TAMPA, FL – APRIL 08: Head coach Pat Summitt of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers celebrates cutting down the net after their 64-48 win against the Stanford Cardinal during the National Championsip Game of the 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four at St. Pete Times Forum April 8, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

The Associated Press reports that legendary college basketball coach Pat Summitt has died at the age of 64:

As the AP’s tweet notes, Summitt was the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history (men’s or women’s) with an unbelievable 1,098 career victories over 38 seasons (1974-2012), all with the University of Tennessee Lady Vols. Summitt’s incredible run included leading the Lady Vols to eight national championships. She never even had a single losing season, and incredibly began her tenure as Lady Vols head coach at the age of 22 in 1974.

Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type in 2011. She would go on to coach for one more season, before stepping down. However, she still held the title of head coach emeritus for the Tennessee program.

In 2012, Summitt was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama, and received the Arthur Ashe Award at the ESPYs.

It was reported on Sunday that Summitt’s family was “preparing for the worst”, so the news isn’t all that surprising, but that certainly doesn’t make it any less saddening. We lost one of the all-time greats today.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

He can be followed on Twitter at @Matt2Clapp (also @TheBlogfines for Cubs/MLB tweets and @DaBearNecess for Bears/NFL tweets), and can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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