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Feb. 5, 2009

JOURNEY TO 1,000 WINS

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt's fastest 100-win total occurred between victories No. 500 and 600, which she amassed in just three years, two days. From her first victory on Jan. 10, 1974, to win No. 1,000 on Feb. 5, 2009, 12,445 days passed. A look at how long it took Summitt to reach each plateau:

Wins	Length
1-100	4 years, 4 days
100-200	3 years, 324 days
200-300	4 years, 32 days
300-400	3 years, 21 days
400-500	3 years, 300 days
500-600	3 years, 2 days
600-700	3 years, 12 days
700-800	3 years, 39 days
800-900	3 years, 5 days
900-1,000	3 years, 17 days

THAT'S SOME WINNING BASKETBALL

• Through her first 34 seasons, Summitt averaged 28.9 victories and just 5.4 losses per season.
• Summitt has been fond of saying, "Surround yourself with great people." During her 35-year coaching tenure at the University of Tennessee she has worked with 153 Lady Vol basketball student-athletes and been assisted throughout the years by a total of 39 coaching staffers (assistant coaches, graduate assistants and operations directors), 53 student managers, 3 head athletic trainers, 2 women's athletics directors, 1 media relations director and 1 secretary.
• Over 35 years, Summitt has brought 153 women into the program (including this year's team). Of that total group, 111 have graduated (including current starting post Alex Fuller), two discontinued playing due to medical reasons (knees), 23 transferred, and six quit.
• Summitt has always said, "You win with players." Summitt's all-time Lady Vols represent 30 states led by 64 players from the state of Tennessee... 20 from Georgia... six each from Indiana and Ohio... five from Michigan... four each from California, Florida, Kentucky, Texas and Virginia... three from Alabama, New York, South Carolina and West Virginia... two from Illinois, North Carolina and Pennsylvania and one each from the states of Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
• Over 47 percent of ALL games coached by Summitt have come against Associated Press ranked opponents with the Lady Vols producing a 400-155 record and a 72 percent winning percentage. Imagine facing a ranked opponent in practically every other game in your career. Summitt has faced this challenge for 35 years, night-in and night-out. Summitt's teams have also emerged victorious over unranked teams as well, winning 600 games (including tonight's victory over Georgia) and losing just 32 contests. That's 95 percent winning record over unranked opponents.
• Never had a losing season
• 32 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins
• 18 seasons with more than 30 wins

POSTGAME FESTIVITIES

To celebrate the 1,000 win milestone Coach Pat Summitt was presented with the following:

This coming Spring, the Women's Athletics Department will have a toast and roast evening of "A Night of 1,000 Stories." It will be an event to celebrate all of the Lady Vol basketball players and coaches who have helped make the 1,000 victories possible. Proceeds from this extravaganza will go to the Summitt Legends scholarship fund. Please direct your attention as UT-Knoxville Chancellor, Dr. Jimmy Cheek is now unveiling the event poster.

As is her custom, Coach Summitt will set yet another first. The new Knoxville River Walk will have her "star" as the first one. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is presenting a rendition of the Pat Head Summitt star.

The SEC has always been "Some Exciting Conference!!" On hand tonight to present Coach Summitt with a commemorative plaque celebrating her 1,000 win milestone is Southeastern Conference Commissioner, Mike Slive.

Securing your milestone game balls has often been a challenge - especially number 100 at N.C. State and number 900 at Vanderbilt... UT Men's Athletics Director Mike Hamilton would like to present you with the game ball from tonight's win.

And finally, Director of Women's Athletics, Joan Cronan and famed artist Robert Tino and Terri Holder are unveiling an original Tino painting celebrating the 1,000 win accomplishment. In addition, Joan is also presenting Coach Summitt with a little BLING -- a one-of-a-kind bracelet and necklace commemorating her 1000th victory.

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE TO HOST "Pat Summitt's NIGHT OF 1,000 STORIES"

To celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, the University of Tennessee Women's Athletic Department will host "Pat Summitt's Night of 1,000 Stories" at the Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville this spring. The date will be announced in coming weeks.

"Pat has meant so much to so many," said Joan Cronan, UT women's athletic director. "This is a great opportunity for us to pay tribute to her for everything she has accomplished for the University of Tennessee and collegiate basketball."

The event will feature appearances by former players and colleagues of Summitt's and include a sneak peak of the Vol Network's documentary on Pat Summitt.

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE EXTENDS SUMMITT'S CONTRACT THROUGH 2014

University of Tennessee President Dr. John Petersen and Women's Athletics Director Joan Cronan announced tonight that Lady Vol Head Basketball Coach Pat Summitt signed a contract extension earlier this week that will run through 2014. Summitt will earn $1.4 million for 2008-09 and receive a $200,000 bonus for her 1,000 wins at Tennessee.

"For the past 35 years, Pat has been a tremendous ambassador for our state, our University, college basketball and women's athletics," said Women's Athletics Director Joan Cronan. "We're excited that her new contract will take her through her 40th season with the Lady Vols."

The contract also includes two lifetime achievement bonuses - $500,000 in 2009-10 and a $1 million longevity bonus in 2013-2014 to reward her for her 40 years as head coach of the Lady Vols.

All funding for the athletics department, including coaches' salaries, is from monies generated by athletics' resources and not from appropriated funding by the state of Tennessee or other university-related revenues.