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.

Pat Summitt, College Basketball's All-Time Winningest Coach, To Share Her Inspirational Life Story in Memoir Set for Spring 2013 Publication by Crown Archetype

New York, N.Y.-- Pat Summitt, the legendary basketball coach who has led the University of Tennessee's Lady Volunteers to an unprecedented 1,098 victories and a record-setting eight NCAA Division I National Championships, will share the lessons she has learned during her extraordinary life on and off the court in a memoir. As yet untitled, Coach Summitt's book will be issued simultaneously in print and digital formats by Crown Archetype, an imprint of Random House, Inc.'s Crown Publishing Group.

Renowned for her fierce competitiveness, steely-eyed resolve, and tireless devotion to her players, Coach Summitt will chronicle in her book her full life journey, including her working childhood on a farm in Henrietta, Tennessee; her career as coach of a team that has won more games than any other, men's or women's, in history; her life as a devoted mother; and her determination to take on her toughest opponent yet--Alzheimer's disease. Having just completed her thirty-eighth season as head coach, Coach Summitt, 59, was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, in May 2011.

Coach Summitt will write the book with Sally Jenkins, a Washington Post columnist, a four-time winner of the Associated Press Sports Columnist of the Year Award, a member of the National Sports Writers and Sportscasters Hall of Fame, and the author of ten books. Ms. Summitt and Ms. Jenkins have collaborated previously on two national bestselling books: Reach for the Summit (1998), in which Ms. Summitt shared her motivational advice for succeeding in sports, business, and life; and Raise the Roof (1998), an account of the Tennessee Lady Vols' 1997-98 undefeated championship season.

"Basketball has always been far more than a game to me: it's a way of being, an ethic, and a value, and so my intention is that this will be more than a sports book," says Summitt.

"Competition got me off the farm and trained me to seek out challenges and to endure setbacks; and in combination with my faith, it sustains me now in my fight with Alzheimer's disease. I look forward to sharing with readers the experiences that shaped me as a mother and a teacher and a leader, and how I've tried to shape the young women who wear the Tennessee Orange. This book provides me with yet another opportunity to do what I love to do most, which is to get up and go to work on an exciting challenge every day."

Under Coach Summitt's leadership, the Tennessee Lady Vols achieved an unrivaled record of athletic success including 32 Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament championships, an unprecedented 31 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and 13 Final Fours. Coach Summitt has developed 12 Olympians named to 17 teams, 21 WBCA All-Americans named to 35 teams, and 77 All-SEC performers, and has a 100 percent graduation rate for all Lady Vols who have completed their eligibility at the University of Tennessee. In April 2009, she was named the Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century. Most recently, she was recognized by Sports Illustrated magazine as its 2011 Sportswoman of the Year.

The deal was announced today by Tina Constable, Senior Vice President, Publisher, Crown Archetype. Mauro DiPreta, Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Crown Archetype, acquired world, electronic, audio, and first serial rights from Ms. Summitt's longtime representative Robert B. Barnett of Williams & Connolly LLP, and will edit the book.

Said Ms. Constable, "Pat Summitt's accomplishments as a coach, educator, and mother are awe-inspiring, as is her unique ability to transform adversity into success. We are very proud to partner with her in publishing a book that will be an important part of her extraordinary legacy and an enduring source of inspiration for so many."

The parent company of Random House, Inc. is Bertelsmann AG.

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.

President Obama Announces Patricia "Pat" Summitt as a Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Barack Obama announced Patricia "Pat" Summitt, former head coach and current head coach emeritus of the University of Tennessee's women's basketball team, as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal of Freedom is the Nation's highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

President Obama said, "Coach Summitt is an inspiration - both as the all-time winningest NCAA coach, and as someone who is willing to speak so openly and courageously about her battle with Alzheimer's. Pat's gift has always been her ability to push those around her to new heights, and over the last 38 years, her unique approach has resulted in both unparalleled success on the court and unrivaled loyalty from those who know her and those whose lives she has touched. Pat's coaching career may be over, but I'm confident that her work is far from finished. I look forward to awarding her this honor."

In addition to accomplishing an outstanding career as the all-time winningest leader among all NCAA basketball coaches, Coach Summitt has taken Tennessee to more Final Four appearances than any other coach and has the second best record of NCAA Championships in basketball. She has received numerous awards, including being named Naismith Women's Collegiate Coach of the Century.

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the signing of Title IX, Summitt's remarkable career reflects her rightful place in history as an unparalleled figure in women's team sports. Off the court, Pat's work as a spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer's through the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund is truly inspirational. The Pat Summitt Foundation will make grants to nonprofits to provide education and awareness, support to patients and families, and research to prevent, cure and ultimately eradicate early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.

Coach Summitt was notified last week of the President's decision to award her with the Nation's highest civilian honor for her contributions both on and off the court. The remainder of the honorees selected by the President will be announced over the coming weeks and the awards will be presented at a White House ceremony later this year.

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

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame president Dr. Bill Emendorfer announced today that University of Tennessee head women's basketball coach Pat Summitt has been chosen to receive the Tennessean of the Year Award.

Summitt will be honored at the 2012 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on May 19 in Nashville, Tenn.

In making the announcement, Emendorfer said, "Pat Summitt is a shining example of why we are proud to be Tennesseans.

"It took great courage for her to step forward and share her medical diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, with the world last August. It took even greater courage for Pat to continue to coach and put a very real face on this invisible disease.

"No one has made a greater contribution to the state of Tennessee than Pat through her leadership and personal sacrifice for the betterment of society as a whole. She has dedicated herself to a cause that has greater value than her personal accomplishments," said Emendorfer.

This marks the second time that Summitt, a 2003 TSHF Inductee, has been selected as the Tennessean of the Year and the first time it has been awarded to the same person twice. Summitt first received the honor in 1988 which best exemplifies the volunteer sprit of the state of Tennessee.

Summitt has just completed her 38th year at the helm of the Lady Vols and sports a remarkable 1,098-208 overall record. In the 2011-12 season, she helped to lead her team to a 27-9 overall record, an SEC Tournament Championship and a trip to her record 31st NCAA Tournament where the Lady Vols advanced to the Elite 8.

Summitt's life, playing and coaching career and commitment to excellence will also be celebrated at the Tennessean of the Year luncheon. The tribute is part of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Induction weekend which starts on Friday, May 18 with a private tailgate at the Vanderbilt-Ole Miss baseball game and concludes with the banquet at the Renaissance Hotel Saturday night, May 19.

Tickets to the luncheon are $40.00 and may be purchased by contacting the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame at 615.202.3996 (Tue-Sat, 10-5 p.m. CDT). Some of the more notables to have received the award include the first winner Barbara Mandrell (1982), Lamar Alexander (1986), Cybil Shepherd (1993), Vince Gill (1995), Don Sunquist (1996), Philip Bredesen (1997), Peyton Manning (1998), Doug Dickey ( 2000), 101st Airborne Division/Air Assault (2002), Jim Haslam (2006), Hank Williams Jr. (2007), Kenny Chesney (2011 ), and the Tennessee Olympians (1985, 2001, 2005 ).

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."

Knoxville, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee women's head basketball coach Pat Summitt was awarded the Alliance of Women Philanthropists' Brenda G. Lawson Legacy of Leadership Award at the group's annual Women and Philanthropy Symposium at the Knoxville Marriott on March 10, 2012.

The award was named for Alliance Executive Board member Brenda Lawson, a dedicated volunteer and supporter of the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Summitt is the second recipient of the award; following its namesake, Brenda Lawson.

"It is indeed a great honor to receive this award from the Alliance," Summitt said. "Brenda Lawson is a successful, compassionate and driven business leader who has always shared her time and resources to benefit so many.

"Not only do I appreciate and celebrate her leadership, but I am truly honored to be selected for an award bearing her name."

The Alliance of Women Philanthropists was created to acknowledge the capacity of women to be influential donors to UT and to recognize them in more meaningful and personal ways. The Alliance takes pride in celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of women leaders and their philanthropic efforts, community service, and volunteerism.

The Alliance created the Brenda G. Lawson Legacy of Leadership Award to recognize women who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in these areas. This award is bestowed upon an exceptional woman who embodies the highest level of excellence in her work as a community leader and has devoted considerable time and energy to improve the quality of life for others at UT.

Nominations are submitted by the Alliance's Executive Board. Recipients must be a general member or executive board member in order to qualify for the award. The Legacy of Leadership Award recipient is voted upon by the Alliance of Women Philanthropists Executive Board members.

Award Criteria:

• Committed to furthering the goals of the Alliance of Women Philanthropists

• Supports the University of Tennessee through contributions of talent, time, and financial means

• Dedicated to supporting UT in its instructional, research, outreach and fundraising initiatives

• Educates, empowers, and inspires women to be philanthropic leaders at the University of Tennessee

• Encompasses a variety of ideals including volunteerism, generosity, sacrifice, compassion, sensitivity, and humility