The University of Tennessee unveiled a statue dedicated to the former Lady Vols coach, Pat Summitt, on Friday. The statue was revealed during a dedication ceremony for the Pat Summitt Plaza. A crowd of over 1,000 people were there to witness the ceremony, including many of the former Lady Vols players.
Summitt, who led her team to eight national titles and 18 Final Four appearances, was very grateful and touched by the gesture. While waiting for the statue to be revealed, with her son Tyler standing beside her, she said, “I just want everybody to know that for me, today, it’s not about me. It’s about everyone out here that loves the University of Tennessee. We just hope and pray that we can continue to do good things. Tyler has been a rock for me, and I appreciate him for that. I want everybody to know how much I appreciate what’s happened here today. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it, and I love you all.”
The statue, which stands eight foot, seven inches, tall, shows Summitt standing in her usual stance with a smile on her face and her arms crossed. Behind the statue is a wall that has Summitt’s signature and below the signature it reads: “Head Coach 1974-2012, Record 1,098-208, 8 National Championships.”
Tyler, who is now an assistant coach at Marquette, is very proud of his mother and says that she truly deserves this honor. “It’s great,” he said. “She loved it, so I loved it.”
Image via Twitter
