Summitt, Patricia S. (Head)
Basketball
b. June 14, 1952, Clarksville, TN
A star at the University of Tennessee-Martin, Summit played for three U. S. national teams, winning a silver medal at the 1973 World University Games, a gold at the 1975 Pan-American Games, and a silver at the 1976 Olympics.
She received her bachelor's degree in 1974 and began coaching at the University of Tennessee that fall, while also working for her master's in physical education. Summit quickly turned the school into a major power in women's basketball.
During her first eight seasons, Summitt guided Tennessee into the final four of the AIAW tournament four times, losing in the finals in 1980 and 1981. The NCAA took over the national championship tournament in 1982 and Tennessee won titles in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996,1997, 1998, and 2007.
Emphasizing aggressive defense and a strong inside game complemented by outside shooting, Summitt has compiled a 1034-195 record. She was the first Division I basketball coach of either sex to record 1,000 victories. Summitt was named women's college basketball coach of the year in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998 and 2004 and she was selected as the Naismith Coach of the 20th Century.
Summitt coached the 1979 U. S. national team that won a silver medal in the Pan-American Games and a gold medal in the world championships, the 1983 team that won a silver in the world championships, and the 1984 Olympic team that was the first to win a gold medal in women's basketball.