History of Pat Summitt in Timeline
Pat Summitt was a highly successful American women's college basketball coach. She led the University of Tennessee Lady Vols from 1974 to 2012, amassing 1,098 career wins, a record at the time of her retirement. Widely considered one of the greatest basketball coaches ever, Summitt left an enduring legacy on the sport.
June 14, 1952: Birth of Patricia Susan Head
On June 14, 1952, Patricia Susan Head, later known as Pat Summitt, was born. She would go on to become a legendary women's college basketball coach.
1970: College Without Scholarship
In 1970, Pat Summitt attended the University of Tennessee at Martin without an athletic scholarship due to the lack of such scholarships for women at the time.
December 7, 1974: First Game as Head Coach
On December 7, 1974, Pat Summitt coached her first game for Tennessee against Mercer University, resulting in a loss for the Lady Vols with a score of 84-83.
1974: Head Coach of Lady Vols
In 1974, Pat Summitt began her tenure as the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team.
January 10, 1975: First Win as Head Coach
On January 10, 1975, Pat Summitt secured her first win as the head coach of the Lady Vols, with a 69-32 victory over Middle Tennessee State.
1976: Silver Medal at Summer Olympics
In 1976, Pat Summitt co-captained the United States women's national basketball team as a player at the inaugural women's tournament in the Summer Olympics, winning the silver medal.
1976: Master's Degree and Olympic Silver Medal
In 1976, Pat Summitt earned her master's degree in physical education and training and also won a silver medal as co-captain of the U.S. Women's Olympic basketball team in Montreal.
1978: First Number One Ranking and AIAW Final Four
In 1978, Pat Summitt directed the Lady Vols to their first number one ranking and participated in their first AIAW Final Four, where they finished third.
1980: AIAW Final Four Appearance
During the 1980–81 season, the Lady Vols 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.
1980: SEC Tournament
In 1980, Pat Summitt coached the Tennessee Lady Vols to the SEC Tournament. This was one of 16 SEC Tournament appearances.
1980: Marriage to Ross Barnes Summitt II
In 1980, Pat Summitt married Ross Barnes Summitt II, marking an important personal relationship milestone in her life.
1980: Six-Person Game in High Schools
Until 1980, Tennessee high schools employed a six-person game where offensive and defensive players never crossed mid-court, which influenced Summitt's early coaching strategies.
1981: First NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
During the 1981-82 season, Pat Summitt coached the Lady Vols in the first-ever NCAA women's basketball tournament.
1982: NCAA Regional—Final Four
In 1982, Pat Summitt coached the Tennessee Lady Vols to the NCAA Regional Final Four, marking one of her eighteen appearances in this stage of the tournament.
1983: Lady Vols Rally and Finish Strong
During the 1983–84 season, Summitt rallied her team and finished 22–10, for her eighth straight 20-win season.
1984: Gold Medal as Olympic Head Coach
In 1984, Pat Summitt 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.
1984: Pat Summitt Coaches US Team to Gold at William Jones Cup
In 1984, Pat Summitt coached the team representing the USA at the William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The team won all eight games and the gold medal.
1986: 300th Career Win
During the 1986–87 regular season, Summitt earned her 300th win, an 87–66 victory over North Carolina.
1987: First National Title
In 1987, Pat Summitt led Tennessee to break through and defeat Louisiana Tech 67–44 to win the Lady Vols' first national title.
1988: Lady Vols in Final Four
In 1988, the Lady Vols made it to the Final Four yet again, but Louisiana Tech avenged the previous year's championship game loss with a 9-point victory and went on to win the title.
1989: SEC Title
In 1989-90, the Lady Vols started off the season well, winning the SEC title.
1990: 400th Career Win
In 1990, Pat Summitt accomplished another milestone that season with her 400th win, a 70–69 victory over South Carolina on January 25.
1990: Birth of Son Ross Tyler Summitt
In 1990, Pat Summitt and Ross Barnes Summitt II welcomed their son, Ross Tyler Summitt, into the world.
1991: Third National Title
In 1991, the Lady Vols beat Stanford, 68–60, to earn the chance to avenge the previous year's tournament loss against Virginia to secure their third national title in five years.
1992: Loss to Western Kentucky
In 1992, the Lady Vols did not make it to the regional championship, falling 75–70 to Western Kentucky.
1993: 500th Win
Early in the 1993–94 season, Pat Summitt grabbed her 500th win, an 80–45 win over Ohio State on November 21.
1995: Return to Final Four
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.
November 23, 1996: 600th Win
On November 23, 1996, Summitt earned her 600th win with a 15-point victory over Marquette.
1996: Lady Vols win National Title
Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols won three consecutive national titles from 1996 to 1998.
1997: Pat Summitt Considered for Men's Coaching Job
Before 1997, the University of Tennessee approached Pat Summitt about the possibility of coaching the men's basketball team.
1997: Second Straight National Championship
In 1997, the Lady Vols, shocked 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.
1997: Pat Summitt's Book: Raise the Roof
Pat Summitt wrote her book "Raise the Roof" in 1997. The book is about the Lady Vols' 1997–1998 undefeated and NCAA-championship winning season.
1998: SEC Tournament Win
In 1998, The Lady Vols won a 93–75 victory over Louisiana Tech for their third straight national championship.
1998: Lady Vols win National Title
Pat Summitt and the Lady Vols won three consecutive national titles from 1996 to 1998.
1998: Pat Summitt's Book: Raise the Roof
Pat Summitt's book "Raise the Roof" is about the Lady Vols' 1997–1998 undefeated and NCAA-championship winning season.
1999: Induction into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
In 1999, Pat Summitt was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
2000: Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century
In 2000, Pat Summitt was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century.
2000: Lady Vols Named Co-Team of the Decade at ESPY Awards
In 2000, the Lady Vols basketball team, coached by Pat Summitt, was named co-team of the decade at the ESPY awards, sharing the honor with the Florida State Seminoles football team. Pat Summitt was also named the Naismith Coach of the Century, and Chamique Holdsclaw was recognized as the Naismith Women's Collegiate Player of the Century.
2000: Lady Vols Claim SEC Title and Pat Summitt Earns 750th Win
In 2000, the Lady Vols secured another SEC title, achieving a perfect 14-0 record in SEC games. Additionally, Pat Summitt celebrated her 750th career victory during the regular season. The team finished with their fourth consecutive 30-win season.
2001: Pat Summitt Considered for Men's Coaching Job
In 2001, for the second time, the University of Tennessee approached Pat Summitt about the possibility of coaching the men's basketball team.
2001: Lady Vols Win SEC Championship
In 2001, the Lady Vols won their fifth straight SEC championship. In addition, the team reached the Final Four in the NCAA tournament.
2002: Pat Summitt Achieves 800th Win
In 2002, Pat Summitt earned her 800th win as coach, achieving the milestone faster than any other coach. The Lady Vols compiled their sixth perfect SEC season and lost to UConn in the NCAA title game 73-68.
2002: Summitt Surpasses John Wooden in Final Four Appearances
In 2002, Pat Summitt made her 13th trip to the Final Four as a coach, surpassing John Wooden as the NCAA coach with the most Final Four appearances.
2003: Lady Vols Lose to UConn in Championship Game
In 2003, the Lady Vols had another strong season, going 14-0 in the SEC and winning against tough opponents. However, they lost to UConn in the NCAA championship game for the second consecutive year, with a final score of 70-61.
2004: Pat Summitt Becomes All-Time Winningest NCAA Basketball Coach
In 2004, Pat Summitt reached a major milestone, surpassing Dean Smith to become the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, with her 880th win. The Lady Vols won the SEC Championship and advanced to the Final Four but lost to Michigan State.
2005: Lady Vols Win Against UConn and SEC Tournament
In 2005, Tennessee ended their losing streak against Connecticut with a narrow victory. The Lady Vols rebounded from a sub-par SEC season to win the conference tournament for the second year in a row.
2006: Lady Vols Win Seventh Title
In 2006, The Lady Vols defeated four ranked teams, defeated UConn for the third time in a row and in the NCAA tournament, Tennessee won its seventh title against Rutgers.
2007: Divorce Filing
In 2007, Pat Summitt filed for divorce from her husband, Ross Barnes Summitt II, ending their marriage.
2007: Summitt Claims to Have Mellowed
In 2007, Pat Summitt shared with U.S. News & World Report that she had significantly mellowed compared to her earlier coaching days. She said she didn't yell at her players as much as she had in the past.
April 8, 2008: Lady Vols Win Second Consecutive National Championship
On April 8, 2008, Tennessee won its second consecutive national championship (and eighth overall) by beating Stanford 64–48.
2008: 2008-09 season
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.
February 5, 2009: Pat Summitt Earns 1,000th Win
On February 5, 2009, Pat Summitt achieved her 1,000th win with a victory over the Georgia Lady Bulldogs. In recognition of this milestone, the Thompson-Boling Arena's court was named "The Summitt".
February 2009: Time Interview
In February 2009, Pat Summitt recalled the early days of women's basketball during an interview with Time, recounting the challenges and dedication of the players.
2009: The Sporting News Top 50 Greatest Coaches
In 2009, The Sporting News ranked Pat Summitt number 11 on its list of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time in all sports. She was the only woman on the list.
2009: Lady Vols Fail to Reach Sweet Sixteen
In 2009, for the first time since 1982, Pat Summitt's Lady Vols did not advance to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.
August 2011: Alzheimer's Diagnosis Announcement
In August 2011, Pat Summitt announced that she had been diagnosed three months earlier with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, revealing a significant personal challenge.
December 2011: Pat Summitt Honored as Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year
In December 2011, despite her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, Pat Summitt was honored as the Sports Illustrated sportswoman of the year.
April 18, 2012: Pat Summitt Steps Down as Head Coach
On April 18, 2012, Pat Summitt stepped down as head coach of the Lady Vols after 38 years, at age 59, following a loss in the Elite Eight. Holly Warlick was named as her successor, and Summitt was given the title of Head Coach Emeritus.
May 2012: Tyler Summitt's Graduation and Coaching Hire
In May 2012, Tyler Summitt graduated from Tennessee and was subsequently hired as an assistant coach by the Marquette University women's team, a development announced on the same day as his mother's retirement.
2012: Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2012, Pat Summitt received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, recognizing her significant contributions.
2012: Retirement from Coaching
In 2012, Pat Summitt retired from coaching the Tennessee Lady Vols after 38 years, following a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
2012: Pat Summitt Receives USBWA Most Courageous Award and Arthur Ashe Courage Award
In 2012, Pat Summitt was awarded the USBWA Most Courageous Award and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, recognizing her strength and bravery in facing her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
2013: Induction into FIBA Hall of Fame
In 2013, Pat Summitt was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
2013: Statue Erected at University of Tennessee
In 2013, an eight-foot bronze statue was erected in Pat Summitt's honor on the University of Tennessee campus, commemorating her achievements.
June 28, 2016: Death of Pat Summitt
On June 28, 2016, Pat Summitt passed away. She left behind a legacy as one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time.
2017: Establishment of the Pat Summitt Award
In 2017, the NCAA established the Pat Summitt Award to recognize individuals who positively influence college athletes, honoring her legacy.
2018: Statue Dedicated in Clarksville
In 2018, a statue was dedicated to Pat Summitt in her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee, celebrating her life and legacy.
