"Since it's a one and done kind of thing, it just brings that energy inside me. Seems like I have that alter ego," Simmons said. "I want to go out there and prove a point that I'm better than what people thought of me. I want our seniors to go to the Final Four."
Feisty sophomore Meighan Simmons gave Tennessee the boost it needed to survive and advance to yet another regional final.
Simmons scored 16 of her 22 points off the bench in the second half and Tennessee rallied past the Jayhawks 84-73 Saturday and advanced to its second straight regional final and 25th in 31 years.
Glory Johnson added 18 points for the second-seeded Lady Vols (27-8), who'll meet undefeated and top-seeded Baylor on Monday night for a spot in the Final Four.
It was the 1,098th win for Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, who announced in August she'd been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, and has yet to commit to coaching next season.
"The first half we tend to get ourselves in a hole, but we fought back," said Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick. "I thought our bench was outstanding."
The Lady Vols trailed 26-12 in the first half, but cut the deficit to 35-30 by halftime. They took the lead for good with a 19-9 run to open the second half.
Angel Goodrich had a game-high 23 points and Aishah Sutherland had 19 for Kansas (21-13), which fell to 0-3 in regional semifinals.
Simmons helped pick up the sluggish Lady Vols.
"She has a scoring mentality. We've said she's never seen a shot she didn't like. But I tell you what, a lot of those shots she takes she makes," Warlick said. "If we can learn from her and understand that great things can happen when you have a lot of heart, we won't get down like that in the first half."
Tennessee couldn't do anything right for the first 11 minutes, falling behind to a Kansas team that finished below .500 in the Big 12.
But there's a reason the Lady Vols always seem to be in the regional finals. The Jayhawks found out in the opening minutes of the second half, when Tennessee's superior depth and athleticism simply overwhelmed the underdogs.
"The second-chance points on the glass, the offensive rebounds, which is what they've always been about," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "They got into us in the offensive glass, they got into us in transition. That's the way they got the separation in the second half."
The Lady Vols finally took the lead, 44-42, thanks largely to back-to-back 3s from Ariel Massengale, and a pair of free throws made it 53-46 Tennessee with 11:07 to go.
Freshman post player Chelsea Gardner did her best to keep the Jayhawks close with 14 points and 10 rebounds. But Simmons hit a layup off a give-and-go from Baugh to give the Lady Vols their first double-digit lead, 63-53, with 7:07 left.
Shekinna Stricklen had 16 points and nine rebounds for Tennessee, which shot 51. 5 percent in the second half.
This looked like the ultimate mismatch at the outset. Kansas was playing in just its third regional semifinal, while Tennessee was playing in its 30th — and shooting for a record 19th Final Four.
But early on, the Jayhawks seemed ready for the late morning start.
Gardner bullied her way for four inside buckets in the opening five minutes, and back-to-back layups through the paint by Goodrich gave Kansas a surprising 18-10 lead. The Lady Vols called timeout in an effort to quell the run, but Goodrich and Tania Jackson buried 3s to help push the lead to 14 points.
"The first couple of minutes we came out with a lot of energy on defense and offense. We were hitting a lot of shots," Gardner said. "We just had great defense."
That's the kind of deficit that will get anyone's attention. They Lady Vols came out of a timeout with considerably more energy, responding with an energetic 19-5 run to get back within 31-29.
Kansas lost star Carolyn Davis to a knee injury last month, but rallied to earn its first regional semifinals berth since 1998 with upsets of Nebraska and third-seeded Delaware.
Tennessee's seniors now have the opportunity to avoid becoming the first four-year class in school history to miss the Final Four. They got it in large part because of the work of Simmons. She helped contribute 41 bench points, compared to 11 for Kansas.
"Since it's a one and done kind of thing, it just brings that energy inside me. Seems like I have that alter ego," Simmons said. "I want to go out there and prove a point that I'm better than what people thought of me. I want our seniors to go to the Final Four."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Summitt expects better effort from team vs Kansas
The Tennessee Lady Vols have been doing a little daydreaming during practice and Pat Summitt says they better snap out of it.
With how quiet and distracted her Tennessee team have been while practicing for Saturday's regional semifinals meeting with Kansas, coach Pat Summitt is concerned they may not get that opportunity.
"I think we've got to get them refocused," Summitt said. "It's obviously very important to all of us, and we recognize it and our players recognize it, but obviously our coaches have to hold people accountable, and that's what we're going to do.
"At this time of the year, you worry about everything as coaches," she said.
Forward Glory Johnson and her fellow seniors are trying to do their part to hold the rest of their teammates accountable as well. Fifth-year senior Vicki Baugh is the only remaining member of Tennessee's 2008 national championship team, and the other four seniors are looking to avoid becoming the first four-year class to leave the program without a trip to the Final Four.
Johnson said it's easy to dream of vacation when she and her Tennessee teammates are spending their spring break inside the practice gym. Then she thinks about a trip to the Final Four.
"It's spring break and we're still here," Johnson said. "But we're here, we're on a mission. We're playing hard and trying to get a championship. You've just got to put that in your mind; whenever you're like, 'Aw, I wish I was on the beach,' (think about) how many people get to play for a championship?"
The Lady Vols vowed at the beginning of the season to play for the championship this year, both in an effort to change their legacy from one that marks them as underachievers and to honor Summitt, who announced in August she'd been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.
So far, they're on the right track.
Tennessee (26-8) cruised through the Southeastern Conference tournament and then pulled away in the second half of a 72-49 win over Tennessee-Martin -- Summitt's alma mater -- in Chicago in the opening round of the tournament. Senior forward Shekinna Stricklen, Baugh and Johnson all had big contributions in the Lady Vols' 63-48 win over DePaul on Monday night.
They also know they could be primed for an upset in drawing No. 11 seed Kansas as their Sweet Sixteen opponent. Tennessee had expected to face third-seeded Delaware and the nation's leading scorer, Elena Della Donne, for the chance to reach the Des Moines Regional finals and a likely rematch with top seed Baylor.
"We kind of thought Delaware would win, just from watching both teams," assistant coach Mickie DeMoss said. "But this is March Madness. Anything can happen, even on the women's side now. Used to be, I think, the women were more predictable. But now there's more parity on the women's side."
The Jayhawks (21-12) have been without leading scorer Carolyn Davis since she suffered a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 12, but point guard Angel Goodrich has led the team in the NCAA tournament with an average 11.8 points in the win against Delaware and first-round victory over No. 6 seed Nebraska.
"We're not taking KU for granted," Stricklen said. "They're a great team. If you don't win, you can't get to Baylor, so this game is more important."
Against Kansas, Summitt and her assistants are expecting a better all-around effort defending, rebounding and taking control of the ball than they've seen so far. The effort has been there, but not for a full 40 minutes in any game.
"When you get this deep in the NCAA tournament, it's all about physicality and who's tough not only physically, but who's the most mentally tough team as well," DeMoss said. "We're playing well in spurts. To say we're playing well for 40 minutes would probably be a little optimistic right now. But we're doing good things in spurts.
"As the tournament progresses and the teams get tougher, those spurts are going to have to be a little bit longer."
With how quiet and distracted her Tennessee team have been while practicing for Saturday's regional semifinals meeting with Kansas, coach Pat Summitt is concerned they may not get that opportunity.
"I think we've got to get them refocused," Summitt said. "It's obviously very important to all of us, and we recognize it and our players recognize it, but obviously our coaches have to hold people accountable, and that's what we're going to do.
"At this time of the year, you worry about everything as coaches," she said.
Forward Glory Johnson and her fellow seniors are trying to do their part to hold the rest of their teammates accountable as well. Fifth-year senior Vicki Baugh is the only remaining member of Tennessee's 2008 national championship team, and the other four seniors are looking to avoid becoming the first four-year class to leave the program without a trip to the Final Four.
Johnson said it's easy to dream of vacation when she and her Tennessee teammates are spending their spring break inside the practice gym. Then she thinks about a trip to the Final Four.
"It's spring break and we're still here," Johnson said. "But we're here, we're on a mission. We're playing hard and trying to get a championship. You've just got to put that in your mind; whenever you're like, 'Aw, I wish I was on the beach,' (think about) how many people get to play for a championship?"
The Lady Vols vowed at the beginning of the season to play for the championship this year, both in an effort to change their legacy from one that marks them as underachievers and to honor Summitt, who announced in August she'd been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.
So far, they're on the right track.
Tennessee (26-8) cruised through the Southeastern Conference tournament and then pulled away in the second half of a 72-49 win over Tennessee-Martin -- Summitt's alma mater -- in Chicago in the opening round of the tournament. Senior forward Shekinna Stricklen, Baugh and Johnson all had big contributions in the Lady Vols' 63-48 win over DePaul on Monday night.
They also know they could be primed for an upset in drawing No. 11 seed Kansas as their Sweet Sixteen opponent. Tennessee had expected to face third-seeded Delaware and the nation's leading scorer, Elena Della Donne, for the chance to reach the Des Moines Regional finals and a likely rematch with top seed Baylor.
"We kind of thought Delaware would win, just from watching both teams," assistant coach Mickie DeMoss said. "But this is March Madness. Anything can happen, even on the women's side now. Used to be, I think, the women were more predictable. But now there's more parity on the women's side."
The Jayhawks (21-12) have been without leading scorer Carolyn Davis since she suffered a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 12, but point guard Angel Goodrich has led the team in the NCAA tournament with an average 11.8 points in the win against Delaware and first-round victory over No. 6 seed Nebraska.
"We're not taking KU for granted," Stricklen said. "They're a great team. If you don't win, you can't get to Baylor, so this game is more important."
Against Kansas, Summitt and her assistants are expecting a better all-around effort defending, rebounding and taking control of the ball than they've seen so far. The effort has been there, but not for a full 40 minutes in any game.
"When you get this deep in the NCAA tournament, it's all about physicality and who's tough not only physically, but who's the most mentally tough team as well," DeMoss said. "We're playing well in spurts. To say we're playing well for 40 minutes would probably be a little optimistic right now. But we're doing good things in spurts.
"As the tournament progresses and the teams get tougher, those spurts are going to have to be a little bit longer."
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tennessee 63 - DePaul 48
Shekinna Stricklen scored 17 points, and Glory Johnson grabbed a season-high 21 rebounds to lead Pat Summitt and Tennessee past DePaul 63-48 Monday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Vicki Baugh scored 16, and the Lady Volunteers (26-8) took another big step toward the Final Four, grabbing a double-digit lead early in the second half and hanging on in a physical game in which players seemed to hit the floor about as often as they hit shots. Now, they're headed to the round of 16, where they'll meet third-seeded Delaware or 11th-seeded Kansas on Saturday.
They stretched a five-point lead at intermission to 12 early in the second half and were up 42-29 after a hook shot by Baugh with 11:41 remaining. They remained in control from there and moved closer toward their ultimate goal.
That would be a ninth NCAA title and 19th Final Four.
Vicki Baugh scored 16, and the Lady Volunteers (26-8) took another big step toward the Final Four, grabbing a double-digit lead early in the second half and hanging on in a physical game in which players seemed to hit the floor about as often as they hit shots. Now, they're headed to the round of 16, where they'll meet third-seeded Delaware or 11th-seeded Kansas on Saturday.
They stretched a five-point lead at intermission to 12 early in the second half and were up 42-29 after a hook shot by Baugh with 11:41 remaining. They remained in control from there and moved closer toward their ultimate goal.
That would be a ninth NCAA title and 19th Final Four.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Lady Vols Cruise Past UT-Martin
Meighan Simmons scored a game-high 20 points as the second-seeded Tennessee Lady Volunteers made easy work of the 15th-seeded Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks 72-49 in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tournament at Allstate Arena.
Glory Johnson tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Tennessee (25-8). Ten different players scored points for the Lady Vols.
For UT-Martin (23-9), Heather Butler led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Jaclissa Haislip added 12 points and Jasmine Newsome chipped in with 10 points.
Despite shooting just 39.5 percent from the field in the first half, Tennessee took a 35-26 lead at the half.
The Lady Vols connected on 6-of-11 from three-point range after the break as they kept a comfortable lead throughout.
UT-Martin shot poorly on the afternoon, making just 19-of-66 (28.8 percent) of its field.
Tennessee will play the winner of seventh-seeded DePaul and 10th-seeded BYU in the second round.
Glory Johnson tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for Tennessee (25-8). Ten different players scored points for the Lady Vols.
For UT-Martin (23-9), Heather Butler led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Jaclissa Haislip added 12 points and Jasmine Newsome chipped in with 10 points.
Despite shooting just 39.5 percent from the field in the first half, Tennessee took a 35-26 lead at the half.
The Lady Vols connected on 6-of-11 from three-point range after the break as they kept a comfortable lead throughout.
UT-Martin shot poorly on the afternoon, making just 19-of-66 (28.8 percent) of its field.
Tennessee will play the winner of seventh-seeded DePaul and 10th-seeded BYU in the second round.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Pat Summitt: No decision on future at UT
Pat Summitt says she has not decided whether to continue coaching women's basketball at the University of Tennessee following a diagnosis of dementia.
Summitt, 59, now at the end of her 38th season, said her only goal at the moment is to have the Lady Volunteers emerge winners from the NCAA tournament, the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel reported.
"I love the game,'' she said Wednesday. "And whether I'm here at UT, I may or may not coach. So it is what it is. I'm just going to try to get another championship for this group."
Summitt announced the diagnosis last August, saying it was early onset dementia Alzheimer's type. She has a contract that runs through the 2013-2014 season and includes a $1 million bonus if she stays until then.
Holly Warlick, the associate head coach, has been taking more responsibility, including almost all media interviews.
The Lady Vols, the No. 2 regional seed, play their first NCAA tournament game Saturday against No. 15 Tennessee Martin at Allstate Arena outside Chicago. The winner will take on either Brigham Young or DePaul on Monday.
Summitt, 59, now at the end of her 38th season, said her only goal at the moment is to have the Lady Volunteers emerge winners from the NCAA tournament, the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel reported.
"I love the game,'' she said Wednesday. "And whether I'm here at UT, I may or may not coach. So it is what it is. I'm just going to try to get another championship for this group."
Summitt announced the diagnosis last August, saying it was early onset dementia Alzheimer's type. She has a contract that runs through the 2013-2014 season and includes a $1 million bonus if she stays until then.
Holly Warlick, the associate head coach, has been taking more responsibility, including almost all media interviews.
The Lady Vols, the No. 2 regional seed, play their first NCAA tournament game Saturday against No. 15 Tennessee Martin at Allstate Arena outside Chicago. The winner will take on either Brigham Young or DePaul on Monday.
Pat Summitt to receive Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup
Pat Summitt will be honored next month at the eighth annual Wooden Cup Awards.
Summitt, completing her 38th year as women's basketball coach at Tennessee, is the professional recipient of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup.
Five athletes are finalists for the collegiate recipient of the award presented April 25 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
The honor is for character and leadership on and off the field and contributions to sport and society.
Summitt, completing her 38th year as women's basketball coach at Tennessee, is the professional recipient of the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup.
Five athletes are finalists for the collegiate recipient of the award presented April 25 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
The honor is for character and leadership on and off the field and contributions to sport and society.
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