Good Luck Pat Summitt!!

Ok, so a lot of people may not be familiar with the name Pat Summitt, but if you follow NCAA college basketball at all, it probably is. She is the coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers in the NCAA Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Coach Summitt has had an amazing career in women’s basketball, both as a player and a coach. Here are just some of her career highlights:

* All-American player for the University of Tennessee-Martin
* Co-Captain and Silver medal winner on the US Women’s team at the 1976 Olympics
* Holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education
* Named Head Coach of the Lady Vols in 1974
* .845 overall winning percentage (.913 for home games)
* Only women’s team to play in every NCAA tournament
* 18 NCAA Final Four appearances
* 8-Time National Champions (including the past 2 years)
* 14-Time SEC Champions
* 13-Time SEC Tournament Champions
* 7-Time SEC Coach of the Year
* 7-Time NCAA Coach of the Year
* Naismith Coach of the 20th Century
* Inducted in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inaugural class of 1999
* Inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000

Even with all of those stats, here are others that one could argue are even more impressive:

* 100% graduation rate for all Lady Vols who have completed their eligibility at Tennessee
* 71 of her players have been All-SEC
* 19 of her players have been All-American
* 14 of her players have been Olympians
* 45 of her players have gone on to become coaches themselves

So, with all of these amazing statistics, why am I wishing her good luck? Her Lady Vols will be going for Coach Summitt’s 1000th career win. This is a mark that no other coach has ever reached. As the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history, she has more career wins than any other NCAA Division I coach – male or female. Talk about breaking the glass ceiling!!

So, here’s to you Coach Summitt and to your Lady Vols. I hope you get that win tonight!!