{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1952–2016)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Pat Summitt | image = Pat-Summitt-Walter-Reed-Center-06-24-08-2.jpg | alt = | caption = Summitt at The Pentagon on June 6, 2008 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1952|6|14}} | birth_place = Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|6|28|1952|6|14}} | death_place = Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1970–1974 | player_team1 = Tennessee–Martin | coach_years1 = 1974–2012 | coach_team1 = Tennessee | overall_record = 1,098–208 (.841) | tournament_record = | championships = *8 NCAA Division I tournament (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996–1998, 2007, 2008) *18 NCAA Division I regional – Final Four (1982, 1984, 1986–1989, 1991, 1995–1998, 2000, 2002–2005, 2007, 2008) *16 SEC tournament (1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998–2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010–2012) *16 SEC regular season (1980, 1985, 1990, 1993–1995, 1998, 1999–2004, 2007, 2010, 2011) | awards = {{Plainlist| *Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012) <br /> ''Sports Illustrated'' Sportswoman of the Year (2011) <br /> John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award (2008) <br /> Naismith Coach of the 20th Century (2000) <br /> 5× Naismith Coach of the Year (1987, 1989, 1994, 1998, 2004) <br /> 3× WBCA Coach of the Year (1983, 1995, 1998) <br /> AP Coach of the Year (1998) <br /> USBWA Coach of the Year (1998) <br /> 8× SEC Coach of the Year (1993, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011) <br /> Best Coach/Manager ESPY Award (2008) <br /> NCAA Gerald R. Ford Award (2012) }} | coaching_records = | BASKHOF_year = 2000 | BASKHOF_id = pat-summitt | WBHOF = pat-summitt | FIBA_HOF_player = Pat-Summitt | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World University Games}} {{MedalSilver|1973 Moscow | Team Competition}} {{Medal|Competition|Pan American Games}} {{Medal|Gold| 1975 Mexico | Player}} {{Medal|Competition|Olympic Games}} {{Medal|Silver| 1976 Montreal| Player}} {{MedalSport | Women's Basketball}} {{MedalSport|Head coach for {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition|William Jones Cup}} {{MedalGold|1984 Taipei | Team Competition}} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalGold|1984 Los Angeles | Team Competition}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA World Championship for Women}} {{MedalSilver|1983 Sao Paulo | Team Competition}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA World Championship for Women}} {{MedalGold|1979 Seoul | Team Competition}} {{MedalCompetition|William Jones Cup}} {{MedalGold|1979 Taipei | Team Competition}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalSilver|1979 San Juan | Team Competition}} | show-medals = }}
'''Patricia Susan Summitt''' ({{nee|'''Head'''}}; June 14, 1952 – June 28, 2016) was an American women's college basketball head coach and college basketball player. She coached 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball history at the time of her retirement. She served as the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012 and is considered one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time.
Summitt won a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal as a member of the United States women's national basketball team. She returned to the Olympics in 1984 as a head coach, guiding the U.S. women's basketball team to a gold medal. Summitt won eight NCAA Division I basketball championships. In 38 years as coach of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, she never missed the NCAA Tournament nor did she ever have a losing season. Summitt retired from coaching at age 59 following a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Summitt was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 as a member of its inaugural class. She was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century in 2000. In 2009, the ''Sporting News'' placed her at number 11 on its list of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time in all sports; she was the only woman on the list. In 2012, Summitt was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2012 ESPY Awards. In 2013, she was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
==Early life and family== Summitt was born '''Patricia Sue Head''' on June 14, 1952,<ref name="NCAA Coaches" /> in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Richard and Hazel Albright Head.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Dakota |title=Artifacts Tell the Story of Pat Summitt's Early Tennessee Life |url=https://tnmuseum.org/Stories/posts/pat-summitt-early-life |access-date=August 22, 2024 |website=Tennessee State Museum |language=en-us}}</ref> In her early years, she was known as Trish.<ref name="AlexanderWolff">{{Cite web |last=Wolff |first=Alexander |date=December 12, 2011 |title=Coach K, Pat Summitt: Sportsman, woman of year |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2011/12/12/sportsman-of-the-year-mike-krzyzewski-sportswoman-of-the-year-pat-summitt |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault |language=en-us}}</ref> She had four siblings: older brothers Tommy, Charles, and Kenneth, and a younger sister, Linda. Summitt grew up on a dairy farm and began playing basketball when she was six years old, on a hoop her father had installed in a barn.<ref name="Voepel">{{Cite web |last=Voepel |first=Mechelle |date=March 19, 2012 |title=Voepel: Tracking the ascension of Summitt |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/tournament/2012/story/_/id/7692674/2012-women-ncaa-tournament-tennessee-lady-vols-pat-summitt-learned-hard-work-early-age |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Iaconangelo |first=David |date=June 29, 2016 |title=How Pat Summitt helped women's athletics reach new heights |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2016/0628/How-Pat-Summitt-helped-women-s-athletics-reach-new-heights |access-date=August 22, 2024 |website=Christian Science Monitor |issn=0882-7729}}</ref>
When Summitt was in high school, her family moved to nearby Henrietta so she could play basketball in Cheatham County, because Clarksville did not have a girls team.<ref name="h047">{{cite web | last=Holland | first=Monica | title=How Pat Summitt became the matriarch of modern women's basketball | website=Knoxville News Sentinel | date=June 24, 2022 | url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/womens-basketball/2022/06/24/pat-summitt-womens-basketball-title-ix-pioneer/7666772001/ | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> From there, Summitt went to the University of Tennessee at Martin, where she won All-American honors playing for UT Martin's first women's basketball coach, Nadine Gearin.<ref name="v642">{{cite web | title=Pat Summitt's Collegiate Coach Passes Away | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | date=July 13, 2009 | url=https://utsports.com/news/2009/7/13/Pat_Summitt_s_Collegiate_Coach_Passes_Away | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> In 1970, with the passage of Title IX still two years away, there were no athletic scholarships for women. Each of Summitt's brothers had received athletic scholarships, but her parents paid her way to college. She later co-captained the United States women's national basketball team as a player at the inaugural women's tournament in the 1976 Summer Olympics, winning the silver medal.<ref name="m663">{{cite web | last=Jones | first=Maddie | title=Pat Summitt played in the first Olympic women's basketball tournament and later coached Team USA to gold | website=United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum | date=February 28, 2021 | url=https://usopm.org/pat-summitt-played-in-the-first-olympic-womens-basketball-tournament-and-later-coached-team-usa-to-gold/ | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Eight years later in 1984, she coached the U.S. women's team to an Olympic gold medal, becoming the first U.S. Olympian to win a basketball medal and coach a medal-winning team.<ref name="CBS facts">{{Cite web |last=Norlander |first=Matt |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Incredible facts and stats you should know about Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt |url=http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/incredible-facts-and-stats-you-should-know-about-lady-vols-coach-pat-summitt/ |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=CBS Sports}}</ref>
==Coaching career==
===1970s=== Just before the 1974–75 season, with women's college basketball still in its infancy and not yet an NCAA-sanctioned sport, 22-year-old Summitt became a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee, and was named head coach of the Lady Vols after the previous coach suddenly quit.<ref name="n510">{{cite web | last=Fleser | first=Dan | title=Pat Summitt was just Pat to many | website=NCAA.com | date=June 28, 2016 | url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2016-06-28/tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-pat-summitt-was-just-pat | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Summitt earned $250 monthly and washed the players' uniforms – uniforms purchased the previous year with proceeds from a doughnut sale.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendricks |first=Maggie |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Read the letter from 1974 that offered Pat Summitt the Tennessee job |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/06/read-the-letter-from-1974-that-offered-pat-summitt-the-tennessee-job |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=For The Win|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref> Summitt recalled that era of women's basketball during a February 2009 interview with ''Time''. "I had to drive the van when I first started coaching," Summitt said. "One time, for a road game, we actually slept in the other team's gym the night before. We had mats, we had our little sleeping bags. When I was a player at the University of Tennessee at Martin, we played at Tennessee Tech for three straight games, and we didn't wash our uniforms. We only had one set. We played because we loved the game. We didn't think anything about it."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gregory |first=Sean |date=February 2, 2009 |title=Q&A: Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt – TIME |url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1876213,00.html |access-date=June 28, 2016 |magazine=Time}}</ref>
During Summitt's first year as head coach, four of her players were only a year younger than she was and all were from Tennessee high schools, which until 1980<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association |encyclopedia=Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture |url=http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=1348 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |last=Whitworth |first=Kent |date=October 8, 2017}}</ref> employed a six-person game where offensive and defensive players never crossed mid-court. She coached her first game for Tennessee on December 7, 1974, against Mercer University in Macon, Georgia; the Lady Vols lost 84–83.<ref name="j964">{{cite web |last=Shearer |first=John |date=April 7, 2007 |title=Pat Summitt: From Humble Beginnings To The Top |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2007/4/6/105056/Pat-Summitt-From-Humble-Beginnings.aspx |access-date=September 14, 2024 |website=Chattanoogan.com}}</ref> Her first win came almost a month later when the Lady Vols defeated Middle Tennessee State, 69–32 on January 10, 1975.<ref name="history" /> The Lady Vols won the Tennessee College Women's Sports Federation (TCWSF) Eastern District Championship for the third straight year. However, the team finished 4th overall in the TCWSF (they had been second the previous two years), and were not invited to the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) tournament.<ref name="w225">{{Cite web |date=April 28, 2004 |title=History of the Women's Final Four |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/women/features/finalfour_history/1975/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025034258/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/women/features/finalfour_history/1975/ |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |website=SI/CNN}}</ref>
In her second season, Summitt coached the Lady Vols to a 16–11 record while earning her 1976 master's degree in physical education and training as the co-captain of the 1976 U.S. Women's Olympic basketball team that won a silver medal in Montreal.<ref name="y353">{{cite web | title=1975-76 Women's Basketball Schedule | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | url=https://utsports.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/1975-76 | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref><ref name="l281">{{cite web | title= 1976 US Women's Olympic Team | website=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | url=https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/1976-us-womens-olympic-team/ | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> Starting with the 1976–77 season, Summitt directed two 20-win teams, winning back-to-back AIAW Region II championships.<ref name="v546">{{cite web | title=1976-77 Women's Basketball Schedule | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | url=https://utsports.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/1976-77 | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref><ref name="t753">{{cite web | title=1977-78 Women's Basketball Schedule | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | url=https://utsports.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/1977-78 | access-date=September 14, 2024}}</ref> The Lady Vols defeated 3-time AIAW champion Delta State by 20 points in 1978, and earned Tennessee its first number one ranking.<ref name="Alltime">{{Cite web |title=LADY VOL ALL-TIME GAMES VERSUS RANKED TEAMS |url=http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/games-vs-ranked.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205075135/http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/games-vs-ranked.html |archive-date=February 5, 2013 |access-date=March 25, 2012 |website=UTLADYVOLS.com}}</ref> 1978 saw the Lady Vols participate in their first AIAW Final Four, where they finished third. Summitt also recorded her 100th win during this season, a 79–66 victory over NC State.<ref name="milestones">{{Cite web |date=November 29, 1999 |title=Standing Pat: Summitt's Milestone Wins |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/news/story?page=summitt_timeline |access-date=March 28, 2007}}</ref> Tennessee closed the 1970s by winning the first-ever SEC tournament, and returning to the AIAW Final Four, where they finished runner-up to Old Dominion, 68–53.<ref name="history">{{Cite web |date=November 29, 1999 |title=Summitt's year-by-year coaching résumé |url=https://www.espn.com/ncw/s/summitt_year.html |access-date=September 14, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
===1980s=== During the 1980–81 season, the Lady Vols went 25–6, and avenged their championship game loss to Old Dominion by defeating them three times.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Year-by-year record of former Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2016/06/28/year-by-year-record-of-former-lady-vols-coach-pat-summitt/86459388/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=USA TODAY|agency=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref> The team made it to the AIAW Final Four for the third straight year; finished runner-up for the second consecutive year, losing to Louisiana Tech, 79–59.<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of University of Tennessee Official Athletic Site – Women's Basketball |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/yby-scores.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815134201/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/yby-scores.html |archive-date=August 15, 2016 |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Utsports.com}}</ref>
The 1981–82 season featured the first ever NCAA women's basketball tournament.<ref>{{cite web |last=Whitaker |first=Justin |date=March 10, 2023 |title=Looking back at the first women's champions in NCAA history |url=https://www.ncaa.org/news/2023/3/10/media-center-looking-back-at-the-first-womens-champions-in-ncaa-history.aspx |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=NCAA.org}}</ref> The Lady Vols were one of 32 teams invited and named a 2 seed in the Mideast region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1981-82 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1982.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the region championship, the Lady Vols upset top-seeded USC 91–90 in overtime to advance to the Final Four. They lost their Final Four match-up with Louisiana Tech 69–46, which went on to win the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1982 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1982-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mowins |first=Beth |author-link=Beth Mowins |date=March 31, 2006 |title=Lady Techsters land inaugural NCAA title |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/news/story?id=2343712 |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
The next season, the Lady Vols won the regular season SEC title but fell in the SEC tournament to Georgia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1982-83 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/1983.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Tennessee was invited to the now-36 team NCAA tournament and awarded its first-ever 1 seed. Tennessee made it to the regional championship, but fell to Georgia again, 67–63.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1983 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1983-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Summitt won her 200th game on December 3, a 69–56 victory over St. John's during the Coca-Cola Classic in Detroit.<ref name="milestones" />
The 1983–84 season saw Tennessee start out 6–4. However, Summitt rallied her team and finished 22–10, for her eighth straight 20-win season. Tennessee earned the #3 seed in the Mideast region. Tennessee not only made it to the NCAA Final Four for the second time in the first three tournaments, but also made it to the title game. However, Tennessee lost by 11 to USC, which also had won the title the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1984 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1984-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Summit earned Coach of the Year honors.<ref name="cstv">{{Cite web |title=Player Bio – Pat Summitt |url=http://utladyvols.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/summitt_pat00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070526060257/http://utladyvols.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/summitt_pat00.html |archive-date=May 26, 2007 |access-date=March 26, 2007}}</ref> The 1983–84 season was followed up by another 20-win year in which Tennessee earned both the regular season SEC title (despite only going 4–4) and the tournament title. However, the Lady Vols fell in the NCAA tournament to Ole Miss 63–60 during the round of 16.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1985-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The next season was a similar story – the Lady Vols had a good regular season, played a great tournament (reaching the Final Four for the second time in three years), but fell 83–59 to USC before winning the title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985-86 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1986.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Linda |date=April 2, 1988 |title=Tennessee Women Fall To La. Tech |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/04/02/tennessee-women-fall-to-la-tech/ |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>
In 1986–87, Tennessee broke through and defeated perennial power Louisiana Tech 67–44 to win the Lady Vols' first national title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1986-87 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1987.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Tennessee's Tonya Edwards was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four. During the regular season, Summitt also earned her 300th win, an 87–66 victory over North Carolina.<ref name="milestones" /> The next year in 1987–88, the Lady Vols were positioned to repeat as the #1 seed in the East region, as Tennessee made it to the Final Four yet again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1987-88 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1988.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> However, Louisiana Tech avenged the previous year's championship game loss with a 9-point victory and went on to win the title.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cart |first=Julie |date=April 2, 1988 |title=NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR : CS Long Beach Makes Run for It, Then Gives It Away in 68–55 Loss – latimes |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-02-sp-623-story.html |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
In 1988–89, the Lady Vols reached the Final Four for the fourth straight year. After eliminating Maryland by 12 points, Tennessee faced SEC rival Auburn for the national title. Auburn had lost by two points to Louisiana Tech in the NCAA title game the previous year and had suffered its only loss in the SEC Championship game by 15 points to Tennessee. The championship game was similar as Tennessee took home its second title in three years with a 76–60 victory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1989-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> It was Tennessee's best season yet; the Lady Vols won 35 games while losing only two regular season contests to Auburn and Texas. The Lady Vols won every NCAA tournament game by at least 12 points.<ref name="history" />
In 1989–90, the Lady Vols started off the season well, winning the SEC title. However, the team fell by 1 point to Auburn in the SEC Championship Game and lost in overtime to Virginia in the regional finals, one game shy of making a trip to the Final Four, which that year was held in Knoxville.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989-90 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1990.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Summitt accomplished another milestone that season with her 400th win, a 70–69 victory over South Carolina on January 25.<ref name="milestones" />
===1990s=== Tennessee failed to win the SEC regular season or the tournament championship in 1990–91 (losing in the tournament final to LSU), but after a close win in the NCAA regional semifinals against Western Kentucky, the Lady Vols eliminated Auburn for the second time in three years. In the national semifinals, the Lady Vols beat Stanford, 68–60, to earn the chance to avenge the previous year's tournament loss against Virginia. Just as the previous year's game had gone into overtime, so did this one. Tennessee escaped with a 70–67 win and its third national title in five years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990-91 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1991.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The next season in 1991–92, the Lady Vols did not make it to the regional championship, falling 75–70 to the same Western Kentucky team they had beaten in that round the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1991-92 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1992.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In 1992–93, Tennessee defeated the defending champions Stanford twice and swept the SEC season for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992-93 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/1993.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> However, the Lady Vols were unable to win the SEC tournament title and fell 72–56 in the NCAA tournament to Iowa in the regional finals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 1993 |title=NCAA TOURNAMENT WOMEN'S ROUNDUP : Inspired Iowa Keeps Rolling Along, 72–56 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-28-sp-16114-story.html |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
Early in the 1993–94 season, Summitt grabbed her 500th win, an 80–45 win over Ohio State on November 21. Tennessee went on to win the regular season and tournament SEC titles before falling 71–68 to Louisiana Tech in the regional semifinals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1993-94 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/1994.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1993-94 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1994.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The next season marked Tennessee's return to the Final Four. Tennessee went undefeated in the SEC regular season for the third straight year, but failed to win the tournament title, losing the final to in-state rival Vanderbilt.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1994-95 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/1995.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The top-seeded Lady Vols breezed their way to a fifth national title game, with none of their first five tournament games being closer than 21 points. However, in the national championship game, the Lady Vols fell 70–64 to the undefeated UConn Huskies (UConn's second win vs. Tennessee that season), coached by Summit's rival, Geno Auriemma, in the first of twelve championships for UConn.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1994-95 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1995.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> During the off-season, Summitt recruited high school stand-out Chamique Holdsclaw.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lytle |first=Kevin |date=June 28, 2016 |title=High school coaches say Pat Summitt created buzz when she came to recruit |url=http://usatodayhss.com/2016/pat-summitt-tennessee-recruiting-tamika-catchings-chamique-holdsclaw |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=USA TODAY High School Sports}}</ref>
In 1995–96, with freshman Holdsclaw and senior Michelle M. Marciniak, the Lady Vols won the SEC tournament and made a second straight Final Four trip.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995-96 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/1996.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the semifinals, the Lady Vols avenged the previous year's tournament loss to UConn by ousting Auriemma and the Huskies with a hard-fought five-point win in overtime. The championship game was not that close as Tennessee easily won its fourth title with an 83–65 win over conference rival Georgia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995-96 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1996.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=1995-96 Lady Vols | website=Pat Christle | url=http://christle.freeshell.org/wbb/9596lv.html | access-date=March 22, 2026}}</ref>
The 1996–97 Lady Vols posted one of the worst records ever for a Summitt-coached team. In addition to losses to powerhouses such as Louisiana Tech (twice), Georgia, Stanford, Old Dominion, and Connecticut, Tennessee fell to teams such as Florida, against whom they had been previously undefeated, and LSU, which was two seasons removed from going 7-20 (and still several years away from making five consecutive Final Four appearances) and losing 102-68 to the Lady Vols on their home floor.<ref>{{cite web | title=1996-97 Lady Vols | website=Pat Christle | url=http://christle.freeshell.org/wbb/9697lv.html | access-date=March 22, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1996-97 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1997-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Summitt earned her 600th win with a 15-point victory over Marquette on November 23, 1996.<ref name="milestones" /> Summitt and the 1996–97 championship team were the subject of an HBO documentary titled ''A Cinderella Season: The Lady Vols Fight Back''. The Lady Vols posted a 23–10 record heading into the NCAA tournament. However, Tennessee righted itself during the tournament, shocking previously undefeated Connecticut in the regional final before defeating Notre Dame and Old Dominion in the Final Four to win the team's second straight national championship.<ref name="ncaa championship history">{{Cite web |title=Women's Basketball Championship History |url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/basketball-women/d1 |access-date=June 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1997 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/1997-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref>
{{Main|1997–98 Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team}} In many aspects, the 1997–98 team was Summitt's best. With the top-ranked recruiting class as well as Chamique Holdsclaw, the Lady Vols ran the table to a 39–0 season while playing one of the top-ranked schedules in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1997-98 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1998-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Only three teams came within 10 points of beating the team, and the Lady Vols won a 93–75 victory over Louisiana Tech for their third straight national championship.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Longman |first=Jere |date=March 26, 1998 |title=1998 N.C.A.A. TOURNAMENT – Tennessee Redefining the Women's Game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/26/sports/1998-ncaa-tournament-tennessee-redefining-the-women-s-game.html?pagewanted=all |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> After the championship game, opposing Louisiana Tech head coach Leon Balmore proclaimed the Tennessee team to be the "best ever",<ref>{{Cite news |title=1998 Women's Final Four home |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/events/1998/tournament/women/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427114654/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/events/1998/tournament/women/ |archive-date=April 27, 2007 |access-date=March 18, 2007 |work=CNN}}</ref> echoing a similar claim made by Old Dominion University Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shipley |first=Amy |date=June 13, 2000 |title=Lady Vols Shoot for Place in History |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/colbask/longterm/1998/women/articles/ladyvols25.htm |access-date=March 18, 2007 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
Holdsclaw (who by then had won national championships every season she was with the Vols) predicted that the 1998–99 team would be the greatest ever. However, Tennessee didn't claim another national title or make it to the Final Four.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1998-99 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/1999-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Injuries to several players decimated the team and the Lady Vols ultimately fell to Duke in the regional finals. A landmark was set during this season however, as Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings, and Semeka Randall became the first trio from one team to be named Kodak All-Americans.<ref name="history" />
The Lady Vols ended the decade with a third straight 30-win season, third straight SEC title, and third straight SEC Tournament title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999-00 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2000.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, they defeated UConn in the regular season, 72–71, in UConn's only loss of the year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1999-00 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2000-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the NCAA tournament, Tennessee breezed its way to the title game, winning all five games by at least 10 points. In the championship game the Lady Vols were beaten soundly by UConn, 71–52.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/2000-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> This marked the fourth time in six years that either Tennessee or UConn had eliminated the other from the tournament. UConn's two wins in that period came in championship games, adding more intensity to the Summit-Auriemma rivalry. During the season, Summitt earned her 700th win, 85–62 at Wisconsin.<ref name="history" />
At the 2000 ESPY awards, the Lady Vols basketball team was named co-team of the decade, along with the Florida State Seminoles football team.<ref name="espy2000">{{Cite web |title=The 2005 ESPY Awards – Past ESPY Award Winners |url=https://www.espn.com/espy2005/s/pastwinners.html |access-date=March 10, 2007}}</ref> Additionally, Summitt was named the Naismith Coach of the Century and Chamique Holdsclaw earned recognition as Naismith Women's Collegiate Player of the Century.<ref name="history" />
===2000s=== In the 2000–01 season, the Lady Vols claimed another SEC title, winning all 14 SEC games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000-01 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2001.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, they split the season series with the UConn Huskies and headed into the SEC tournament with a 28–1 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000-01 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2001.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> However, the Lady Vols were upset by Vanderbilt in the semifinals and then lost in the Sweet Sixteen to Xavier, their worst finish since 1993–94.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/2001-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> During the regular season, Summitt earned her 750th win in the second game against UConn, a 92–88 victory. The team also finished with its fourth straight 30-win season.<ref name="milestones" />
In the 2001–02 season, the Lady Vols won their fifth straight SEC championship, but fell again in the conference tournament, this time to LSU.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001-02 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2002.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the NCAA tournament, Tennessee reached the Final Four again, with a 5-point win over Vanderbilt University. This trip to the Final Four marked Summitt's 13th appearance, which broke Coach John Wooden's record of 12, and earned her 788th win, which tied Summitt with Jody Conradt for the winningest coach in women's basketball history.<ref name="milestones" /> However, the Lady Vols fell in the national semifinals to Connecticut, which wound up winning the championship and capping an undefeated season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/2002-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> This loss ended the season at 29–5, one win shy of extending Summitt's streak of 30-win seasons. Summitt did achieve more milestones during the season; a 106–66 win over USC marked Summitt's 200th win at home, a victory against Louisiana Tech was her 300th win against a ranked opponent and her 93–65 win over Arkansas was her 1,000th game as a coach, including international contests.<ref name="milestones" />
During the 2002–03 season, the Lady Vols compiled their sixth perfect SEC season and beat powerhouses Duke and Louisiana Tech, among others, during the regular season, but lost to Texas and UConn.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002-03 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2003.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2002-03 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Roster and Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2003.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the NCAA tournament, the Lady Vols made it to the title game only to lose to the Huskies again 73–68.<ref name="PatChristle">{{cite web |title=Tennessee Lady Vols 1998-2008 |url=http://christle.freeshell.org/wbb/tenn.html#2003 |access-date=April 2, 2026 |website=Pat Christle}}</ref> During the season, Summitt earned her 800th win, 76–57 over DePaul and was the fastest coach to reach this milestone.<ref name="milestones" />
The 2003–04 season was similar to the previous year. The Lady Vols defeated most of their regular season opponents, including Duke and Louisiana Tech, but dropped games to UConn and Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003-04 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2004-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The Lady Vols again went 14–0 in the regular season against SEC competition, but again fell in the conference tournament. Tennessee won five games in the NCAA tournament only to lose 70–61 to Connecticut in the championship game for the second year in a row and third time in five years.<ref name="PatChristle" /> thumb|left|Summitt with a subdued look in 2008
In 2004–05, Tennessee broke its losing streak against Connecticut with a narrow 68–67 regular season victory. Candace Parker, a highly regarded and nationally known high school player joined the Lady Vols. However, because of injuries, she was redshirted and didn't play that season. Tennessee suffered losses during the regular season to Duke, Rutgers, and LSU, while beating Stanford and Louisiana Tech.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004-05 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2005-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> LSU's win over Tennessee gave the Tigers the SEC title, breaking Tennessee's streak of seven straight regular season conference championships. However, Tennessee won its first tournament title in four years by avenging its earlier loss to LSU loss with a 67–65 win in the SEC Championship game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004-05 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2005.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the NCAA tournament, Tennessee advanced to its fourth Final Four in a row by defeating a Rutgers team that had beaten them earlier in the year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/2005-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> In the Final Four, the Lady Vols blew a 16-point lead to fall 68–64 to underdog Michigan State.<ref name="PatChristle" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Michigan State 68, Tennessee 64 |url=http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/womens/story/8353949 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051118230234/http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/womens/story/8353949 |archive-date=November 18, 2005 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> In the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Lady Vols defeated Purdue. This victory gave Pat Summitt her 880th win, breaking North Carolina coach Dean Smith's record of 879 wins, and making her the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.<ref name="milestones" />
By 2005–06, Parker had recovered from her injuries and became a starter. During the season, the Lady Vols dropped three games to SEC foes, LSU, Florida, and Kentucky, to record their worst SEC season since the 1996–97 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005-06 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2006-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> However, they won their second straight game against Connecticut and rebounded from a sub-par SEC season to win the conference tournament for the second year in a row. In the NCAA tournament, Tennessee received a number two seed instead of the one seed Summitt believed her team deserved, and played North Carolina in the regional finals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 Women's NCAA Tournament Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/women/2006-ncaa.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> Tennessee trailed from the beginning, fell behind by as many as 16, rallied to cut the lead to five, but ultimately fell 75–63.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCAA Women's Basketball – Tennessee Lady Volunteers / North Carolina Tar Heels Recap |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaw/recap?gid=200603280413 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref>
In the 2006–07 season, Tennessee defeated four ranked teams in a row: UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State, and Middle Tennessee, lost a regular season rematch with North Carolina and another game against top-ranked Duke, and defeated UConn for the third time in a row.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006-07 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2007-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2007 |title=Strong Start Powers No. 1 Duke Past No. 4 Tennessee, 74–70 |url=http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=751514 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> Later, in Baton Rouge, the Lady Vols clinched the SEC title against LSU in a game where Candace Parker scored 27.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Box Score: Tennessee at LSU |url=http://christle.freeshell.org/wbb/06box3.html#GAME%2027 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> However, in the SEC tournament semifinals, Tennessee fell to the Tigers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Box Score: SEC Tournament semifinals: LSU at Tennessee |url=http://christle.freeshell.org/wbb/06bxtour.html#GAME%2031 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> In the NCAA tournament, Summitt's team easily made it to the Final Four, dispatching teams that included SEC foe Mississippi and 13-seeded Cinderella, Marist, winning each game by at least 14. In the Final Four, Tennessee again faced North Carolina. Despite shooting poorly,<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCAA Women's Basketball – North Carolina Tar Heels / Tennessee Lady Volunteers Box Score |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaw/boxscore?gid=200704010580 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> the Lady Vols came back from a 12-point deficit with 8:18 remaining to win 56–50.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCAA Women's Basketball – North Carolina Tar Heels / Tennessee Lady Volunteers Recap |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaw/recap?gid=200704010580 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> In the championship game against Rutgers, Tennessee won its seventh title.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCAA Women's Basketball – Rutgers Scarlet Knights / Tennessee Lady Volunteers Recap |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaw/recap?gid=200704030580 |access-date=April 13, 2007}}</ref> During the season, Summitt appeared at a men's basketball game dressed in a cheerleader outfit and led the crowd in a rendition of "Rocky Top" to show her support for the team. A month earlier, her men's counterpart, Bruce Pearl, showed up at a Lady Vols game in orange body paint.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2007 |title=Body-painting Pearl goes shirtless to promote UT basketball |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?id=2744789 |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[File:20080624-4 p062408cg-0012-513htenn.jpg|thumb|300px|2007–2008 Lady Vols basketball team at the White House with President George W. Bush after they won their second consecutive national championship]]
The 2007–08 season started off with the top-ranked Lady Vols going 3–0, including wins over 9th-ranked Oklahoma<ref>{{cite web | title=Parker, Bobbitt lead UT over OU 70-67 | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | date=November 15, 2007 | url=https://utsports.com/news/2007/11/15/Parker_Bobbitt_lead_UT_over_OU_70_67 | access-date=April 3, 2026}}</ref> and 22nd-ranked Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007-08 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2008-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The win over Texas was Summitt's 950th.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 18, 2007 |title=UT Tops Texas on Banner Raising Day 92-67 |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/111807aaa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912043247/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/111807aaa.html |archive-date=September 12, 2015 |work=University of Tennessee Athletics}}</ref> After two more wins, top-ranked Tennessee knocked off fourth-ranked North Carolina, 83–79, in a rematch of the previous year's Final Four match-up.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 2, 2007 |title=No. 1 UT Out Battles No. 4 UNC 83-79 |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/120207aaa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908142223/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/120207aaa.html |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |access-date=April 3, 2026 |work=University of Tennessee Athletics}}</ref> Tennessee won their next four games, then headed to California for a match-up with 5th-ranked Stanford. Down by 4 with less than 30 seconds remaining, the Lady Vols managed to tie the game up and send it to overtime, but lost, 73–69.<ref>{{cite web | title=No. 1 UT Falls in OT to No. 5 Stanford 73-69 | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | date=December 23, 2007 |agency=Associated Press| url=https://utsports.com/news/2007/12/23/No_1_UT_Falls_in_OT_to_No_5_Stanford_73_69 | access-date=April 3, 2026}}</ref> The Lady Vols responded by winning their next seven games, giving them a 17–1 record going into a match-up with Duke. Candace Parker's 17 points and 12 rebounds, including a bucket with 22 seconds remaining, helped the Lady Vols defeat the Blue Devils for the first time in four years, 67–64.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCreary |first=Joedy |date=January 28, 2008 |title=Parker's 17 points lead No. 2 Lady Vols past No. 9 Duke, 67-64 |url=https://www.gadsdentimes.com/story/lifestyle/2008/01/29/parkers-17-points-lead-no-2-lady-vols-past-no-9-duke-67-64/32235656007/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Gadsden Times |language=en-US |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Tennessee would win the rest of their regular season games and defeat LSU for the SEC tournament championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007-08 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2008.html |access-date=April 2, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The Lady Vols won four straight games in the NCAA Tournament heading toward their third matchup of the year against the LSU Lady Tigers in the Final Four. Alexis Hornbuckle tipped in a Nicky Anosike missed layup with 0.7 seconds left to win the game, 47–46.<ref>{{cite web | last=Brown | first=Rick | title=Last-Second Putback Sends Lady Vols to Final | website=Lakeland Ledger | date=April 7, 2008 | url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2008/04/07/last-second-putback-sends-lady-vols-to-final/25850173007/ | access-date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> On April 8, 2008, Tennessee won its second consecutive national championship (and eighth overall) by beating Stanford 64–48.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 10, 2008 |title=Parker, Tennessee earn back-to-back titles with rout of Stanford |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/284000063 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726194536/https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/284000063 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>
Summitt's first milestone of the 2008–09 season was a 73–43 win over the Georgia Lady Bulldogs on February 5, 2009, at Thompson–Boling Arena in Knoxville. The win was the 1,000th for Coach Summitt.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 6, 2009 |title=Summitt reaches new heights: 1,000 wins |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-bkw-t25-georgia-tennessee-020509-2009feb05-story.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> The Thompson–Boling Arena's court was named "The Summitt" in her honor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2018 |title=Thompson-Boling Arena through the years |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/picture-gallery/news/2018/11/20/thompson-boling-arena-through-years/1835588002/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref> The 2008–09 season ended with a dubious first, as the Lady Vols lost 71–55 in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Ball State in Bowling Green, Kentucky, marking the first time Tennessee would not appear in the Sweet 16 since the NCAA first sanctioned championships in women's basketball for the 1981–82 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 23, 2009 |title=Ball State stuns Tennessee, hands Lady Vols first ever opening-round loss |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/294000004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220613201124/https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap/_/gameId/294000004 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 13, 2022 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> The team finished with a 22–11 mark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008-09 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2009-schedule.html |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref>
In the 2009–10 season, Summitt led the Lady Vols to a 32–3 season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009-10 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2010-schedule.html |access-date=April 2, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The season saw the Lady Vols win the regular season SEC title and the SEC Tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009-10 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2010.html |access-date=April 2, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The Lady Vols saw their season end in the Sweet 16 with a 77–62 loss to Baylor.<ref>{{cite web | title=Lady Vols Fall to Baylor, 77-62, in NCAA Sweet 16 | website=University of Tennessee Athletics | date=March 27, 2010 | url=https://utsports.com/news/2010/3/27/Lady_Vols_Fall_to_Baylor_77_62_in_NCAA_Sweet_16 | access-date=April 2, 2026}}</ref>
===2010s=== In the 2010–11 season, Summitt lead the Lady Vols to a 34–3 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010-11 Tennessee Volunteers Women's Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/tennessee/women/2011-schedule.html |access-date=March 26, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref> The team were the SEC regular season champions and Conference Tournament champions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2010-11 Women's Southeastern Conference Season Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/sec/women/2011.html |access-date=March 26, 2026 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press | title=No. 4 Lady Vols win SEC championship | website=Arkansas Online | date=February 22, 2011 | url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/feb/22/no-4-lady-vols-win-sec-championship-20110222/ | access-date=March 26, 2026}}</ref> The Lady Vols saw their season end in a 73–59 loss to Notre Dame in the Elite Eight.<ref>{{cite web | agency=Associated Press | title=No. 2 Notre Dame stuns No. 1 Tennessee, 73-59, to reach women's Final Four | website=NJ.com| date=March 29, 2011 | url=https://www.nj.com/sports/2011/03/no_2_notre_dame_stuns_no_1_ten.html | access-date=March 26, 2026}}</ref>
Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease in 2011.<ref name="dementia">{{Cite news |last=Jenkins |first=Sally |date=August 23, 2011 |title=Pat Summitt, Tennessee women's basketball coach, diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/pat-summitt-tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-diagnosed-with-alzheimers-disease/2011/08/23/gIQADEuDZJ_story.html |access-date=April 18, 2012 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Despite the diagnosis, she completed the 2011–2012 season in a reduced role, with Holly Warlick (an assistant under Summitt since 1985) assuming most of the coaching responsibilities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=Andy |date=August 23, 2011 |title=Tennessee's Summitt has early-onset dementia|agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/6888321/tennessee-lady-vols-pat-summitt-early-onset-dementia |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Famous faces of Alzheimer's |url=http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Famous+faces+of+Alzheimer's/G3808?csp=ftsmpg |work=USA Today}}</ref> In an interview with GoVolsXtra.com, Summitt stated, "There's not going to be any pity party and I'll make sure of that."<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2011 |title=Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt says she has early onset dementia |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/sports/college/2011/08/23/tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-pat-summitt-says-she-has-early/15892377007/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The Florida Times-Union|agency=Associated Press |language=en-US}}</ref> In December 2011, Summitt was honored as the ''Sports Illustrated'' sportswoman of the year.<ref name="AlexanderWolff" />
As the 2011–12 season progressed, the team and the fans recognized that it was likely to be Summitt's last year coaching, and Ann Killion of ''Sports Illustrated'' called it "heart-wrenching to witness" when Warlick broke down in tears at the end of the regular season.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Killion |first=Ann |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Pat Summitt's final season both heartbreaking and awe-inspiring |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/04/18/pat-summitt |access-date=March 23, 2024 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> In March, John Adams wrote in the ''Knoxville News Sentinel'' that it would be "too much to ask" of Summitt and her staff to go through another season, and David Climer wrote in ''The Tennessean'' that it was time for Summitt to retire.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Longman |first=Jere |date=March 16, 2012 |title=The Usual High Expectations Mingle With Uncertainty |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/sports/ncaabasketball/pat-summitts-health-gives-tournament-different-feel-for-lady-vols.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=The New York Times |page=B13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Climer |first=David |date=March 28, 2012 |title=Pat Summitt should end Lady Vols' pain by retiring |url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120328/COLUMNIST0202/303280128/David-Climer-Pat-Summitt-should-end-Lady-Vols-pain-by-retiring |work=The Tennessean |page=C1}}{{dead link|date=August 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [https://tennessean.newspapers.com/image/218636429/ Alt URL]</ref>
On April 18, 2012, after the Lady Vols lost to the unbeaten eventual champion Baylor Lady Bears in the Elite Eight in Des Moines, Summitt stepped down as head coach, ending her 38-year coaching career at age 59.<ref name="resigns-NYT">{{Cite news |last=Zinser |first=Lynn |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Summitt Stepping Down as Tennessee Coach |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/sports/ncaabasketball/pat-summitt-stepping-down-as-tennessee-womens-coach.html |access-date=June 29, 2016 |work=New York Times}}</ref><ref name="wapo-obit">{{Cite news |last=Parks |first=Miles |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt, legendary former coach of Lady Vols, dies at 64 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/pat-summitt-legendary-former-coach-of-lady-vols-dies-at-64/2016/06/28/9f73ddea-3d18-11e6-80bc-d06711fd2125_story.html/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629184809/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/pat-summitt-legendary-former-coach-of-lady-vols-dies-at-64/2016/06/28/9f73ddea-3d18-11e6-80bc-d06711fd2125_story.html |archive-date=June 29, 2016 |access-date=July 5, 2016 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Warlick was named Summitt's successor. In a statement accompanying her resignation, Summitt said, "I feel like Holly's been doing the bulk of it. She deserves to be the head coach..." Summitt was given the title Head Coach Emeritus<!-- official title, correct usage per OED2.--> upon her resignation.<ref name="resigns-NYT" /> According to NCAA regulations, as head coach emeritus, she was able to attend practices and assist Warlick in some duties, but was not allowed to sit on the team bench.<ref name="resignation1">{{Cite news |last=Clarke |first=Liz |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Pat Summitt to step down: legendary Tennessee women's basketball coach won 1,098 games, 8 NCAA titles |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/pat-summitt-to-step-down-legendary-tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-won-1098-games-8-ncaa-titles/2012/04/18/gIQA2CK2QT_story.html?wpisrc=al_national |access-date=April 18, 2012 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
Summitt was presented the USBWA Most Courageous Award at the 2012 Final Four, and future awards were given in her name.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt bonded with Lauren Hill before her death |url=https://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/legendary-womens-basketball-coach-pat-summitt-dies-at-64 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=WCPO |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> She received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2012, saying in her acceptance speech: "It is time to fight."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Emily |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt's Moving Acceptance Speech at 2012 ESPYs: 'It Is Time to Fight' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/pat-summitts-moving-acceptance-speech-2012-espys-time/story?id=40185999 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=ABC News}}</ref>
==USA Basketball involvement==
===Player=== Summitt was named to the U.S. women's basketball team invited to compete at the 1975 Pan American Games. The team was coached by future Hall of Fame coach Cathy Rush. Players included Lusia Harris, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, and Juliene Simpson. After winning the gold medal in 1963, the USA team lost to Brazil in both 1967 and 1971 and had recently competed in the 1975 World Championship, finishing in eighth place. The opening game was against host-country Mexico which had finished ahead of the USA team at the World Championships. This time, the USA was victorious, beating Mexico 99–65. The USA would go on to win its next five games, all but one by a double-digit margin. That set up the gold medal game against Brazil which the USA team won convincingly, 74–55.<ref name="1975 Pan Am" />
===Coach=== Summitt was named the head coach of the USA representative to the William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The USA team had recently completed the World Championship, so was able to bypass the preliminary rounds. The team won all six contests and the gold medal. Four USA players were named to the 12 player all-tournament team.<ref name="1979 JONES CUP" />
Summitt was chosen as the head coach of the team representing the USA in 1984 at the William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The team chosen to represent the USA was the team expected to be selected as the national team for the 1984 Olympic Games. This resulted in a very strong team which was able to dominate the competition. In the opening game against Australia, the USA won 82–20. While other games were closer, Italy's 23-point loss to the USA was the closest of the eight games. The USA won all eight games and the gold medal, and three of the team's players were named to the All-Tournament Team.<ref name="1984 JONES CUP" />
==Books== Summitt wrote three books, all with co-author Sally Jenkins: ''Reach for the Summitt'', which is part motivational book and part biography; ''Raise the Roof'', about the Lady Vols' 1997–1998 undefeated and NCAA-championship winning season; and ''Sum It Up'', covering her life and her experience being diagnosed and living with Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="books">{{cite web |title=Books by Pat Summitt |url=https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3APat%2BSummitt&s=relevancerank&_encoding=UTF8&ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1 |access-date=April 3, 2026 |website=Amazon.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Whitney |date=June 29, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt's books fly off shelves day after her death |url=https://www.wate.com/news/pat-summitts-books-fly-off-shelves-day-after-her-death/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=WATE 6 On Your Side |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Coaching style and legacy== Summitt was widely recognized as one of the toughest coaches in college basketball history. She was best known for giving her players an icy stare in response to poor play, known simply as "The Summitt Stare".<ref name="g862">{{cite web | last=Long | first=Donovan | title=There was more to Pat than the infamous stare | website=www.wvlt.tv | date=June 29, 2016 | url=https://www.wvlt.tv/content/news/There-was-more-to-Pat-than-the-infamous-stare-384928781.html | access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="p032">{{cite web | last=Donila | first=Mike | title=Country, state, county react to Summitt's death | website=wbir.com | date=June 28, 2016 | url=https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/country-state-county-react-to-summitts-death/51-258062037 | access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref> However, she claimed that she mellowed considerably later in her career. In 2007, Summitt told ''U.S. News & World Report'' that she didn't yell at her players nearly as much as she had earlier in her career.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garber |first=Kent |date=November 12, 2007 |title=Showing How the Game Is Played |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-leaders/articles/2007/11/12/pat-summitt |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=US News}}</ref> On at least two occasions, Tennessee asked Summitt to consider coaching the men's team: once before 1997<ref name="bondy19970328">{{Cite news |last=Bondy, Filip |date=March 28, 1997 |title=Women Stake Claim In Their Game |url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/1997-03-28/sports/18033213_1_pat-summitt-wendy-larry-tara-vanderveer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730110312/http://articles.nydailynews.com/1997-03-28/sports/18033213_1_pat-summitt-wendy-larry-tara-vanderveer |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |work=New York Daily News}}</ref> and again in 2001.<ref name="szulszteyn">{{Cite news |last=Szulszteyn, Andrea |date=October 21, 2001 |title=Coaching Quandry[sic] |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-10-21/sports/0110210185_1_female-coaches-title-ix-women-s-sports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616174110/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2001-10-21/sports/0110210185_1_female-coaches-title-ix-women-s-sports |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |work=Palm Beach Sun-Sentinel}}</ref>
Summitt won 16 Southeastern Conference regular season titles with the Lady Vols, as well as 16 tournament titles. Summitt's Lady Vols made an appearance in every NCAA Tournament from 1982 until her retirement, advanced to the Sweet 16 every year except 2009, and appeared 18 times in the Final Four.<ref name="cstv" /> When Summitt made her 13th trip to the Final Four as a coach in 2002, she surpassed John Wooden as the NCAA coach with the most trips to the Final Four. Summitt was a seven-time SEC Coach of the Year and a seven-time NCAA Coach of the Year and won three consecutive national titles from 1996 to 1998.<ref name="cstv" /> Summitt was known for scheduling tough opponents for her team to play in the regular season, in order to prepare them for the postseason. In her years of coaching, her teams played Top 10-ranked teams over 250 times.<ref name="cstv" />
Summitt finished her coaching career with 1,098 wins in 1,306 games coached in AIAW and NCAA Division I play.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleser |first=Dan |date=June 27, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt's family, friends convene around ex-Lady Vols coach 'preparing for the worst' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2016/06/26/pat-summitt-tennessee-lady-vols-ncaa-championships-dementia/86402446/ |access-date=June 27, 2016 |website=usatoday.com}}</ref> Summitt won eight NCAA Division I championships as a coach; as of June 2016, this is the third-highest total in the history of NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Remembering Pat Summitt's incredible coaching career |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/120533/remembering-pat-summitts-incredible-coaching-career |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|via=ESPN Stats & Information}}</ref>
Summitt received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boucher |first=Dave |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Obama: Pat Summitt leaves lasting legacy |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2016/06/28/obama-pat-summitt-leaves-lasting-legacy/86467106/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=The Tennessean}}</ref> In 2013, an eight-foot bronze statue was erected in her honor on the University of Tennessee campus.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2013 |title=Tennessee unveils statue honoring Summitt |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10019455/tennessee-unveils-campus-statue-honoring-pat-summitt |access-date=November 22, 2021 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> A statue was dedicated to Summitt in her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee, in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Chris |date=June 15, 2018 |title=Pat Head Summitt statue, legacy park unveiled in Clarksville |url=https://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/news/local/clarksville/2018/06/15/pat-summitt-statue-legacy-park-unveiled-clarksville/705021002/ |access-date=November 22, 2021 |website=The Leaf-Chronicle}}</ref> The gymnasium at Cheatham County High School is named in her honor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt's hometown and High School friends remember her |url=https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/sports/2016/06/28/pat-summitts-hometown-and-high-school-friends-remember-her/86488410/ |access-date=June 20, 2025 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life==
===Family=== Pat Summitt married Ross Barnes Summitt II in 1980. The couple had one son, Ross Tyler Summitt, born in 1990. Summitt filed for divorce from her husband in 2007.<ref name="divorce">{{Cite web |date=August 16, 2007 |title=Lady Vols' Summitt files for divorce after 27 years |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/news/story?id=2977117 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
Tyler Summitt, who played as a walk-on for the Tennessee men's basketball team,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seal |first=Clay |date=April 27, 2012 |title=Coaching Tyler Summitt's purpose in life |url=https://www.utdailybeacon.com/sports/all/coaching-tyler-summitt-s-purpose-in-life/article_10c4ca78-c34d-5f95-8107-7219474d15a9.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The Daily Beacon |language=en}}</ref> graduated from Tennessee in May 2012. He was hired as an assistant coach by the Marquette University women's team effective with the 2012–13 season.<ref name="Tyler Marquette">{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Marquette tabs Summitt's son |url=https://archive.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/marquette-tabs-summitts-son-4l52eld-148024355.html/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref> In what ''ESPN.com'' columnist Gene Wojciechowski called "a bittersweet irony", Tyler's hiring by Marquette was announced on the same day his mother announced her retirement.<ref name="Wojciechowski">{{Cite web |last=Wojciechowski |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Wojciechowski |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Tennessee's Summit changed game |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7830262/tennessee-coach-pat-summitt-changed-game |access-date=April 19, 2012 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
===Health=== In August 2011, Summitt announced that she had been diagnosed three months earlier with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.<ref name="dementia" /> She retired from coaching in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2012 |title=Summitt says retirement decision hers alone |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8466621/pat-summitt-says-retirement-decision-alone-not-tennessee-volunteers |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>
Summitt created a foundation to raise money for Alzheimer's research and worked to raise awareness of the disease.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bondy |first=Filip |date=November 27, 2011 |title=Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt stays strong in Alzheimer's battle |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2011/11/27/tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-pat-summitt-stays-strong-in-alzheimers-battle/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=New York Daily News}}</ref>
===Death=== Summitt died on June 28, 2016, at the age of 64, at a senior living facility in Knoxville.<ref name="usatoday-obit">{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Erik |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt dies at 64 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2016/06/28/pat-summitt-dies-age-64-tennessee-coach-obit-alzheimers/86406296/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> She left the entirety of her estate to her son, Tyler.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleser |first=Dan |date=August 25, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt wills all personal property to son Tyler |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2016/08/25/pat-summitt-will-son-tyler-tennessee-volunteers-womens-basketball/89319466/ |access-date=August 25, 2016 |website=USA Today}}</ref>
After her death, the Pat Summitt Alzheimer's Clinic was opened at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, with funds from her Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 16, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt's Public Fight Spurs Research Support |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/17/sports/ncaabasketball/pat-summitts-public-fight-spurs-research-support.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In 2017, the NCAA established the Pat Summitt Award to recognize individuals who positively influence college athletes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2017 |title=Ex-Tenn AD Joan Cronan earns NCAA's Pat Summitt Award |url=https://apnews.com/3c0fa696c2a44480a2e7df4bbc49e6fc |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Associated Press}}</ref>
==Accomplishments and records== * 1978—Inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, as an ''Honoris Causa'' faculty/staff initiate<ref name="m886">{{cite web | last=Toppmeyer | first=Blake | title=Vols: Todd Kelly Jr., Kyle Phillips earn selection to prestigious Omicron Delta Kappa society | website=Knoxville News Sentinel | date=October 19, 2017 | url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2017/10/19/tennessee-vols-football-todd-kelly-jr-kyle-phillips-earn-selection-omicron-delta-kappa-society-ut/780871001/ | access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref> *1983—Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year<ref name="WBCA COY" /> * 1990—Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame as a coach, the first year coaches were honored.<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Women's Sports Hall of Fame |url=http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/home/programs/awards/international-womens-sports-hall-of-fame |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127174843/http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/home/programs/awards/international-womens-sports-hall-of-fame |archive-date=November 27, 2014 |access-date=April 19, 2012 |publisher=Women's Sports Foundation}}</ref> * 1995—Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year<ref name="WBCA COY" /> * 1998—Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coach of the Year<ref name="WBCA COY" /> * 1998—AP College Basketball Coach of the Year<ref>{{Cite book |last=Congress |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eaCIX6d3Y5YC |title=Congressional Record |date=December 30, 2009 |publisher=Government Printing Office |isbn=9780160848001 |language=en}}</ref> * 1999—Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural class.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WBHOF Inductees |url=http://www.wbhof.com/inductees.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206134733/http://www.wbhof.com/Inductees.html |archive-date=December 6, 2017 |access-date=August 1, 2009 |publisher=WBHOF}}</ref> * 2000—Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall of Famers |url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/pat-head-summitt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831071808/http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/pat-head-summitt |archive-date=August 31, 2009 |access-date=August 1, 2009 |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame}}</ref> * 2000—Named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pat Summitt – Naismith Women's Collegiate Coach of the Century |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/coach-century.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215133332/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/coach-century.html |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |website=Tennessee Volunteers Athletics}}</ref> * 2009—Named to ''Sporting News''' list of the 50 greatest coaches of all time (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, college basketball, and college football). She is listed in position 11.<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Alessio |first=Jeff |date=July 29, 2009 |title=Sporting News' 50 greatest coaches of all time |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/college-basketball/article/2009-07-29/sporting-news-50-greatest-coaches-all-time |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609023051/http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2009-07-29/sporting-news-50-greatest-coaches-all-time |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |access-date=August 1, 2009 |publisher=SportingNews.com}}</ref> * 2011—Named Sports Illustrated's Sportswoman of the Year, December 6, 2011, in NYC. (She shared the Sportsman/Sportswoman honor with Duke University men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski.)<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 30, 2023 |title=Every Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year |url=https://www.si.com/sports-illustrated/sports-illustrated-sportsperson-year-covers |access-date=December 7, 2025 |website=SI |language=en-US}}</ref> * 2011—Inducted into the Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 17, 2011 |title=Pat Summitt inducted into Women's Hall |url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/news/story?id=6673889 |access-date=January 5, 2016 |publisher=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> * 2012—Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2020 |title=Pat Summitt remembered four years later |url=https://www.wbir.com/article/sports/college/vols/womens-basketball/pat-summitt-remembered-four-years-later/51-bb3392a5-6488-417c-83d4-0a0c5d30e144 |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=WBIR}}</ref> * 2012—Arthur Ashe Courage Award Recipient at the ESPY Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2012 |title=Summitt to get Arthur Ashe award at '12 ESPYS |url=https://www.espn.com/espys/story/_/page/ashenominee/tennessee-lady-volunteers-pat-summitt-get-arthur-ashe-award-12-espys |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> * 2012-Inducted into the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web | title=Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame 2025 PDF - University of Tennessee Athletics | url=https://utsports.com/documents/2025/2/12/UT_Hall_of_Fame_List_2025.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215004010/https://utsports.com/documents/2025/2/12/UT_Hall_of_Fame_List_2025.pdf | access-date=May 24, 2025 | archive-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref> * 2013—Inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame on June 19.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=FIBA announces 2013 Hall of Fame Class |date=May 27, 2013 |publisher=FIBA |url=http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/presRele/p/newsid/55716/presReleArti.html |access-date=May 28, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611020044/http://fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/presRele/p/newsid/55716/presReleArti.html |archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref> * 16-time SEC Champion (1980, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,<ref name="cstv" /> 2007,<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 19, 2007 |title=No. 2 Tennessee Pulls Away from No. 7 Lady Tigers, 56-51 |url=https://lsusports.net/news/2007/02/19/801444/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=LSUSports.com |language=en-US}}</ref> 2010, 2011) * 16-time SEC Tournament Champion (1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012)<ref name="cstv" /> * 8-time SEC Coach of the Year (1983, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011)<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016|agency=Associated Press |title=Pat Summitt, winningest coach in Division I college basketball history, has died at 64 |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/sports/college/2016/06/28/pat-summitt-winningest-coach-division-i-college-basketball/15715312007/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The Florida Times-Union |language=en-US}}</ref> * 7-time NCAA Coach of the Year (1983, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2004)<ref name="cstv" /> * 8-time NCAA Champion (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008)<ref name="cstv" /> * Every Lady Vol player who completed her eligibility at Tennessee under Summitt graduated with a degree.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Every single one of Pat Summitt's Lady Vols graduated |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/632844/every-single-pat-summitts-lady-vols-graduated |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref> * Every Lady Vol player who completed her eligibility at Tennessee under Summitt played in at least one Elite Eight.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynn |first=Alison |date=November 2, 2011 |title=Pat Summitt: 20 Career Highlights, Surprises |url=http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/11/pat-summitt-20-career-highlights-and-surprises |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref>
==Coaching tree== Forty-five of Summitt's former players have become coaches.<ref name="formerplayers-coaches">{{Cite news |last=Crouse |first=Karen |date=January 24, 2009 |title=''Pat Summitt Makes Tennessee a Cradle of Coaches'' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/sports/ncaabasketball/25summitt.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |work=New York Times}}</ref> This is a partial list of those players.
NOTE: This list does not include members of the United States team which Summitt coached to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, most notably Kim Mulkey, who has won four national championships as head coach at Baylor (2005, 2012, 2019) and LSU (2023). <br /> {{Incomplete list|date=June 2016}} {| class="wikitable sortable" <hiddentext>generated with :de:Wikipedia:Helferlein/VBA-Macro for EXCEL tableconversion V1.7<\hiddentext> ! style="width:160px;"| Name ! style="width:150px;"| Latest position ! style="width:180px;"| Latest school / organization ! style="width:190px;"| Relationship to Summitt ! style="width:110px;"| Years at Tennessee |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Jody|Adams|Jody Adams-Birch}} | Head coach | New Mexico State | Player | 1989–93<ref name="Tennessean tree">{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2016 |title=Pat Summitt coaching tree |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/sports/sec/pat-summitt/pat-summitt-coaching-tree-36ff829d-8050-4dfe-e053-0100007fa7e5-386023831.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Commercial Appeal |language=en}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Jane|Albright}} | Head coach | Nevada | Graduate assistant | 1981–83<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Greg|Brown|nolink=1}} | Head coach | Lipscomb | Graduate assistant<br />Assistant | 2002–04<ref name="CBS Summitt tree">{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=The Pat Summitt coaching tree is massive |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pat-summitt-coach-legacy-mentor/ |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=CBS News|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Niya|Butts}} | Assoc. head coach | Kentucky | Player | 1993–1997<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abby Conklin Named USF Women's Assistant Basketball Coach | WCC News |url=http://www.wccsports.com/news/sports_w-baskbl_spec-rel_052306aaa_html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816103750/http://www.wccsports.com/news/sports_w-baskbl_spec-rel_052306aaa_html |archive-date=August 16, 2016 |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Wccsports.com}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Tasha|Butts}} | Head coach | Georgetown | Player | 2000–2004<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 23, 2023 |title=Tasha Butts, former Tennessee Lady Vol, through the years |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/picture-gallery/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/womens-sports/2023/10/23/tasha-butts-former-tennessee-lady-vol-through-the-years-university-of-tennessee-lady-vols/71291083007/ |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;" | {{sortname|Nikki|Caldwell-Fargas|Nikki Fargas}} | '''President''' | Las Vegas Aces (WNBA) | Player<br />Assistant | 1990–94<br />2003–08<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Daedra|Charles}} | Assistant coach | Tennessee | Player | 1988–91<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slotnik |first=Daniel E. |date=April 19, 2018 |title=Daedra Charles, 49, Hall of Fame Center for Tennessee, Dies |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/obituaries/daedra-charles-university-of-tennessee-basketball-star-dies-at-49.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Abby|Conklin|nolink=1}} | Assistant coach | University of San Francisco | Player | 1993–97<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Nancy|Darsch}} | Assistant coach | Seattle Storm (WNBA) | Assistant | 1978–85<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Mickie|DeMoss}} | Chief of Staff | Georgia Tech | Assistant<br />Assoc. Head Coach | 1985–2003<br />2010–12<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Tonya|Edwards}} | '''Assistant coach''' | Chicago Sky (WNBA) | Player | 1986–90<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Kyra|Elzy}} | '''Assistant Coach''' | Duke | Player | 1996–2001<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kyra Elzy Profile |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/elzy_kyra00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905210545/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/elzy_kyra00.html |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |access-date=January 3, 2013 |publisher=University of Tennessee Athletics}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Sharon|Fanning-Otis|Sharon Fanning}} | Head coach | Mississippi State | Graduate assistant | 1975–76<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Stephanie|Glance}} | Head coach | Columbia | Assistant | 2009–10<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname| Bridgette |Gordon}} | '''Head coach''' | Florida A&M | Player | 1985–89<ref name="gordon-hof">{{Cite web |title=Women's Basketball Hall of Fame: Bridgette Gordon Biography |url=http://www.wbhof.com/Gordon.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624033837/http://www.wbhof.com/Gordon.html |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |access-date=July 1, 2016 |publisher=Women's Basketball Hall of Fame}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Tanya|Haave|}} | '''Head coach''' | Metropolitan State | Player | 1980–84<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Kellie|Harper}} | '''Head coach''' | Missouri | Player | 1995–99<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Sylvia|Hatchell}} | Head coach | North Carolina | Graduate assistant | 1974–75<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Lea|Henry}} | Head coach | Georgia State | Player | 1979–83<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Gwen|Jackson}} | Head coach | St. Paul's (VA) | Player | 1999–2003<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Angela|Lawson}} | '''Senior Associate Director of Athletics''' | Incarnate Word | Graduate assistant | 1989–91<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Kara|Lawson}} | '''Head coach''' |Duke University | Player | 1999–03<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| Michelle Marciniak | Assistant coach | South Carolina | Player | 1993–96<ref name="marciniak-sc">{{Cite web |title=Michelle Marciniak South Carolina Women's Basketball Coaching Roster |url=http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/marciniak_michelle00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815072419/http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/marciniak_michelle00.html |archive-date=August 15, 2016 |access-date=June 30, 2016 |publisher=University of South Carolina}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| Nikki McCray-Penson | Assistant coach | Rutgers | Player | 1991–95<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Carla|McGhee}} | Director Of Basketball Operations | Nevada Reno | Player | 1986–90<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carla McGhee Bio – Official Athletic Site Official Athletic Site – Women's Basketball |url=http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/carla_mcghee_816941.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818231219/http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/carla_mcghee_816941.html |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |access-date=June 28, 2016 |website=Nevadawolfpack.com}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Matthew|Mitchell|Matthew Mitchell (basketball coach)}} | Head coach | Kentucky | Graduate assistant | 1999–2000<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Carolyn|Peck}} | Assoc. head coach | Vanderbilt | Assistant | 1993–95<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Shalon|Pillow|nolink=1}} | Head coach | Florida A&M | Player | 1998–2002<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 28, 2020 |title=FAMU Introduces Shalon Pillow as Head Women's Basketball Coach |url=https://famuathletics.com/news/2020/5/28/famu-introduces-shalon-pillow-as-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx |access-date=May 28, 2020 |publisher=FAMU Athletics}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Semeka|Randall}} | '''Head coach''' | Winthrop | Player | 1997–2001<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Jill|Rankin|nolink=1}} | Head coach | Monterey High School Lubbock, TX | Player | 1979–80<ref name="rankin-hof">{{Cite web |title=Women's Basketball Hall of Fame: Jill Rankin Schneider |url=http://www.wbhof.com/Schneider.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624041255/http://www.wbhof.com/Schneider.html |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |access-date=July 1, 2016 |publisher=Women's Basketball Hall of Fame}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Trish|Roberts}} | Head coach | Agnes Scott | Player | 1976–77<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- |Joy Scruggs |Head coach/Lecturer |Emory & Henry College |Player |1971–75<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Allen |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Scruggs got the wakeup call in 1974 |url=https://heraldcourier.com/sports/scruggs-got-the-wakeup-call-in-1974/article_e00521fe-3dac-11e6-a5db-1787302c2383.html |access-date=March 23, 2024 |website=The Bristol Herald Courier |language=en}}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Tyler|Summitt}} | Head coach | Louisiana Tech | Son<br />Practice squad player | 2010–12<ref name="CBS Summitt tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Heidi|VanDerveer}} | '''Head coach''' | U.C. San Diego | Graduate assistant | 1986–88<ref name="Tennessean tree" /> |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="height:13px;"| {{sortname|Holly|Warlick}} | Head coach | Tennessee | Player<br />Assistant | 1976–80<br />1985–2012<ref>{{Cite web |title=Holly Warlick Profile |url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/warlick_holly00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203024233/http://www.utsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/warlick_holly00.html |archive-date=December 3, 2012 |access-date=January 3, 2013 |publisher=University of Tennessee Athletics}}</ref> |} * '''Bold''' in ''Latest position'' column indicates this is a currently-held position.
==Head coaching record== {{CBB Yearly Record Start |type=coach |conference= |postseason= |poll= }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name=Tennessee Lady Volunteers |startyear=1974 |conference=AIAW |endyear=1979 |}} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = division | season = 1974–75 | name = Tennessee | overall = 16–8 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = TCWSF Eastern District Champions<br />4th Place TCWSF }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 1975–76 | name = Tennessee | overall = 16–11 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = 4th Place TCWSF<br />6th Place AIAW Region II }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 1976–77 | name = Tennessee | overall = 28–5 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = 2nd Place TCWSF<br />AIAW Region II Champions<br />3rd Place AIAW }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 1977–78 | name = Tennessee | overall = 27–4 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = 2nd Place TCWSF<br />AIAW Region II Champions<br />4th Place AIAW South Satellite }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1978–79 | name = Tennessee | overall = 30–9 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = TCWSF Champions<br />2nd Place AIAW Region II<br />AIAW East Satellite Champions<br />3rd Place AIAW }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |name=Tennessee Lady Volunteers |startyear=1979 |conference=Southeastern Conference |endyear=2012 |}} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 1979–80 | name = Tennessee | overall = 33–5 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = TCWSF Champions<br />2nd Place AIAW Region II<br />AIAW South Satellite Champions<br />2nd Place AIAW }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1980–81 | name = Tennessee | overall = 25–6 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = TCWSF Champions <br /> AIAW Region II Champions<br />2nd Place AIAW }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 1981–82 | name = Tennessee | overall = 22–10 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = NCAA Final Four }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = division | season = 1982–83 | name = Tennessee | overall = 25–8 | conference = 7–1 | confstanding = 1st (East) | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = division | season = 1983–84 | name = Tennessee | overall = 23–10 | conference = 7–1 | confstanding = T–1st (East) | postseason = NCAA Runner-up }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 1984–85 | name = Tennessee | overall = 22–10 | conference = 4–4 | confstanding = T–2nd (East) | postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 1985–86 | name = Tennessee | overall = 24–10 | conference = 5–4 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = NCAA Final Four }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1986–87 | name = Tennessee | overall = 28–6 | conference = 6–3 | confstanding = T–4th | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 1987–88 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–3 | conference = 8–1 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Final Four }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1988–89 | name = Tennessee | overall = 35–2 | conference = 8–1 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1989–90 | name = Tennessee | overall = 27–6 | conference = 8–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1990–91 | name = Tennessee | overall = 30–5 | conference = 6–3 | confstanding = 3rd | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 1991–92 | name = Tennessee | overall = 28–3 | conference = 10–1 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1992–93 | name = Tennessee | overall = 29–3 | conference = 11–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 1993–94 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–2 | conference = 11–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 1994–95 | name = Tennessee | overall = 34–3 | conference = 11–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Runner-up }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1995–96 | name = Tennessee | overall = 32–4 | conference = 9–2 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1996–97 | name = Tennessee | overall = 29–10 | conference = 8–4 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 1997–98 | name = Tennessee | overall = 39–0 | conference = 14–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 1998–99 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–3 | conference = 13–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 1999–00 | name = Tennessee | overall = 33–4 | conference = 13–1 | confstanding = T–1st | postseason = NCAA Runner-up }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2000–01 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–3 | conference = 14–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2001–02 | name = Tennessee | overall = 29–5 | conference = 13–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Final Four }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2002–03 | name = Tennessee | overall = 33–5 | conference = 14–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Runner-up }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | season = 2003–04 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–4 | conference = 14–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Runner-up }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2004–05 | name = Tennessee | overall = 30–5 | conference = 13–1 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Final Four }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2005–06 | name = Tennessee | overall = 31–5 | conference = 11–3 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 2006–07 | name = Tennessee | overall = 34–3 | conference = 14–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = national | season = 2007–08 | name = Tennessee | overall = 36–2 | conference = 13–1 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = '''NCAA champions''' }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | season = 2008–09 | name = Tennessee | overall = 22–11 | conference = 9–5 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = NCAA first round }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 2009–10 | name = Tennessee | overall = 32–3 | conference = 15–1 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = confboth | season = 2010–11 | name = Tennessee | overall = 34–3 | conference = 16–0 | confstanding = 1st | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2011–12 | name = Tennessee | overall = 27–9 | conference = 12–4 | confstanding = 2nd | postseason = NCAA Elite Eight }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Tennessee | overall = 1098–208 (.841) | confrecord = 306–44 (.874) }} {{CBB Yearly Record End |overall=1098–208 (.841) }}
Sources: SEC records;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's Basketball Record Book – Through the Years |url=http://cache.secsports.com/doc_lib/bkw_recordbook_years.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219054720/http://cache.secsports.com/doc_lib/bkw_recordbook_years.pdf |archive-date=December 19, 2008 |access-date=November 27, 2008 |publisher=SEC Sports}}</ref> Conference champions<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 9, 2008 |title=SEC CHAMPIONS/SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS |url=http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/sec-champs.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717033924/http://www.utladyvols.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/sec-champs.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |access-date=November 27, 2008 |publisher=University of Tennessee Women's Athletic Department}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of college women's basketball career coaching wins leaders
==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="NCAA Coaches">{{Cite web |title=Women's Basketball Coaches Career |url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careercoach |access-date=September 25, 2015 |website=NCAA}}</ref>
<ref name="1975 Pan Am">{{Cite web |date=June 10, 2010 |title=Seventh Pan American Games – 1975 |url=http://www.usab.com/history/pan-am-womens/seventh-pan-american-games-1975-1.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907033936/http://www.usab.com/history/pan-am-womens/seventh-pan-american-games-1975-1.aspx |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |access-date=October 12, 2015 |publisher=USA Basketball}}</ref>
<ref name="1979 JONES CUP">{{Cite web |title=1979 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/wjcup_1979.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428014934/http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/wjcup_1979.html |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |access-date=May 17, 2013 |publisher=USA Basketball}}</ref>
<ref name="1984 JONES CUP">{{Cite web |title=1984 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/wjcup_1984.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428101729/http://www.usabasketball.com/womens/wjcup_1984.html |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |access-date=May 18, 2013 |publisher=USA Basketball}}</ref>
<ref name="WBCA COY">{{Cite web |title=Past Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year |url=http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_coach-of-year_past |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305093033/http://www.wbca.org/pages/AWARDS_coach-of-year_past |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=June 30, 2014 |publisher=Women's Basketball Coaches Association}}</ref>
}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Pat Summitt}} * [https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/pat-summitt-1.html Coaching statistics] at Sports Reference * [http://www.patsummitt.org/ Pat Summitt Foundation]
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