Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw reacts to Pat Summitt's health condition
Notre Dame, IN. - Women's basketball community reacts to news that Pat Summitt has been diagnosed with early onset dementia.
The University of Tennessee got some shocking news today. Legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summitt announced in a statement that her health is deteriorating and talked about what it means for the rest of her coaching days.
Notre Dame and Tennessee are fierce rivals on the court, but today when the the basketball community heard that Pat Summitt has been diagnosed with early onset dementia,a progressive condition that could lead to alzheimer's, people rallied behind her to show there support.
After the season concluded Summitt says she addressed some ongoing concerns about her healthand after talking to her doctor, Summitt headed to mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
No one had any idea what Summitt was holding in until today when she told the world about her illness from the comfort of her own home, and with her faithful dog by her side.
"Earlier this year the doctors at the mayo clinic diagnosed me with a early onset of dementia, althimzer's type," says Summitt.
Summitt spoke from the heart as she assure her Tennessee family that she wanted to be an open book. However, in everyone's mind the next question was if this hall fame coach was going to have to step down--question she was quick to answer.
"I plan to continue being your coach for that reason i will be relying on my outstanding coaching staff like never before."
No one on her coaching staff is exactly sure how this will impact her daily responsibilities. No matter what everyone says they are behind her on 100 percent, including Notre Dame's women basketball head coach Muffet McGraw.
Mcgraw released this statement today about the news:
"I was saddened and shocked to hear of today's news regarding the health of Coach Summitt, who is an icon, not only in women's basketball, but throughout all of women's sports. I had the chance to speak with her back in June during my Hall of Fame induction down in Knoxville, as well as during the month of July when we crossed paths on the recruiting trail, ans she didn't mention anything about her illness. Our thoughts and prayers are with coach summitt, her son tyler and the whole tennessee women's basketball program as they go through this difficult and challenging time."
Summitt will coach her 38th season this year and do what she does best, win. With eight national titles under her belt, she is the only college basketball coach to have 1,071 wins. That's more than any other men's or women's college basketball coach right now.