Tennessee women's basketball icon Pat Summitt dies at 64

[Recursion]

Last edited Tue Jun 28, 2016, 07:14 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Another American sports icon now belongs to the ages in legendary University of Tennessee women's basketball coach emeritus Pat Summitt, who died Tuesday at age 64 in Knoxville, Tenn., after a nearly five-year battle with early onset Alzheimer's disease.

"It is with tremendous sadness that I announce the passing of my mother, Patricia Sue Head Summitt," her son Tyler Summitt said in a statement.

Her condition had declined in recent weeks, and a television station in Knoxville reported that she was moved Saturday night from an assisted living facility she entered in late March to a hospice, where Ms. Summitt 's final hours were spent. The cause of her death was not immediately made public.

Ms. Summitt's Hall of Fame head coaching career spanned 38 years from 1974-2012. She compiled a 1,098-208 record - with more victories than any NCAA Division I coach, man or woman - and her teams captured eight NCAA titles.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20160629_Tennessee_women_sbasketball_icon_Pat_Summitt_dies_at_64.html

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RIP. We all knew this was coming for a while, unfortunately, but still a sad day for basketball fans. Condolences to her family and the athletes she coached.

Every single freshman-starting player she had graduated (except IIRC one who died). This needs to be the standard we hold coaches to.

[Ilsa]

1. Gone too soon. RIP, Pat.

[riversedge]

2. RIP and peace to the family.

[stonecutter357]

3. .

[underpants]

4. A truly great coach

[Recursion]

5. Best record in Division I history

But more importantly someone who inspired her athletes.

[geek tragedy]

6. I've never seen a coach--male or female, college or pro, who looked like they owned the sideline

the way she did. She was always in charge.

RIP

[Recursion]

7. And every. single. player. of hers graduated

I can't overstate how much I admire that.

[klook]

8. Amazing leader

She cared about her student-athletes, not as cogs in the sports machine, but as human beings. And she inspired them to success as players and women.

[rurallib]

9. Very sad day for women's basketball and college basketball

a true pioneer.
May she rest in peace.

[DinahMoeHum]

11. Olympic women's basketball, too.

Back in 1976, when women's basketball was added to the Olympic events (and back then she still had her maiden name Pat Head), she was a player on the USA women's team that won the silver medal.

In 1984, she was head coach of the USA women's team that won the gold medal in Los Angeles.

Rest in Power and in Peace, Ma'am.
I am sure the women's basketball team going to Rio will dedicate their efforts to your memory.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. R.I.P.

Saw a breaking news banner earlier this morning about this.

Here in Philly, given Pat worked with local Dawn Staley, this is a big punch in the gut.

R.I.P. and condolences to her family.

[sinkingfeeling]

12. The good die young. R.I.P.

[Stuart G]

13. k and r..nt

[hueymahl]

14. Truly an amazing Coach

Up there with absolutely the best in the business, no matter the sport.

I did not know about the graduation rate. That blows my mind and makes her record so much more impressive.

Rest in Peace, coach Summitt.

[rpannier]

15. R.I.P.

Cross over gently
Great coach. Great woman
I remember way back when she was compared to Dean Smith

[VA_Jill]

16. Tennessee hearts are heavy today

And many who do not live there are Tennessee in their hearts. Rest well, Pat. You have fought the good fight, you have run the race, you have kept the faith. We have lost not only a coach (because no matter who coaches the Lady Vols, Pat will always be The Coach), we have lost a leader, an inspiration, and a friend. Tennessee will never be quite the same.

Go Big Orange!

[Sissyk]

23. Go Big Orange,

And Lady Vols!

She has been missed from the very beginning of her illness, and always will be! One great Lady and Coach.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Women's B-Ball Was An Irrelevancy, Until Her

She cemented it as a major spectator sport with her charisma, her success, and the success her graduating players had, even before there were pro outlets for their game.

Athletes not causing trouble; athletes on the Academic All America teams pretty much every year; and she changed the way the women's game was played.

A truly wonderful coach and person.

[TNNurse]

18. I graduated from UT in 1978.

I never played basketball. I saw her coach. I watched her career. I loved that her teams did so well. I really loved that if you played basketball for 4 years for Pat Summitt, you were a member of a winning team. You were also a college graduate.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Rest in Peace, Pat.

Thanks for the thread, Recursion.

[Odin2005]

20. This year is cursed, I swear.

[fishwax]

21. RIP to a great coach, leader, inspiration

[Beacool]

22. Sad news.

She was an inspiration to all girls and women who play the sport. My condolences to her family.

Rest in peace, Pat.

[bigwillq]

24. RIP

[tallahasseedem]

25. She was a class act and a true inspiration...

for women, young women, men, everyone!

[redstateblues]

26. Once when asked about her amazing statistics she said

when she thinks back on her career she sees faces not numbers. She made a big difference in a lot of young women's lives. She is revered here in TN

[colsohlibgal]

27. One Tough Year

Bowie/Prince/Ali/now Pat Summitt.

I am stunned how quickly she left us after her diagnosis. 64 is just too young.

We need to find a cure for that cursed disease that causes you to lose your sense of self before it kills you....and early onset, like Pat had, is horribly cruel.

[Aerows]

28. RIP.

You shaped many athletes into phenomenal people.