Pat Summitt's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Pat Summitt.

Pat Summitt was a highly successful American women's college basketball coach. As head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols from 1974-2012, she amassed 1,098 career wins, then the most in college basketball history. Summitt is regarded as one of basketball's greatest coaches.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1975: Pan American Games Gold Medal

In 1975, Summitt was named to the U.S. women's basketball team invited to compete at the Pan American Games. The USA team won the gold medal, beating Brazil convincingly, 74–55.

1976: Co-captained the United States Women's National Basketball Team

In 1976, Summitt co-captained the United States women's national basketball team and won the silver medal at the Summer Olympics.

1976: Earned Master's Degree and won Olympic Silver Medal

In 1976, Summitt earned her master's degree in physical education and training and won a silver medal as the co-captain of the U.S. Women's Olympic basketball team at the Montreal Olympics.

1976: Won Olympic Silver Medal

In 1976, Summitt won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Montreal as a member of the United States women's national basketball team, marking an early achievement in her career.

1983: Lady Vols Reached NCAA Final Four

In the 1983-84 season, after a shaky start, Summitt rallied her team, finishing 22-10 and making it to the NCAA Final Four for the second time. They reached the title game but lost to USC. Summit earned Coach of the Year honors.

1984: Coached U.S. Women's Team to Olympic Gold Medal

In 1984, Summitt coached the U.S. women's team to an Olympic gold medal, becoming the first U.S. Olympian to both win a basketball medal and coach a medal-winning team.

1984: Coached U.S. Olympic Team to Gold Medal

In 1984, Summitt returned to the Olympics as a head coach, guiding the U.S. women's basketball team to a gold medal, showcasing her coaching abilities on the international stage.

1984: Head Coach at William Jones Cup

In 1984, Summitt was chosen as the head coach of the team representing the USA at the William Jones Cup competition in Taipei, Taiwan. The team won all eight games and the gold medal.

1987: Lady Vols Won First National Title

In 1986-87, Tennessee defeated Louisiana Tech 67-44 to win the Lady Vols' first national title. Tennessee's Tonya Edwards was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four.

1989: Lady Vols Won Second National Title

In 1989-90, The Lady Vols won every NCAA tournament game by at least 12 points, taking home its second title in three years with a 76-60 victory against Auburn, finishing the season with 35 wins.

1991: Lady Vols Won Third National Title

In 1990-91, the Lady Vols defeated Stanford in the national semifinals and Virginia in the championship game, securing their third national title in five years.

1995: Lady Vols Won Fourth Title

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. They won its fourth title with an 83-65 win over Georgia.

1996: National Title

In 1996, Summitt won one of three consecutive national titles, from 1996 to 1998.

1997: Lady Vols' 39-0 Season

The 1997-98 Lady Vols team had a top-ranked recruiting class led by Chamique Holdsclaw, leading to a 39-0 season and a victory over Louisiana Tech for their third straight national championship.

1998: National Title

In 1998, Summitt won one of three consecutive national titles, from 1996 to 1998.

1999: Inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

In 1999, Summitt was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class, recognizing her significant contributions to the sport.

2000: 750th Win and 30-Win Season

During the 2000 season, Pat Summitt earned her 750th win in the second game against UConn, with a 92–88 victory. The team also finished with its fourth straight 30-win season.

2000: Named Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century

In 2000, Summitt was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century, an honor that highlighted her lasting impact on basketball.

2000: ESPY Awards: Lady Vols Named Co-Team of the Decade

In 2000, at the ESPY awards, the Lady Vols basketball team was named co-team of the decade, along 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.

2001: Fifth Straight SEC Championship

In the 2001-02 season, the Lady Vols won their fifth straight SEC championship, but fell in the conference tournament to LSU. In the NCAA tournament, Tennessee reached the Final Four, with a 5-point win over Vanderbilt University. This trip to the Final Four marked Summitt's 13th appearance, which broke Coach John Wooden's record of 12, and earned her 788th win, which tied Summitt with Jody Conradt for the winningest coach in women's basketball history. However, the Lady Vols fell in the national semifinals to Connecticut.

2002: 800th Win

During the 2002–03 season, Summitt earned her 800th win, 76–57 over DePaul and was the fastest coach to reach this milestone.

2004: 880th Win, Breaking Dean Smith's Record

In 2004-05, Tennessee won its first tournament title in four years by avenging its earlier loss to LSU with a 67–65 win in the SEC Championship game. In the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Lady Vols defeated Purdue. This victory gave Pat Summitt her 880th win, breaking North Carolina coach Dean Smith's record of 879 wins, and making her the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.

2006: SEC Title Clinched Against LSU

In 2006-07, in Baton Rouge, the Lady Vols clinched the SEC title against LSU in a game where Candace Parker scored 27.

2007: Defeated UConn for the Third Time in a Row

In the 2006–07 season, Tennessee defeated UConn for the third time in a row.

April 8, 2008: National Championship Victory

On April 8, 2008, Tennessee won its second consecutive national championship (and eighth overall) by beating Stanford 64–48.

2008: 1,000th Win and Naming of "The Summitt"

On February 5, 2009, Summitt's first milestone of the 2008–09 season was a 73–43 win over the Georgia Lady Bulldogs at Thompson–Boling Arena in Knoxville, which marked her 1,000th win. The Thompson–Boling Arena's court was subsequently named "The Summitt" in her honor.

February 5, 2009: 1,000th Win and Naming of "The Summitt"

2009: Ranked Among Greatest Coaches of All Time

In 2009, The Sporting News ranked Summitt at number 11 on its list of the 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time in all sports, recognizing her as the only woman on the list.

December 2011: Sportswoman of the Year

In December 2011, Summitt was honored as the Sports Illustrated sportswoman of the year.

2012: Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 2012, Summitt received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.

2012: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom and Arthur Ashe Courage Award

In 2012, Summitt was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Awards, honoring her achievements and courage.

2012: USBWA Most Courageous Award and Arthur Ashe Courage Award

In 2012, Summitt was presented the USBWA Most Courageous Award at the Final Four, and future awards were given in her name. She also received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and said: "It is time to fight."