Here’s a look at the life of Pat Summitt, the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history. She revealed in 2011 that she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and retired as head coach of the University of Tennessee women’s basketball team in 2012.
Personal:
Birth date: June 14, 1952
Death date: June 28, 2016
Birth place: Clarksville, Tennessee
Birth name: Patricia Sue Head
Father: Richard Head, family farmer
Mother: Hazel (Albright) Head, family farmer
Marriage: R.B. Summitt II (1980-2008, divorced)
Children: Ross “Tyler,” September 21, 1990
Education: University of Tennessee-Martin, B.S. in physical education, 1974; University of Tennessee-Knoxville, M.S. in physical education, 1975
Other Facts:
University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball coach for 38 years (1974-2012) with an overall career record of 1,098-208.
At 1,098 wins, Summitt has more victories than any other male or female basketball coach in Division I history.
Coached the Lady Vols to eight NCAA Championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996-1998, 2007, 2008).
Had a 100% graduation rate for all student athletes who completed their eligibility as Lady Vols.
Co-author of three books: “Raise the Roof” (1998), “Reach for the Summit” (1998) and “Sum It Up” (2013).
Timeline:
1974 – At age 21, she is named the head coach of the women’s basketball team at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Summitt finishes her first season with 16 wins and eight losses.
1976 – As a player, co-captains the U.S. women’s basketball team to a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Montreal. This is also the initial year of women’s basketball at the Olympics.
1980 – Named the assistant coach of the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team but does not participate due to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics.
1984 – Head coach of the U.S. women’s basketball team that wins gold at the Olympics in Los Angeles.
June 5, 1999 – Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, in its initial year.
October 13, 2000 – Enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
April 2000 – Named the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Century.
March 22, 2005 – With a win over Purdue 75-54, picks up her 880th coaching victory to surpass Dean Smith of North Carolina as the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history.
January 19, 2006 – Claims her 900th coaching win when the Lady Vols defeat Vanderbilt 80-68.
February 5, 2009 – The Lady Vols defeat Georgia 73-43 to net Summitt her 1,000th career coaching victory.
August 23, 2011 – Announces that she has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, “Alzheimer’s Type.”
November 27, 2011 – Launches the Pat Summitt Foundation, dedicated to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s.
December 5, 2011 – Announced as the Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year. The Sportsman of the Year is Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
May 29, 2012 – Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama at the White House.
April 18, 2012 – After 38 years, steps down as the head coach of the University of Tennessee’s women’s basketball team at the end of the 2011-2012 season. According to the university, Summitt will remain involved in mentoring players and recruiting as the team’s head coach emeritus.
October 4, 2012 – As part of a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by Debby Jennings, the former University of Tennessee media relations director for women’s sports, Summitt files an affidavit saying that she felt forced out as head coach of the Tennessee women’s team after her diagnosis with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
October 5, 2012 – In response to the affidavit she filed, Summitt releases a statement saying that it was 100% her decision to step down as head coach of the Tennessee women’s team after her diagnosis with early-onset Alzheimer’s.
November 22, 2013 – The Pat Summitt Plaza and a statue of the former coach are dedicated at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
January 14, 2015 – The Pat Summitt Foundation and The University of Tennessee Medical Center announce a partnership establishing the Pat Summitt Alzheimer’s Clinic, which expands the Medical Center’s existing Alzheimer’s clinic.
June 28, 2016 – Her son releases a statement that Summitt died early in the morning at Sherrill Hill Senior Living in Knoxville.