UT unveils statue honoring Summitt
For the fans who gathered under gray, threatening skies and the crowd of former Tennessee women’s basketball players, Friday morning was all about Pat Summitt. Summitt thought otherwise.
The UT coaching legend, who was honored with the dedication of the Pat Summitt Plaza and the unveiling of her statue on campus, stepped to the podium during the ceremony and gave credit where she thought it was due.
“I want everyone to know from me, today is not about me,” said Summitt, who stepped down as head coach in April 2012, one year after announcing she had earlyonset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. She remains on staff as head coach emeritus. “It’s about everyone out here that loves the University of Tennessee. We hope and pray we can continue to do great things.
“I want everyone to know how much I appreciate what’s happened today. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. I love you all.”
Former Lady Vol Michelle Marciniak indicated that even Mother Nature couldn’t upstage the guest of honor.
“There’s a reason that it’s raining now and didn’t rain during the ceremony,” Marciniak said afterward. “She’s just got a special touch. I knew the rain would stop just for the ceremony.”
A crowd of approximately 1,000 gathered for the event, coming from Ohio, Florida and elsewhere. Dozens of former players attended. Former Lady Vol All-American Tamika Catchings spoke on their behalf during the ceremony.
The statue shows Summitt with her arms folded and a contented smile on her face. Her signature adorns the wall behind the statue. The length of her coaching career is chronicled, along with her coaching record and the eight national championships. Summitt remains on staff as head coach emeritus.
“They got her smile,” said Summitt’s son Tyler, now an assistant women’s basketball coach at Marquette, “and I don’t know if that’s an accurate representation of her coaching career, but it’s great. She loved it. So I loved it.”
Former Texas coach Jody Conradt, who came from Austin for the event, said the 8-foot, 7-inch statue’s dimensions suited the subject.
“I think that it’s really appropriate that that statue is bigger than life,” she said, “because Pat’s influence over our sport, the sport that we all love, is bigger than life.”
GOLF
Germany’s Sandra Gal picked up three birdies on the back nine at Naples, Fla., giving her a 3-under 69 and a three-shot lead at 133 going into the weekend at the LPGA Titleholders, the tour finale that pays $700,000 to the winner. Sun Young Yoo had a 68 and was alone in second. Lydia Ko, the 16-year-old from New Zealand, played her final 10 holes without a birdie and finished at 71, leaving her nine shots behind. ... Charl Schwartzel shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to earn a share of the lead at the European Tour’s season-opening South African Open at Johannesburg. The 2011 Masters champion had five birdies and an eagle in his opening nine en route to a 12-under 132. Marco Crespi (67) joined him in the lead after two rounds at Glendower Golf Club. ... At Melbourne, Australia, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark maintained his patience around a tricky Royal Melbourne on Friday to shoot a 3-under 68 and take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the World Cup. Bjorn was at 8-under 134. American Kevin Streelman was second after shooting a 69.
COLLEGES
Christian Brothers University has signed Cincinnati La Salle High guard Jeff Larkin to play men’s basketball. ... CBU’s volleyball team outlasted Alabama-Huntsville in five sets Friday in the first quarterfinal of the Gulf South Conference at Pensacola, Fla. Alexis Gillis had a match-high 20 kills and 19 digs for the Lady Bucs (15-18).
Missouri said Friday that 6-11 sophomore forward Stefan Jankovic will transfer, looking for more playing time.
AUTO RACING
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg was fastest in the second practice for Formula One’s season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday, edging Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull teammate Mark Webber on a wet Interlagos track at Sao Paulo. Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumacher’s 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Rosberg was timed in one minute, 27.306 seconds in the afternoon session at the 2.6-mile track, 0.225 ahead of Vettel and 0.286 in front of Webber, who is competing in his last F1 race Sunday.
From Our Press Services
UALR WOMEN 68, MEMPHIS 63 (OT)