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Was this Pat Summitt’s last season on the sidelines?

pat-summit

Mike Miller

It’s hard to believe, but women’s college basketball might not have Pat Summitt on the sidelines next season.

After Tennessee’s 77-58 loss to Baylor Monday night, the legendary coach will undoubtedly take time to consider if coaching remains in her future. Summitt, 59, coached this season after announcing last August that she had early onset dementia. She hasn’t discussed her plans with anyone on her staff yet.

“Her love of the game, she’s not lost that,” assistant Holly Warlick said tearfully after Monday’s loss. “She may forget where her phone is, but she’s not going to forget to yell at the officials. She’s still competitive. I don’t care what disease she has; she’s going to go down swinging.”

Her assistants assumed a heavier workload than before, running practices, while Warlick handled postgame press conferences and was in charge of game management.

It seems likely that Summitt will stay in her role for another season, assuming she’s healthy enough to do so.

Summitt has won 1,098 games in her career, the most by any coach in NCAA basketball history. She has two years remaining on her contract. School officials say they’ll support whatever move Summitt decides.

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