KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Pat Summitt wasn’t just the architect of the Lady Vols dynasty; she left an indelible impact on East Tennessee, revolutionized women’s sports globally, and became a significant figure in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.
In East Tennessee, the color “Summit Blue” is synonymous with Pat Summitt, a name that remains unforgettable nearly a decade after her passing. Her influential legacy continues to resonate in Knoxville and across the globe.
“Pat Summitt is Lady Vols Basketball,” stated Maria Cornelius, the author of The Final Season: The Perseverance of Pat Summitt. “She established the benchmark for women’s basketball, a legacy that persists to this day and will likely never be surpassed.”
This sentiment encapsulates a legacy that spans many decades at Tennessee. During her tenure, Summitt guided the Lady Vols to eight national championships, reached 18 Final Fours, and earned the title of Naismith Coach of the Year five times. She concluded her remarkable 38-year career with over 1,000 victories, all achieved in the iconic Tennessee Orange.
“She put them on the map. I mean, she sold out Thompson-Boling Arena. She agreed to play anyone, anywhere. UCONN-Tennessee was a game everyone knew. Everyone watched, and that’s all because Pat said ‘yes.’ She was not just a basketball coach. She wanted to promote the game, grow the game, produce young women who were ready for life after basketball,” said Cornelius.
“People see the images, the Sports Illustrated cover, was she that tough of a coach? Yes. I mean, there’s no soft pedaling that. But she also was a mother, and she also was a second mother to all these players,” Cornelius added.
For many, her greatest impact came away from the hardwood. She demanded excellence off the court, in the classroom, in the community and in life. Before her passing in 2016 after battling Alzheimer’s disease, she made it her mission to raise awareness, support research, and help those impacted.
“For Pat, it was everything that happened off the court that mattered just as much. She started the Pat Summitt Foundation right after she was diagnosed, with her son, Tyler. So, you know, a lot of people, you get that kind of diagnosis. You’re going to retreat. You’re not going to be in the public eye. She coached another season, knowing the cameras were on her all the time. She’s established a foundation. She put that disease front and center,” said Cornelius.
“Alzheimer’s is a disease that makes you forget…and I would tell people, please do not ever forget Pat Summitt,” Cornelius added.
Pat also helped bring the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame to Knoxville, further cementing her impact on the game and helping to honor generations of women in sports.
This year’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Saturday at the historic Tennessee Theatre in Downtown Knoxville. One of Pat Summitt’s former Lady Vols, Candace Parker, will be inducted.