Summitt Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award from the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition

Washington, D.C. -- In honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) recognized the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award winners at its annual meeting on May 1, including Tennessee Head Women's Basketball Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt.

One of five individuals honored in Washington, D.C., Summitt received the Lifetime Achievement Award based upon her contributions to the advancement and promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports, and nutrition-related programs nationwide. Recipients are selected by members of PCFSN based on the span and scope of an individual's career, the estimated number of lives they s/he has touched, and the impact of his/her legacy.

While at the University of Tennessee, Summitt won more games than any other coach in NCAA college basketball history, earning eight national titles and 1,098 victories.

Presented annually since 2007, this year's Lifetime Achievement Awards were given by Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Howard K. Koh; PCFSN Executive Director Shellie Pfohl; and PCFSN co-chairs Drew Brees and Dominique Dawes.

The other Lifetime Achievement Award recipients include founder of Aerobic Dancing, Jacki Sorensen; FITNESSGRAM® founder Dr. Charles Sterling; SPARK co-founder, Dr. Thomas McKenzie; and Dr. Linn Goldberg, the Chief of the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University.

2012 PCFSN Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

Linn Goldberg, M.D. - Dr. Goldberg is Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. His groundbreaking programs for young athletes (ATLAS for boys and ATHENA for girls) utilize exercise and nutrition alternatives to prevent the use of alcohol, performance enhancing and illicit drugs.

Thomas McKenzie, Ph.D. - Dr. McKenzie is Emeritus professor in the San Diego State University School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. Dr. McKenzie has authored or co-authored over 170 publications and co-founded SPARK -- a nationally recognized research-based public health organization dedicated to improve health through physical activity. In March 2012, he was awarded a Hall of Fame Award from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

Jacki Sorensen - Sorensen is the originator of Aerobic Dancing -- the complete fitness program that combines health and toning benefits of jogging with the fun of dancing. Sorensen is the President and founder of Jacki's Inc.

Charles Sterling, Ed.D. - Sterling is Chairman of Youth Initiatives at The Cooper Institute and Chairman of the FITNESSGRAM Board of Trustees. Dr. Sterling is best known professionally as the founder of the widely-used FITNESSGRAM®, a health-related testing and feedback system for youth.

Pat Summitt - Summitt is Hall of Fame University of Tennessee Head Women's Basketball Coach Emeritus. Summitt has won more games than anyone else in NCAA college basketball history, winning eight national titles and 1,098 games at Tennessee.

About the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition educates, engages, and empowers all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition. PCFSN is a committee of volunteer citizens who advise the President through the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Through its partnerships with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, PCFSN promotes programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to lead active, healthy lifestyles. For more information about the Council, visit www.fitness.gov.

Knoxville, Tenn. -- Tennessee head women's basketball coach Holly Warlick announced today the hiring of her first new staff member as Lady Vol standout Kyra Elzy will be returning to Rocky Top as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.

Elzy, an associate head coach/recruiting coordinator at the University of Kentucky for the last four years, will fill the role held by former Lady Vol assistant coach Mickie DeMoss who announced on April 2 she was leaving UT to join the WNBA's Indiana Fever.

"I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to have Kyra on our staff," Warlick said. "From the time she was a player on our NCAA title teams in 1997 and 1998, she possessed a coach's mentality on the floor. As I have watched her collegiate coaching career progress, I have become more impressed with her each stop along the way.

"Kyra is a phenomenal recruiter possessing a great coaching mind and will complement Dean (Lockwood) and I perfectly. As a Lady Vol, she knows firsthand what our expectations are at Tennessee," Warlick said.

Elzy just completed her fourth season at Kentucky where she served as the recruiting coordinator and was responsible for coaching the guards of the 2012 SEC Champion Wildcats. This season marked her second as associate head coach after being promoted in August 2010.

"I am humbled, honored and excited for the opportunity to come back to the University of Tennessee as a coach for the Lady Vols," said Elzy.

"First, it was incredible as a student-athlete to be part of the history, tradition and legacy of the Lady Vols during my playing days. Now I am thankful for the privilege and the gift to return to the Tennessee program."

As a student-athlete at Tennessee from 1996-2001, Elzy's game excelled under the nation's all-time winningest coach in Hall of Famer Pat Summitt. A four-year letter winner, who actually spent five seasons in a Lady Vol uniform after missing the 1998-99 season with an injury, she was a member of two national championship teams (1997 and 1998) and a national runner-up squad (2000). During her time in Knoxville, she played in 126 games and earned the Holly Warlick Defensive Player of the Year award in 1997, the Unsung Hero Award in 1998 and the USA Today All-Injury Team that recognized athletes that compete while overcoming medical issues in 2000.

Elzy became just the fifth freshman in Tennessee history to start her first game as a Lady Vol when she started at guard in the 1996-97 season opener against Austin Peay. She also earned another distinction during her playing career, becoming the first UT player to earn her master's degree while still playing.

Also excelling in the classroom, Elzy was named to the 2000 and 2001 SEC All-Academic teams. She was a three-time member of the Lady Vol Academic Honor Roll (over a 3.0 GPA) and earned Tennessee's Dean's List honors each semester while in graduate school. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's in cultural studies in education with an emphasis in sports psychology from UT.

While as a coach at Kentucky, Elzy was considered one of the top recruiters in the nation and helped UK sign a top-10 recruiting class three-straight seasons including the signing of four McDonald's High School All-Americans.

She was instrumental in helping UK advance to three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, chart back-to-back-back 20-win seasons, including two NCAA Elite 8 appearances in 2010 (losing to Oklahoma) and 2012 (losing to UConn).

Elzy's guards received SEC recognition this past season as A'dia Mathies was named the SEC Player of the Year and rookie Bria Goss was named the SEC Rookie of the Year.

Under Elzy's tutelage, Mathies received UK's first SEC Freshman of the Year honor in 2010 and was named UK's first freshman All-American since Valerie Still in 1980.

Prior to Kentucky, Elzy spent four years as an assistant coach at Kansas. As the recruiting coordinator, she helped the Jayhawks land its first top 20 signing class in 2007 under head coach Bonnie Henrickson. She also helped KU earn two post-season bids in her four seasons. In 2006-07, KU finished 17-16 overall and advanced to the third round of the WNIT, while guard Danielle McCray was named Big 12 honorable mention.

Elzy also coached at Western Kentucky for two seasons under head coach Mary Taylor Cowles. She coordinated the recruiting efforts for the Lady Toppers and also worked with the guards and handled individual workouts. The Lady Toppers posted 20+ wins in both of her seasons at WKU, and in 2002-03 WKU won the Sun Belt Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Elzy helped coach Sun Belt Player of the Year Shala Reese and Newcomer of the Year Tiffany Porter-Talbert. In 2003-04, WKU was the Sun Belt runner-up and advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT.

Before coaching, Elzy spent one year as an administrative assistant under Henrickson at Virginia Tech. She was responsible for team travel, scheduling community service events, and working with the women's basketball summer camps.

Her outstanding prep career earned her induction into the Kentucky Lions Club Hall of Fame in 2009 after a standout prep career at Oldham County High School where she guided the Lady Colonels to four district championships, two regional titles and a state semifinal appearance during her prep career.

Personal

Full Name: Kyra ShaNae Elzy

Birthday: August 17, 1978

Hometown: LaGrange, Ky.

High School: Oldham County High School

College: Tennessee, `01

Degrees: Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Master's degree in cultural studies and education with an emphasis in sports psychology

Coaching Career

2010-12: Associate Head Coach, Kentucky

2008-10: Assistant Coach, Kentucky

2005-08: Assistant Coach, Kansas

2003-04: Assistant Coach, Western Kentucky

2002-03: Administrative Assistant, Virginia Tech

Meredith Vieira, Special Correspondent, NBC News, to Host; Pat and Tyler Summitt, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representative Mike Burgess, M.D., and Colonel Karl E. Friedl, Ph.D. to Receive Honors

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Alzheimer's Association will present University of Tennessee Women's Basketball Head Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt and her son, Tyler Summitt, with its Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award at the Alzheimer's Association National Dinner on Tuesday, April 24. \

Additionally, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Representative Mike Burgess, M.D., (R-TX), Colonel Karl E. Friedl, Ph.D. and advocate Garrett Davis will also be honored for their critical work in the fight against Alzheimer's. The evening will be hosted by Meredith Vieira, Special Correspondent for NBC News, whose brother is currently living with Alzheimer's disease.

Leader in the Alzheimer's movement and former first lady of California, Maria Shriver, whose father Sargent Shriver passed away from Alzheimer's, will present the Alzheimer's Association Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award. This honor recognizes an individual, organization or company whose actions have promoted greater understanding of Alzheimer's disease and its effects on diagnosed individuals, families and caregivers. Coach Summitt, the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, publically shared her diagnosis of early onset, Alzheimer's type, last August at the age of 59. She and her son Tyler Summitt then created The Pat Summitt Foundation Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, to provide grants to nonprofits like the Alzheimer's Association that raise awareness of the disease, support families and advance research, all while leading the Lady Vols to an impressive 27-9 season.

"Pat Summitt and Tyler Summitt are grateful to be honored at the Alzheimer's Association National Dinner," said Danielle Donehew, Representative of The Pat Summitt Foundation Fund. "We are on the same team as the Alzheimer's Association; we are committed to supporting the millions of Americans impacted by Alzheimer's while we race toward better treatment and an eventual cure."

According to Alzheimer's Association 2012 Alzheimer's Disease Facts & Figures, 5.4 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's. Approximately 200,000 of those people are under the age of 65 and living with younger-onset, also known as early onset, Alzheimer's. One of the benefits of early detection of Alzheimer's is the ability to remain active, plan for the future and become an advocate for the cause.

"The Alzheimer's Association applauds Coach Summitt for courageously sharing her diagnosis and helping to raise awareness of the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.," said Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "The courage and dignity with which she lives on and off the court will help eliminate the stigma often associated with the disease."

The event will bring together advocates from across the country who will be in Washington D.C. for the Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum to advocate for added attention and resources for Alzheimer's care, support and research efforts. The Alzheimer's Dinner will continue to address this rapidly growing health crisis, bringing together influential and respected political, business, philanthropic, entertainment, media, social and advocacy leaders and now the broader Alzheimer's advocacy community, to rally around and inspire others to join the growing movement to end the disease.

The Alzheimer's Association also presents several other distinct honors at the National Dinner. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representative Mike Burgess, M.D., (R-TX) will receive the Alzheimer's Association Humanitarian Award, annually bestowed upon public officials who have made significant policy contribution to advancements in research and enhanced care and support for people with Alzheimer's disease. Senator Stabenow introduced the Health Outcomes, Planning and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer's Act in the Senate. She was a champion of the National Alzheimer's Project Act and continues to work for a strong National Alzheimer's Plan. During health care reform, Senator Stabenow worked to ensure that the Medicare Annual Wellness visit included the detection of cognitive impairment. She is also a member of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease.

Dr. Burgess has been a key leader on Alzheimer's issues. He was a critical voice in support of the passage of the National Alzheimer's Project Act and is an original cosponsor of both the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act and the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act in the House of Representatives. In addition, he introduced the "Making Investments Now for Dementia (MIND) Act" that the Alzheimer's Association has endorsed.

The Alzheimer's Association Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Award, reserved for those who make significant advancements in Alzheimer research, will be presented to Colonel Karl E. Friedl, Ph.D., Director, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, located at Fort Detrick, Maryland. COL. Friedl has been a stalwart leader in supporting innovative, outcome-oriented research programs, including the Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program. Under his leadership, the Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program concentrates on groundbreaking research relevant to both the military and the Alzheimer's community, particularly better understanding traumatic brain injury and its association to Alzheimer's disease. The program also invests in new strategies dedicated to improving the quality of life for those affected by the disease.

Garrett Davis, an Alzheimer's Association Ambassador from North Carolina, will receive the Alzheimer's Association Advocate Award, presented annually to an extraordinary Alzheimer's advocate who has shown outstanding leadership. A playwright and an actor, he created the "Forget Me Not Project" as a tribute to his grandmother, who died of Alzheimer's while Garrett was in college, and the family members who cared for her. The play explores one family's experience with Alzheimer's and aims to raise awareness of the disease and the need for increased support, services and federal funding. In the course of researching the play, Garrett learned how underfunded Alzheimer's research is and was spurred to become involved with advocacy.

For more information about Alzheimer's disease or the Alzheimer's Association National Dinner, visit www.alz.org.

About the Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit www.alz.org or call 800-272-3900.

By Brian Rice
UTLadyVols.com

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Seated at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Pat Summitt barked out a command to Holly Warlick, something that she had done thousands of times in the relationship between the two that spans 36-plus years. But the command that Warlick, who has known Summitt as a player and longtime assistant, was one she had never heard before:

"Holly, come up here," Summitt said. "It is now time to turn over my whistle to you." With those words, Warlick became just the second head coach that the program has known in the NCAA era.

"Today I feel like the luckiest person in the world," Warlick said. "I get to coach at a school that has always been in my blood. This is my home. People have asked me, `Why have you not left?' And I've always said `Why would I?' It is an honor and privilege to be the head coach at the University of Tennessee."

In his remarks, Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart said that there were two questions to gauge the success of a coach outside of the competitive arena.

"The first question is `Did I make a difference?'" Hart said. "The second question is `Did I have a positive impact on the young people that I coached and mentored?'" It's now the role of Warlick to continue the tradition of answering both questions with an overwhelming "Yes," as it has for the last 38 years. Rising senior Taber Spani said that Warlick is up to the challenge and is excited to get to work as a member of Warlick's first Lady Volunteer squad.

"Her philosophies and values are very much in line with Coach Summitt and what she's about," Spani said. "That's going to make the transition a lot smoother, but Holly has her own personality as well, so we're excited about adjusting to that and looking forward to that."

The Knoxville native will enter her first season as the Tennessee head coach bench having already been a part of 949 wins as a Lady Vol player or assistant coach. The symbolic gesture of passing the whistle was a small part of the transition for Warlick. "Pat giving me her blessing was the biggest thing," she said. "She has been a coach for me, a mentor, and a great friend. To have the opportunity to work under Pat Summitt for 27 years is the most incredible thing. I've been around her, I've seen her stare, I've seen her blow this whistle quite a bit, and hopefully that's one tradition I can carry on, to push these ladies and use this whistle to the best of my ability."

Duties & Responsibilities of Head Coach Emeritus

April 18, 2012

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee announced today that head women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, the all-time wins leader among NCAA basketball coaches, has been named head coach emeritus following 38 seasons (1974-2012) and 1,098 victories at Tennessee. Summitt will report to Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dave Hart and will serve in a variety of endeavors. In that capacity, she will continue to serve the women's basketball program and its coaching staff and as a liaison to the Director of Athletics, remain involved in on-campus recruiting, and serve as a personal mentor to players, including life skills coaching.

Associate head coach Holly Warlick, an assistant on the Tennessee staff for 27 seasons and a three-time All-American as a player for the Lady Vols, has been named Summitt's successor and will assume head coaching duties for the Tennessee women's basketball program.

"I've loved being the head coach at Tennessee for 38 years, but I recognize that the time has come to move into the future and to step into a new role," said Summitt. "I support Holly Warlick being named the next head coach, and I want to help ensure the stability of the program going forward. I would like to emphasize that I fully intend to continue working as head coach emeritus, mentoring and teaching life skills to our players, and I will continue my active role as a spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer's through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund.

"If anyone asks, you can find me observing practice or in my office. Coaching is the great passion of my life, and the job to me has always been an opportunity to work with our student-athletes and help them discover what they want. I will continue to make them my passion. I love our players and my fellow coaches, and that's not going to change."

The all-time wins leader among college basketball coaches, Summitt finishes her 38-season career at Tennessee with a 1,098-208 record and an .841 winning pct. The Lady Vols won an unparalleled eight national championships under her leadership (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008) and played in 13 national championship games. Tennessee also won the SEC Championship and SEC Tournament title 16 times each, and Summitt was named SEC Coach of the Year eight times and NCAA Coach of the Year in seven seasons. Her sixth national championship team, the 1997-98 team, finished a perfect 39-0.

Additionally, the Tennessee women's basketball team has reached the NCAA Final Four 18 times, tied with the UCLA and North Carolina men for the most all-time by a college basketball program. Summitt's 18 trips to the Final Four is the most all-time among coaches, and her eight national titles trails only the 10 won by former UCLA coach John Wooden in Division I college basketball. Including the years as a member of the AIAW and four Final Four trips between 1977-81, Tennessee played in a combined 22 Final Fours overall during Summitt's tenure. The program has appeared in 25 NCAA Regional finals, posting an 18-7 record, and the Lady Vols are 48-1 all-time in NCAA First and Second Round games.

"It is extremely difficult to adequately express what Pat Summitt has meant to the University of Tennessee, the sport of basketball, and the growth of women's athletics nationally," said Hart. "She is an icon who does not view herself in that light, and her legacy is well-defined and everlasting. Just like there will never be another John Wooden, there will never be another Pat Summitt. I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role. She is an inspiration to everyone.

"Holly Warlick has earned the opportunity to be the head women's basketball coach at the University of Tennessee and to lead the Lady Vol program she has embraced as a player and a coach. I watched Holly grow tremendously as a coach throughout this past season. Under unique circumstances, the job she did away from the glare of the lights and crowds was as impressive as the job she did during game action. At this time in our historic program, which Pat Summitt built from scratch, Holly Warlick, the former player and longtime assistant coach, is deserving of the head coaching position. Her mentor will be available for insight and advice, but this is Holly's team now."

Warlick, who recently completed her 27th season as an assistant coach for Tennessee and her 31st overall with the program as a player or coach, is the first head coach of the Lady Vols other than Summitt since 1974, when Margaret Hutson completed a four-year tenure as the leader of the program (1971-74). Named associate head coach before the 2003-04 season, Warlick has been on the Tennessee coaching staff for all eight NCAA titles, and as a player or assistant, she has a role in 949 of Summitt's 1,098 victories at Tennessee.

"I'm very thankful for all Pat Summitt has done to prepare me for this opportunity," said Warlick. "She is my coach, mentor, and great friend, and I am honored with the opportunity to continue and add to the great tradition of this program. I'd like to thank Dave Hart, Chancellor Cheek, and the University for having confidence in me to lead the Lady Vol program, and we will work as hard as we possibly can with the goal of hanging more banners in Thompson-Boling Arena."

Warlick originally joined the Tennessee athletics program as a scholarship 400-meter track athlete and a walk-on to the basketball team. A three-time All-American as a point guard at Tennessee, Warlick led Tennessee to three AIAW Final Fours as a player (1977, 1979, 1980) and held numerous school records upon the completion of her playing career in 1980, including most assists in a season and a game, most steals in a game, and most games in career. Warlick was the first Tennessee athlete, male or female, to have her jersey retired at the end of her career in 1980.

Warlick was inducted the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and in October 2002, she was a member of the second induction class of the University of Tennessee Lady Vol Hall of Fame. She also served two seasons each as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech (1981-83) and Nebraska (1983-85).

Under Summitt's leadership, Tennessee is the only school to appear in all 32 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournaments since its inception in 1982, Tennessee has posted more NCAA Tournament victories (112) and has played in more tournament games (135) than any other college basketball program. The Lady Vols have earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament 21 times, including nine consecutive from 1988-96.

Additionally, the Tennessee program has produced 12 Olympians, 21 State Farm All-Americans named to 36 different teams, including 2012 All-American Glory Johnson. Lady Vol players have also received All-SEC accolades on 120 occasions.

Summitt was the head coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball team that captured the gold medal in Los Angeles. On Oct. 13, 2000, she was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility and was inducted along with former NBA greats Isiah Thomas and Bob McAdoo, high school coach Morgan Wootten and contributors C.M. Newton and Danny Biasone.

Summitt added to a remarkable career of accomplishments and accolades during the 2011-12 season, when she was named Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year, an honor she shared with SI Sportsman of the Year Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke men's basketball head coach who has won more games all-time than any other coach in men's college basketball. The NCAA also named Summitt this year's recipient of the 2012 NCAA President's Gerald R. Ford Award, which is named after the 38th President of the United States and annually honors an individual who has provided significant leadership as an advocate for intercollegiate athletics over the course of their career.

A 1974 graduate of UT Martin with a degree in physical education, Summitt earned her master's degree in physical education from UT Knoxville in 1975. Her son, Tyler, was a member of the men's basketball team who graduates with a degree in communications studies from UT Knoxville this May.

The Pat Summitt File
Career Record: 1,098 wins and 208 losses
Born: June 14, 1951 in Clarksville, Tenn.
Children: Ross Tyler Summitt, born Sept. 21, 1990

Education:
B.S., Physical Education, UT Martin, 1974
M.S., Physical Education, UT Knoxville, 1975

Playing Career:
1970-74 UT Martin
1973 U.S. World University Games Team
1975 Pan American Games Team
1975 World Championship Team
1976 U.S. Olympic Team (co-captain)

Coaching Career:
1974-2012, University of Tennessee Head Coach
1977 U.S. Junior National Team
1979 Pan American Games Team
1979, 1983 World Championships Team
1980 U.S. Olympic Basketball Assistant
1984 U.S. Olympic Basketball Head Coach

Bristol, Conn.- University of Tennessee Lady Vols Shekinna Stricklen, Glory Johnson and Kelley Cain were all taken in the First Round and Vicki Baugh was selected in the Third Round of the 2012 WNBA Draft presented by Boost Mobile, on Monday, April 16 at the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn.

It was the best first round showing ever in the draft for Tennessee with three players taken. The Lady Vols had two first round selections in 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2008. In total 15, UT players have been first round WNBA picks on draft day.

The first Lady Vol selected was the 6'2" multi-position Stricklen to the Seattle Storm with the second pick overall. Two selections later, Tennessee teammate Johnson heard her name called by the Tulsa Shock, as the fourth overall pick in the draft.

A surprise selection in the first round was Cain who was picked as the seventh player overall by the New York Liberty. Cain, a 2011 UT grad, has been playing in Turkey since January 2012 with Gure Belediyesi of the Turkish League.

Baugh, one of the 15 players invited to the draft, made her way to the stage as the 25th player taken overall and the first pick of the third round by Tulsa where she will join Johnson.

The Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt was ecstatic about three Lady Vols going in the first round and four overall. "What a great day in the lives of these young ladies! I couldn't be prouder as a coach," said Summitt. "It's every player's dream to go to the next level and play in the WNBA...today they have realized this dream."

Stricklen, a 6'2" guard/forward/center who earned WBCA All-America and SEC Player of the Year acclaim as a junior, spent time playing all five positions as a Lady Vol and finished her career seventh all-time in points with 1,882 and 11th in rebounds with 905.

"I am so proud of her," said Summitt. "Obviously, Seattle saw something in her just like we did when we recruited Shekinna to come to Tennessee.

"She has come such a long way and developed into such a great player. Maybe that's why I stayed on her and was a little harder...she had such potential to be an outstanding player. You can see it has all paid off today as the second pick overall. Seattle has a player capable of playing all five spots on the floor now."

Stricklen had a large group from Morrilton, Ark., attend the draft with her and said she was surprised at her high pick. "I am a little surprised but I am looking forward to playing in the WNBA.

"There are a lot of veterans in Seattle - Sue Bird, Tina Thompson and Lauren Jackson - who can really help me get better in my game. I still need a lot of improvement. With my personality, that I'm willing to learn, to listen real well and pay attention, I'm really looking forward to that and I'm really looking forward to playing with them."

Johnson, a 6'3" post player, who starred for the Lady Vols in her hometown of Knoxville earned WBCA All-America honors and was named the 2012 SEC Defensive Player of the Year. She finished her career as Tennessee's second all-time leading rebounder (1,218) behind only Chamique Holdsclaw.

"Who would have ever thought four years ago that a Knoxville, Tenn., girl would have been the fourth pick overall in the WNBA draft?" Summitt said. "What a tremendous day for Glory Johnson.

"I am so proud of her and the player she relentlessly worked to become as a Lady Vol. Glory has such toughness and grit; she is going to make an immediate impact and be a difference-maker for Tulsa. We are all just so excited for her."

Johnson was surrounded by family when her named was called. "I know there's going to be a huge difference between college and the WNBA. I think my coaches at the University of Tennessee prepared me for it," Johnson said.

"I had great coaches. Playing on the team with a bunch of All-Americans also prepared me. I'm completely excited for a change of worlds almost. I'm excited about the competition and can't wait to get out there."

The 6'6" Cain might have been the surprise of the draft. Throughout her time at UT, Cain was hampered by nagging injuries to her hip, back and knees, limiting her to just 19.9 mpg for her career. As a Lady Vol, Cain averaged 8.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg and shot 60.6 percent from the field, while making 59 starts. Her career field goal percentage is the third-best in Tennessee history.

"How about Kelley Cain? What a great surprise for her and so excited and proud for her," said Summitt. "You know, Kelley's size can definitely make and impact and if she stays healthy she is a force. Our whole staff was excited to hear her name called."

Via her Twitter page Cain said, "Thanks everybody for the love! I'm truly blessed and grateful for this opportunity. When one door closes another one opens! I'm ready!!!

Baugh, a 6'4" center, led Tennessee in field goal percentage this past season and heart throughout her career after suffering back-to-back ACL injuries in 2008 and 2009.

"Vicki has worked so hard to get to this point in her career. I'm sure there were days that she discounted that she would even be in the draft," said Summitt.

"She has overcome so much. Vicki is a coach on the floor - she knows the game so well -- and I think she will bring those attributes to Tulsa."

Baugh was joined at the draft by her proud grandparents, Calvin and Barbara Baugh. "This is a great accomplishment. There was once upon a time when I didn't know if I was even going to be able to continue playing basketball anymore, so just being here and having this opportunity is truly a blessing. I'm just - I'm very happy," said Vicki Baugh.

With the addition of Baugh, Cain, Johnson and Stricklen, a total of 34 Lady Vol players have continued their careers at the professional level in the WNBA.

SUMMITT HONORED WITH OLYMPIC COACHES

Olympic Coaches Presentation Photos

The all-time US Olympic women's basketball coaches were honored in a ceremony during halftime of Sunday's national semifinal game at the Women's Final Four in Denver.

Among those honored were Tennessee's Pat Summitt (1984), Geno Auriemma (2012), Anne Donovan (2008), Van Chancellor (2004), Nell Fortner (2000), Theresa Grentz (1992) and Billie Moore (1976). Tara VanDerveer (1996) was not on the floor for the presentation, as she prepared for the second half of the semifinal with her Stanford team. The late Kay Yow, who coached the 1988 team, and Sue Gunter (1980), were also honored.

Summitt Reacting to the Olympic coaches presentation:

"It was very emotional. It makes you reflect. Especially having lost two of our dearest friends. I can't help but to think about them all the time.

"As far as USA Basketball, I'm just so glad that the women got involved in the Olympics. It meant the world to me to know there was a place to play after we played basketball in college. We could travel. We could compete. I just made some of the best friends - ever.

"I really appreciated walking in here and seeing this. It was touching for all of us. No doubt about it."

DENVER, Colo. - University of Tennessee Lady Vol basketball graduate Glory Johnson was named to the 10-player Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2012 All-America team on Saturday at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo., site of the NCAA Women's Final Four.

Johnson, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., and a graduate of The Webb School, becomes the 21st Lady Vol all-time to earn a spot on the prestigious WBCA(formerly State Farm/Kodak) Coaches All-America Team. She joins senior teammate Shekinna Stricklen who was selected to the WBCA All-America Team in 2011.

Lady Vol coach Pat Summitt and members of her staff were on hand in Denver for the All-America team announcement. "I am so excited for Glory," Summitt said. "I can't tell you the amount of hard work she has invested in her game throughout her career and particularly this season.

"Glory was an unbelievable player and a tireless worker for us this year. She showed me many of the attributes of the dedication of a Tamika Catchings. Whatever Glory had to do to improve or help this team, she did each and every day," Summitt said.

"It was special for us to be in Denver with her and share in this moment today."

In her final campaign at UT, Johnson turned in a career high stat line including 14.2 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg and 1.4 spg while starting all 36 games and logging 29.9 minutes per contest. She reached double-figure scoring in 29 games in 2011-12 and 87 for her career. The powerful post had 13 double-double efforts in points and rebounds in her final season and totaled 37 for her career - third all-time in Lady Vol history behind Olympians and All-Americans Chamique Holdsclaw and Candace Parker.

"I am humbled by this selection," Johnson said. "It was just an honor from the beginning to be selected to be a Lady Vol, and now to be named an All-America, it's just even better. Being able to represent Tennessee and the program means so much to me.

"I played with some amazing teammates under a great coaching staff and I am so thankful for what the University of Tennessee afforded me."

Her 2012 honors include NCAA Des Moines Regional All-Tournament, the Capital One Academic All-America First Team, the Southeastern Conference Tournament MVP and All-Tournament team, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and All-SEC Defensive Team, Coaches and AP All-SEC, and the WBCA All-America District Team.

During her time at Tennessee, she played in 141 games and earned 118 career starts scoring 1,643 points and grabbing 1,204 rebounds. Johnson became just the fourth Lady Vol ever in the thousand-thousand point and rebound club and finished second to four-time WBCA All-American Chamique Holdsclaw in career rebounds with 1,218. She was also a nominee for countless other awards in addition to becoming Tennessee's 21st WBCA State Farm All-America honoree.

A rare first team double All-American honoree, Johnson earned both WBCA(athletic) and Capital One (academic) in 2012. She graduated cum laude in just three years in Interdisciplinary Global Studies in May 21011 and is currently pursuing a master's in Communication and Information Studies.

Also joining Johnson on the team are: Elana DellaDonne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Bria Hartley (UConn), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Chiney and Nnemka Ogwumike (Stanford) Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Alyssa Thomas (Maryland).

Lady Vol senior one of five finalists

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee's Glory Johnson along with Brittney Griner of Baylor, Chiney Ogwumike of Stanford, Devereaux Peters of Notre Dame and Elizabeth Williams of Duke are finalists for 2012 WBCA Division I Defensive Player of the Year as announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Monday.

The WBCA Division I Defensive Player of the Year award honors the best defensive collegiate Division I women's basketball player. All Division I conference defensive players of the year are eligible to be nominated for the award. A selection committee makes the final decision on the winner. If a conference does not select a defensive player of the year, the conference representative can nominate one player to be considered.

"The age-old adage, `defense wins games,' still rings true and I think each of these women have taken that to heart as a finalist for this year's Defensive Player of the Year award," said WBCA Beth Bass. "I wish each of these ladies the best of luck at the WBCA Awards Show in Denver!"

Tennessee plays Baylor at 7 p.m. ET today in the Des Moines Regional Final for a berth in the NCAA Women's Final Four, setting up a matchup between two Defensive Player of the Year Finalists.

Johnson, a 6-foot-3 forward, leads the Lady Vols (27-8) in rebounding (9.7 per game) and blocked shots (1.2 per game) and was named the Southeastern Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student hits 3.9 free throws each contest and is the team's second leading scorer with an average of 14.1 points a game.

Griner, a 6-foot-8 center, has led the Baylor Lady Bears to an undefeated 37-0 season so far, averaging 23.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The junior also leads the nation in blocked shots with 190 (5.14 per game) and has recorded 16 double-doubles this season.

The Defensive Player of the Year winner will be announced during the WBCA Awards Show, which will be held at 5 p.m. MT Monday, April 2, in Denver. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction

DES MOINES, Iowa - Tennessee's season came to an end with a 77-58 defeat at the hands of No. 1-ranked and undefeated Baylor, 77-58. The Lady Bears advanced to the Final Four which takes place next on Sunday, April 1 in Denver.

The Lady Vols finished the season at 27-9, making an NCAA-record 25th appearance in the Elite Eight. The game marked the final college contest for five Lady Vol seniors: Briana Bass, Vicki Baugh Glory Johnson, Alicia Manning and Shekinna Stricklen.

Both Stricklen (22 points and 11 rebounds) and Johnson (19 points and 14 rebounds) posted double-doubles to combine for 41 points and 25 rebounds.

Baylor moved to 38-0 overall in its quest to become the first team in NCAA basketball history go 40-0. The Lady Bears take on the winner of the Stanford/Duke Elite Eight game that takes place late Monday. This will be Baylor's third Final Four, as they also went in 2005, when they won the NCAA title and last season.

The Lady Bears were led by Odyssey Sims, who tallied a season-high 27 points. Brittany Griner nearly posted a triple-double with 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots. It would have been her fifth-career triple-double. Kimetria Hayden added 18 points.

Baylor used a 14-3 run to take a 19-point lead at 60-41 on a Griner layup and Sims free throws with eight minutes remaining. Tennessee then used a 7-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 11 at 64-53 on a layup by Ariel Massengale with 4:48 left in the second half. But Griner wouldn't be denied as she ended the run with a lay-up seconds later to regain the double-figure advantage for the Lady Bears. A late 10-2 Baylor run ended the Lady Vols' hopes.

The end of the game was marred by an incident between Stricklen and Sims, which saw Griner and some of her teammates come off the bench with 46.8 seconds left to break up the confrontation. Griner, Jordan Madden and Terran Condrey were sent to the locker room with ejections.

Tennessee cut the deficit to eight twice midway through the second half at 46-38 and 44-36. But Baylor once against quickly responded as Hayden converted a 3-point play to move the margin back to 14 at 52-38 with 10:18 left.

The Lady Vols battled back early in the second half to cut the deficit to nine points on a lay-up by Vicki Baugh with 17:58 left in the half, making it 35-26. After Baylor extended the lead back to 13 on a 3-pointer by Sims, the Lady Vols once again cut the margin to nine on a layup by Stricklen with 13:33 left in the second.

Baylor led 35-20 at halftime. Tennessee shot just 21.6 percent in the first half, while Baylor made 41.2 percent from the floor. Hayden led all scorers with 13 points while Sims added 10. Griner was held to eight points and eight rebounds.

The Lady Bears closed the first half on a 31-11 run spanning the final 14 minutes of the half. Griner finished the half with a lay-up to extended Baylor's lead to a game-best 15 points, with 32 seconds left in the half. She blocked two Tennessee shots in the final 30 seconds to rack up her sixth and seventh swats of the first half alone.

Tennessee opened the game by building a 9-4 lead as Stricklen canned a 3-pointer just 3:55 into the game.

Tennessee had advanced to the Final Four from the state of Iowa three times: 1986 (def. Louisiana State, 67-65, in Iowa City), 2002 (def. Vanderbilt, 68-63, in Ames) and the Cinderella Season, 1997 (def. undefeated Connecticut 91-81 in Iowa City).