April 18, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt women’s basketball head coach Melanie Balcomb had the following statement upon the retirement of long-time Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Pat Summitt.
“Without Pat, I really don’t know where women’s basketball would be today. The impact she has had on the game itself is immeasurable and her influence on so many people connected with the game has been even greater.”
“Professionally, she has been my example of how not only to win, but to win with class and dignity. I feel blessed to have gotten to know her on a personal level and experience first hand the loyalty and compassion she shows for the people in her life.”
“It is a sad day for the game, but I am confident that we will still feel her impact in the game for a long time to come.”
Summitt and Balcomb have coached against each other for 10 seasons in the Southeastern Conference since Balcomb took over as Commodore head coach for the 2002-03 season. With Summitt’s retirement, Balcomb is now the second-longest tenured coach in the SEC (Andy Landers has been at Georgia for 33 seasons).
Last June, Balcomb introduced Summitt as she was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame.
