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A look at Pat Summitt's eight NCAA national championships

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Pat Summitt addresses fans during a celebration for the 2008 NCAA National Champion Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team at Thompson Boling Arena on April 10, 2008. The defending NCAA champions defeated Stanford 64-48 to claim their eighth national title. - At one point during Pat Summitt’s illustrious women’s basketball coaching career, a relevant question was whether one of her Tennessee teams would ever win a national championship. She had coached the U.S. women’s team to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics but had been unable to get the Lady Vols to the top of the step ladder in the NCAA tournament. Three times in her first 12 seasons, UT had advanced to the national championship game (twice in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) only to fall short. No. 13 turned out to be a lucky number for Summitt and her program. A 67-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas, concluded her 13th season with the program’s breakthrough championship. Two more followed in the next four seasons. Summitt stepped down on April 18 to become head coach emeritus. She concluded her 38-year career having coached Tennessee to eight national championships — the most by any women’s program.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

Pat Summitt addresses fans during a celebration for the 2008 NCAA National Champion Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team at Thompson Boling Arena on April 10, 2008. The defending NCAA champions defeated Stanford 64-48 to claim their eighth national title.
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At one point during Pat Summitt’s illustrious women’s basketball coaching career, a relevant question was whether one of her Tennessee teams would ever win a national championship.

She had coached the U.S. women’s team to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics but had been unable to get the Lady Vols to the top of the step ladder in the NCAA tournament. Three times in her first 12 seasons, UT had advanced to the national championship game (twice in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) only to fall short.

No. 13 turned out to be a lucky number for Summitt and her program.

A 67-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas, concluded her 13th season with the program’s breakthrough championship. Two more followed in the next four seasons.

Summitt stepped down on April 18 to become head coach emeritus. She concluded her 38-year career having coached Tennessee to eight national championships — the most by any women’s program.

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  • Pat Summitt addresses fans during a celebration for the 2008 NCAA National Champion Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team at Thompson Boling Arena on April 10, 2008. The defending NCAA champions defeated Stanford 64-48 to claim their eighth national title. - At one point during Pat Summitt’s illustrious women’s basketball coaching career, a relevant question was whether one of her Tennessee teams would ever win a national championship. She had coached the U.S. women’s team to a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics but had been unable to get the Lady Vols to the top of the step ladder in the NCAA tournament. Three times in her first 12 seasons, UT had advanced to the national championship game (twice in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) only to fall short. No. 13 turned out to be a lucky number for Summitt and her program. A 67-44 victory over Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas, concluded her 13th season with the program’s breakthrough championship. Two more followed in the next four seasons. Summitt stepped down on April 18 to become head coach emeritus. She concluded her 38-year career having coached Tennessee to eight national championships — the most by any women’s program.
  • Pat Summitt leads the cheers after winning the women's NCAA National Championship 67-44 against Louisiana Tech in Austin, Texas in 1987. This was Summitt's first national championship. The Lady Vols coach went on to win seven more. - Championship No. 1 - Tennessee 67, Louisiana Tech 44 March 29, 1987 Amid the clutter of flowers and unopened victory cigars in Pat Summitt’s hotel room, there also were the videotapes. She had used those tapes to prepare her team so well that the No. 7 Lady Vols pulled off consecutive upsets of No. 2 Auburn, No. 4 Long Beach State and finally No. 3 Louisiana Tech at the Erwin center in Austin, Texas, to secure the one achievement that had eluded Summitt and her team. “I’m a dreamer, and I’m also a believer,” Summitt said. “In the last two weeks, I believed our team can do it.” Tennessee freshman point guard Tonya Edwards was named the Final Four’s Most Valuable Player. Senior guard Shelley Sexton wiped tears from her eyes as she left the game with 42 seconds left. When the buzzer sounded, Bridgette Gordon hitched a piggyback ride with Smokey, the mascot, and freshman Carla McGhee flirted with the cameras. “The monkey’s off my back,” Summitt said. Summitt later called her parents, who missed the trip because Summitt’s sister was expecting a second child. Summitt’s father, Richard, passed along a message for the team that Long Beach State player Cindy Brown called “corn-fed chicks.” “My daddy said, ’Tricia, tell them girls we’re planting two acres of corn and we’re going to plant three more,” Summitt said, smiling.
  • Pat Summitt gives a speech during a celebration of the Tennessee Lady Vols' second NCAA national championship with President George Bush on April 20, 1989 at the White House. The Lady Vols defeated Auburn's Lady Tigers 76-60 in Tacoma, Wash. - Championship No. 2 - Tennessee 76, Auburn 60 April 2, 1989 Tennessee All-American Bridgette Gordon was pretty good in the first half for Tennessee, staking the Lady Vols to an eight-point halftime lead by scoring 16 points. But that wasn’t good enough for coach Pat Summitt who told her senior star player during the break: “You’ve got 20 minutes left in your college career. What are you saving your energy for?” Gordon scored three consecutive jumpers midway through the second half at the Tacoma (Wash.) Dome, turning a shaky three-point lead into an advantage that Auburn couldn’t overcome. “That’s when I knew we would win,” teammate Melissa McCray said. “I knew Bridgette would take charge and wouldn’t let us lose.” Gordon finished with 27 points. Auburn coach Joe Ciampi gave her one final nod of respect and then jokingly pointed the way out of the college game and out of his life. “It seems like we’ve played her for a lifetime,” he said. “She’s the best. God bless her, graduate and get out of Tennessee.” Gordon averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds during Tennessee’s five-game run through the tournament. Her final act against Auburn, not to mention all the others, was inspired by Summitt. “Pat has told me all year long that nobody will be able to stop Bridgette Gordon but Bridgette Gordon,” Gordon said.
  • Pat Summitt greets fans during a national championship celebration on April 1, 1991 at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Lady Vols won their third national title in five years with a 70-67 victory over Virginia. - Championship No. 3 - Tennessee 70, Virginia 67 March 31, 1991 One of the greatest women’s basketball games ever played caused a great coach to postpone her retirement speech. Tennessee’s Pat Summitt once said she would retire if UT captured three NCAA titles. Tennessee’s thrilling overtime victory over favored Virginia at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans gave the program its third national championship. “I always said if I got three national championships, I’d get out of coaching,” Summitt said amid a locker room celebration. “We’ve just signed probably the best (recruiting) class we’ve ever signed for next year. “I promised those kids that I would be at Tennessee four years,” Summitt said. “So I expect to be there ... unless they run me off, and that’s what I told them. They’re going to have to run me off.” The victory helped ease a year of hurt after Virginia upset the Lady Vols in overtime in the 1990 East Regional final in Norfolk, Va. That bitter loss kept the Lady Vols from playing in a Final Four on their home court and left Summitt in tears. Summitt sent an open letter to the fans, asking them to attend the event. The fans responded, helping to set Final Four attendance records. Dena Head paced the victory, scoring a championship game-record 28 points, including a pair of free throws with seven seconds left in regulation — forcing the first overtime in the 10-year history of the women’s NCAA Final Four. UT outscored Virginia 10-7 in the five-minute overtime, getting a key rebound basket from freshman Peggy Evans and eight free throws. Head made five free throws after regulation (10-for-14 overall). Jody Adams and Lisa Harrison also had free throws in the overtime. “This is so sweet today,” Summitt said. “This was a challenge, and we played with our heart and heads and won the game.”
  • Pat Summitt reacts to a call during her team's 83-65 win over Georgia in the NCAA championship game in Charlotte, N.C., March 31, 1996. The Lady Vols won their fourth NCAA title. - Championship No. 4 - Tennessee 83, Georgia 65 March 31, 1996 Spinderella and Tennessee had a ball at Georgia’s expense. The last dance of the women’s basketball season belonged to point guard Michelle Marciniak and the Lady Vols, who did a Tennessee Waltz all over their SEC rival at the Charlotte (N.C.) Coliseum. Marciniak with the distinctive ponytail and nickname, had a meeting of the minds with head coach Pat Summitt in February during a low point in the season. Summitt agreed to lighten up a bit on Marciniak, and she responded by earning the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. Tennessee had five players score in double figures in the championship game, led by Chamique Holdsclaw and Charlotte native Tiffani Johnson, who scored 16 points apiece. Marciniak had 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Lady Vols dominated the boards with a 54-39 advantage. Georgia coach Andy Landers paid Tennessee the ultimate compliment by saying, “Tennessee played the way Tennessee plays.” Summitt took a congratulatory phone call from President Clinton afterward. Before that, she put Tennessee’s athletic feats in academic terms by saying: “They went out an aced an exam.”
  • Pat Summitt holds up the net with her son Tyler after the Lady Vols defeated Old Dominion 68-59 on March 30, 1997 to win their fifth national championship. - Championship No. 5 - Tennessee 68, Old Dominion 59 March 30, 1997 After indulging in all manner of unpredictability, Tennessee achieved the ultimate in regularity. Another year yielded another national championship. Despite losing 10 games during the regular season and finishing fifth in the SEC, Tennessee’s season finished in celebration, thanks to the victory over Old Dominion at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum. “Of all our runs to a national championship, this one is the most unexpected,” UT coach Pat Summitt said afterward. The final statistics underscored her viewpoint. Rebounding and ball-handling were tabbed as pregame priorities. Yet Tennessee was outrebounded 34-29 and matched Old Dominion turnover for turnover with 26. The Lady Vols countered the unwanted with the unexpected. They shot nearly 60 percent from the floor, a vast improvement over their 43 percent average for the season. And the defenders who were shredded by Old Dominion point guard Ticha Penicheiro’s 25 points and nine assists in an 83-72 loss in Norfolk, Va., on Jan. 7, hounded the All-American into 11 turnovers and limited her to 10 second-half points. “Pat’s plan to work Ticha over was magnificent,” Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry said. “She was fatigued. She never makes 11 turnovers.”
  • Pat Summitt hugs Kellie Jolly in the final minute of the NCAA national championship game in Kansas City, Mo., on March 29, 1998. Tennessee won 93-75 over Louisiana Tech to have a perfect 39-0 season and give the Lady Vols their sixth national win. - Championship No. 6 - Tennessee 93, Louisiana Tech 75 March 29, 1998 Tennessee coach Pat Summitt made a point of speaking to Lady Vols point guard Kellie Jolly before the tipoff against Louisiana Tech at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. Summitt delivered a specific message: Shoot the ball. “Only two times in Kellie’s career have I gone to her right before the game and said, ‘You have to be offensive-minded tonight, you have to be aggressive offensively’ ” Summitt said. “Last year in the regional championship against Connecticut, I think she had 19 (she did) and then tonight in this game.” Jolly again responded, scoring a career-high 20 points to complement the play of UT’s “Meeks” — Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Semeka Randall. Jolly hit her first five shots, seven of her first eight and finished 7-for-10. She was 4-for-5 on 3-pointers. “The last thing Pat told me before the game started was I needed to be aggressive offensively,” Jolly said. “I knew I had to come out and do what she told me to do.” The rest of her box score wasn’t bad either with three assists, four rebounds, three steals and just two turnovers against Tech’s quick guards. It all added up to an all-tournament team selection, a matching bookend to go with the same honor Jolly received the previous season in Cincinnati. But guess what honor she wanted most in the festive locker room? “I want to be an honorary Meek,” she said, smiling. Randall was willing to oblige. “She deserves it,” Randall said. “She surprised everybody. She surprised Louisiana Tech. They wasn’t ready for that.”
  • Pat Summitt signs autographs during a celebration at the Knoxville Convention Center on April 7, 2007, for the 2007 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship Lady Vols. The Lady Vols defeated Rutgers 59-46 to win their seventh national title. - Championship No. 7 - Tennessee 59, Rutgers 46 April 3, 2007 Nicky Anosike carefully clipped two ends of a strand off the net. The Tennessee center then placed the scissors at the top of the step ladder and dismounted for the next Lady Vol to take a turn. It was the first gentle act of the evening. Tennessee certainly wasn’t demure in reaching the top of the ladder for the first time since 1998. The victory over Rutgers at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland was achieved in a blue-collar manner that recalled the early days of the program. With their performance at the Final Four, the Lady Vols essentially thumbed their noses at their ongoing offensive makeovers that started with the 2002-03 season. With the 6-foot-5 multi-dimensional Candace Parker in place as a go-to scorer and an upgrade in its perimeter quickness, UT was able to put its playing priorities back in the usual order. The Lady Vols shot a collective 37 for 121 from the floor in the two games in Cleveland. Their field goal total and field goal percentage (30.6) were the lowest in Final Four history. UT’s wayward shooting wasn’t a problem, though, because its opponents never scored more than 24 points in a first half and were a minus-27 in offensive rebounds. Forward Sidney Spencer, known primarily for her shooting, became an effective post defender during the tournament. Assistant coach Nikki Caldwell initially hatched the plan against Pitt center Mercedes Walker in the second round. The strategy paid dividends all the way to Cleveland, especially in the national semifinals when Spencer helped limit North Carolina center Erlana Larkins to four points and four shots. “When (Caldwell) first told me, I said ‘Now wait a minute, I’ve got to think about this one’ because Sid had never defended on the post,” UT coach Pat Summitt said. “But I said let’s go with it and we stuck with it and it worked for us throughout the tournament.”
  • Pat Summitt holds up the net as her son, Tyler, looks on after Tennessee beat Stanford 64-48 to win its eighth national women's basketball championship, at the NCAA women's basketball championship on April 8, 2008, in Tampa, Fla. - Championship No. 8 - Tennessee 64, Stanford 48 April 8, 2008 In the final game of the women’s basketball season, Tennessee emerged as the team it intended to be from the start: defending national champions. The emphasis was on defending. The Lady Vols parlayed a ferocious effort into the victory over Stanford at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla. The Lady Vols held the Cardinal to a season-low point total that was 37 points below its tournament scoring average. The Lady Vols also had an aggressive hand in 25 turnovers, twice as many as Stanford’s NCAA average. The turnovers resulted in 26 Tennessee points. “That’s what’s called the metamorphosis of a basketball team,” UT assistant coach Dean Lockwood said. “The cocoon broke and the butterfly was in full bloom, colors flying.” From the outside looking in, UT’s hierarchy began with forward Candace Parker, a three-time All-American who repeated as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player despite playing with an injured shoulder. On the inside, players and coaches alike gave their deepest bow of respect to center Nicky Anosike, the resident locker room lawyer who drew a competitive contract for the team on the eve of the tournament. “She is a warrior,” Lockwood said. “I’m going to tell you right now, if you put me on a chopper and it’s four in the morning and we have to drop in some zone somewhere, I want her on board.” Anosike, in turn, gave credit to UT coach Pat Summitt and her ability to steer the team through some rough patches, including a 73-69 overtime loss at Stanford on Dec. 22. “I think coach did a great job of keeping us humble and not letting us think that we’ve arrived because we won last year,” Anosike said. “I think a lot of different teams have won in the past. They can’t repeat. They’re overconfident. Coach has done a great job of keeping us humble. So we owe that to her.”

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Rockytopfan96 writes:

Pat is such an amazing and inspriational woman.<3

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