Latest news with #Summitt
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Why does Tennessee softball wear blue? What to know about 'Summitt Blue' uniforms
Why does Tennessee softball wear blue? What to know about 'Summitt Blue' uniforms Show Caption Hide Caption Karen Weekly on Tennessee softball beating Nebraska to advance to WCWS Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly talks about the Lady Vols' 1-0 win over Nebraska to advance to Women's College World Series. Tennessee softball rallied after a Game 1 loss to Nebraska in the super regionals, winning Games 2 and 3 to advance to the Women's College World Series. The No. 7 Lady Vols wore their all-blue uniforms for the series-clinching win on Sunday, setting up a first-round WCWS matchup with No. 2 Oklahoma. Tennessee might bring back the all-blue uniforms again in Oklahoma City, which might be unusual for some college softball fans not aware of the Lady Vols' history. WCWS bracket 2025: Full schedule, matchups for NCAA softball tournament All of Tennessee's women's sports programs wear "Summitt Blue" uniforms in honor of Pat Summitt, the legendary Lady Vols basketball coach. Here's everything to know about Tennessee softball's blue uniforms, and how they came about: Why does Tennessee softball wear blue? Tennessee softball started wearing blue jerseys in 2022, as part of the "Summitt Legacy" collection of uniforms for Vols women's sports. Lady Vols soccer, volleyball, softball and basketball all have blue uniform options. Lady Vols softball stepped it up in 2025, however, introducing a full blue uniform for the first time. Previously, the team wore white or orange pants with their blue jerseys. The "Summitt Blue" collection launched in 2022 as part of the 50th anniversary of Title IX. It was then when Tennessee officially renamed the blue accents that are part of the school's colors in honor of Summitt. "Well, I think I finally got over the idea that we'd look like North Carolina if we wore all Summitt Blue," Lady Vols softball coach Karen Weekly told the Knoxville News-Sentinel earlier this year. "The little touches to it, like the Summitt legacy patch on it, because Pat Summitt is a big part of our program, a big part of me and Ralph (Weekly). We wouldn't be here, we wouldn't have the success we've had here if it wasn't for Pat Summitt." Summitt coached at Tennessee from 1974-2012 and won eight national championships and went to 18 Final Fours. She was gifted the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and was a part of the inaugural Women's Basketball Hall of Fame class in 1999. Summitt retired from coaching in 2012 after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. She died in 2016 at the age of 64.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What returning to Columbia meant to Lady Vols softball's Saviya Morgan at Midstate Classic
COLUMBIA − Lining the fences at Ridley Sports Complex on Tuesday were rows of Summitt blue. And adorning the back of almost every Lady Vols jerseys in the crowd was the same number: 20. A large crowd helped celebrate the return of Columbia's top softball product in recent years, outfielder Saviya Morgan, a Columbia Central graduate and a freshman for the Lady Vols. Tennessee (26-4) run-ruled Eastern Kentucky 8-0 in five innings at the Midstate Classic, an annual tournament hosted by the City of Columbia, which returned to Maury County for a 10th year after being canceled last season. Sophia Nugent hit two home runs and drove in six RBIs against the Colonels (19-7). "At first I was very overwhelmed but then once we got out here I knew to calm down and just play the game and have fun," Morgan said. "... being out here and watching them (in the past) and then visualizing myself coming back out here in the next few years, it was really amazing." Morgan stepped up for her first at bat to raucous cheers, which paled in comparison to the screams which came after the game from youth softball players looking to secure Morgan's autograph. "It proves that there's always somebody watching from small (kids) to the college coaches," Columbia coach Jon McDonald said. "To see her giving all these little girls hope of being able to live out their dreams, playing college ball at the highest level, that's pretty cool because they see her, they know she's from here and now she's coming home to represent us in the biggest game." Morgan has played a big role in her first season at Tennessee. She has started every game this season, batting .358 and 17-of-23 on stolen bases. "I watched her this past summer in travel ball, and she'd already committed to us, but I just saw this big improvement in her and had a feeling that she was going to have a chance to play, but a lot of it depended on her and how she approached things," Lady Vols coach Karen Weekly said. "And she's just one of the best learners I've ever coached. "She has the ability to take the information and apply it, pretty much right away, and apply it without drama and ego and the emotions sometimes that a lot of freshman have to get past in order to make adjustments ... because of that she's been able to have success already." It was surreal for Morgan's family for her to become the main attraction in Tuesday's headliner game. "It's one of those moments where you're more than proud," Latasha Morgan, Saviya's mother, said. "Words can't even express how proud you are to see your child." Tuesday started with a high school rivalry game between Columbia Central and Spring Hill. Columbia won 16-0. In the second game, Calhoun Community College defeated Columbia State 7-3. The Midstate Classic was brought to Columbia through the work of city manager Tony Massey, who formerly worked as City Manager in Bristol, which at the time hosted the Lady Vols in a similarly styled tournament each year. Moving to Columbia, Massey worked to keep the tradition alive in his new home. The inaugural Midstate Classic in 2014 brought in roughly 3,000 fans, which by Massey's estimated is the largest crowd for a college softball game in Tennessee. Columbia remains the only city in Tennessee outside of Knoxville to host the Lady Vols annually. MIDSTATE CLASSIC: Columbia grandfather to throw first pitch as granddaughter takes field at Midstate Classic "There's just so much love for big orange here in the midstate," Weekly said. "You see it, we come out and there's 3,000 fans out here and every year we've come it's been that way ... the people just come out to show the love and support to out girls and I know it means so much to our girls to feel that and to be able to come here and give back to them." Harrison Campbell covers high school sports and more for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@ and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp. This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Lady Vols softball's Saviya Morgan returns to Columbia for Midstate Classic
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lady Vols' NCAA Tournament basketball history
Lady Vols' NCAA Tournament basketball history Tennessee is the only school to appear in all 43 women's basketball NCAA Tournaments since its inception in 1982. The Lady Vols have won eight national championships in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007 and 2008. All eight national titles were under head coach Pat Summitt. Tennessee was also runner-ups in the NCAA Tournament five times (1984, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004). The Lady Vols have appeared in the Final Four 18 times in program history. Tennessee advanced to Final Four in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, all under Summitt. PHOTOS: Pat Summitt through the years Tennessee's last Elite Eight appearance was in 2016. Holly Warlick guided the Lady Vols to three Elite Eight appearances in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Summitt advanced to the Elite Eight 25 times as Tennessee's head coach (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012). The Lady Vols enter the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a 131-34 all time record. Tennessee also holds a record for most games played (165) in tournament history.
NBC Sports
30-01-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Nashville bids for WNBA franchise with Candace Parker and Peyton Manning among investors
The chairman of the NHL's Nashville Predators and his wife want to bring the WNBA to Music City and have teamed up with a star-filled investor group including Candace Parker, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The group led by Bill Haslam, a former Tennessee governor, submitted its bid to the WNBA on January 30 for a franchise that would start playing in 2028. The team also would be named the Tennessee Summitt in honor of the late Pat Summitt. Haslam said they see how women's professional sports is emerging worldwide with a 'void' 'We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow,' Haslam said. The Nashville bid also features a plan to build a practice facility for the WNBA team that also would be used for youth basketball. 'Tennessee is the DNA of everything women's basketball stands for,' Parker said in a statement. 'I'm excited to be a part of the group working to bring a WNBA team to the state and honor Coach Summitt's legacy.' Parker is a three-time WNBA champion and helped Summitt win two of her eight national championships at the University of Tennessee. Summitt died in 2016 as the winningest Division I coach four years after retiring following her diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type. A Tennessee native, Summitt coached the Lady Vols for 38 years and had a career record of 1,098-208 in 38 seasons, plus 18 NCAA Final Four appearances. Her son, Tyler, noted his mother was a huge advocate for women's sports and women in leadership. 'I know she would be proud and honored to be included in the expansion of women's professional basketball into Tennessee,' Summitt said. The team would play at Bridgestone Arena, home to the NHL's Predators. Haslam started his purchase of a majority share of the Predators in 2022. The WNBA is adding three expansion teams in the next two seasons with Golden State, Portland and Toronto joining to boost the league's franchises to 15. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season. Cleveland announced its bid to bring a WNBA franchise back to Ohio last November.
Fox Sports
30-01-2025
- Business
- Fox Sports
Peyton Manning among investors for proposed Nashville WNBA franchise
The chairman of the NHL's Nashville Predators and his wife want to bring the WNBA to Music City and have teamed up with a star-filled investor group including Candace Parker, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The group led by Bill Haslam, a former Tennessee governor, submitted its bid to the WNBA on Thursday for a franchise that would start playing in 2028. The team also would be named the Tennessee Summitt in honor of the late Pat Summitt. Haslam said they see how women's professional sports is emerging worldwide. "We believe a WNBA team, based in Nashville, could serve as a beacon for girls and women, young and old, across Tennessee, while also creating more opportunities for sports fans as our community continues to grow," Haslam said. The Nashville bid features a plan to build a practice facility for the WNBA team that also would be used for youth basketball. "Tennessee is the DNA of everything women's basketball stands for," Parker said in a statement. "I'm excited to be a part of the group working to bring a WNBA team to the state and honor Coach Summitt's legacy." Parker is a three-time WNBA champion and helped Summitt win two of her eight national championships at the University of Tennessee. Summitt retired as the winningest Division I coach and died in 2016, four years after her diagnosis of early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type. A Tennessee native, Summitt coached the Lady Vols for 38 years and had a career record of 1,098-208 in 38 seasons, plus 18 NCAA Final Four appearances. Her son, Tyler, noted his mother was a huge advocate for women's sports and women in leadership. "I know she would be proud and honored to be included in the expansion of women's professional basketball into Tennessee," Summitt said. The team would play at Bridgestone Arena, home to the NHL's Predators. Haslam started his purchase of a majority share of the Predators in 2022. The WNBA is adding three expansion teams in the next two seasons, with Golden State, Portland and Toronto joining to boost the league's franchises to 15. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season. Cleveland announced its bid to bring a WNBA franchise back to Ohio last November. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League National Hockey League Women's National Basketball Association recommended Get more from Women's National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
