UTAD photo Briana Bass, center, poses with Lady Vols basketball coach Holly Warlick, left, and head coach emeritus Pat Summitt on Friday following graduation ceremonies at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The Tennessee women's basketball team made sure Pat Summitt's graduation rate will remain perfect forever.
Seniors Briana Bass and Shekinna Stricklen went through graduation ceremonies this week. Bass received a bachelor's degree in education with a major in recreation and sport management. Stricklen received a bachelor's degree in sociology. Stricklen, a rookie with the WNBA's Seattle Storm, was able to take a break from training camp and attended Friday's graduation ceremony.
Fifth-year player Vicki Baugh earned her master's degree in kinesiology and sport studies with a concentration in sports psychology. Baugh was in training camp with the WNBA's Tulsa Shock.
Fellow seniors Glory Johnson and Alicia Manning had completed their four-year degree requirements early. Johnson completed her undergraduate degree in three years.
Likewise, juniors Taber Spani and Kamiko Williams graduated a year early. Spani received her bachelor's in communications while majoring in communications studies and is expected to start graduate school in the fall. Williams graduated with a bachelor's in sociology and plans to pursue a second degree in psychology as she completes her eligibility next season.
Summitt's son, Tyler, received his bachelor's degree in communications, completing his studies in three years. Tyler begins his coaching career on May 21 as an assistant women's coach at Marquette.
Summitt stepped down as the Lady Vols coach on April 18 to become a head coach emeritus with the program. During Summitt's 38 years, every player who completed her four years of eligibility earned a degree.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 6
chicknleggs writes:
To me, this is Pat's finest accomplishment! Thank you Coach Summitt!!!
UTByrd writes:
You can't get any better than 100%. Don't think I remember any talk of this in the past several weeks.
Help me out here if I'm wrong but didn't 80% of her victories come against ranked teams? Another great accomplishment and it makes me wonder how the best men's coaches stack up.
Go Lady VOLS and VOLS!!!!!
knoxvegasjohn writes:
It is indeed a marvelous accomplishment. Just the law of averages would have seem to have caught up with her at some point over the course of 38 years. It just goes to show that Coach Summitt required athletes to make academics a priority in order to make it onto the basketball court. Those not committed to academics did not make it through four years of basketball elgibility. However, I must point out that women's sports across the country have a much higher success rate than their male counterparts. Bloomberg News reported at http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012... that graduation rates for female athletes at schools participating in this year's NCAA basketball tournament stood at 89% with only an 8% gap between white and black athletes. Whereas, for men's programs participating in this year's NCAA basketball tournament, the graduation rate stood at 67% with a 28% difference between white and black athletes. Futhermore, there were a total of 22 teams in the women's tournament that had 100% graduation rates. Simply put, education is more of a priority for female athletes than it is for male athletes. So whereas, this might indeed be Coach Summitt's "finest accomplishment", it is not her most unique (although I would guess the Lady Vol program is on an unequaled streak at 38 years.)
Col26ca writes:
Thanks Pat for all you have done for all these young ladies over the years. Job well done. You have earned your rest.
maxvolfan#217855 writes:
Nice picture. Brianna was one of my favorites to watch. She gave 100%. Good luck in the future Bri. VFL
Rockytopfan96 writes:
Thanks Pat for all that you have done. You are a huge inspirational woman in my life. You made us all proud!
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