Pat Summitt

To her former players, family, fellow coaches, press and onlookers, Pat Summitt was known for her tenacity, her multitasking and her dedication to winning. 

Those qualities, born from a modest upbringing on a farm in Clarksville, Tenn., lead the legendary women’s basketball coach to 1,098 victories and eight NCAA basketball championships over the course of 38 seasons with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols. 

Summit, a basketball hall of fame inductee, currently holds the record for the winningest coach in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history. As impressive, every one of her players who completed their eligibility graduated with a degree.

She was also awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Obama in 2012. 

“In modern history, there are two figures that belong on the Mount Rushmore of women’s sports — Billie Jean King and Pat Summitt,” Mary Jo Kane, a sports sociologist at the University of Minnesota, said in 2011 according to The New York Times. “No one else is close to third.”

Throughout her career, Summitt’s dedication to women’s basketball remained steadfast. According to the Times, Summit was approached by Tennessee’s athletic officials and asked if she would like to accept a coaching position with the men’s team. 

“Why is that considered a step up?” she asked after turning down the offer. 

Summitt died in 2016 at the age of 64. 

— Lauren Vella

photo: Getty Images