UConn and Tennessee had their battles both on and off the court since the teams met for the first time at Gampel Pavilion Jan. 16, 1995. The teams played 22 games, including four meetings in the NCAA tournament final, before former Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt ended the series following the 1996-97 season.
Summitt and UConn coach Geno Auriemma had maintained a frosty relationship for years. But their relationship changed once Tennessee announced that Summitt had been diagnosed with early onset dementia Aug. 23, 2011. Auriemma reached out to Summitt. The two shared a hug on the eve of the national semifinals at the Pepsi Center in Denver March 31.
Last Friday via her blog “The Culture Barista,’’ Auriemma’s 26-year-old daughter, Alysa, wrote a genuine, moving and heartfelt tribute to Summitt, who retired April 18 and was given the role of Head Coach Emeritus.
Here is the link to Alysa’s piece. It is well worth your time …
Rich
