KNOXVILLE, Tennessee---With tonight’s second-round win over Purdue in the 2005 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, head coach Pat Summitt became the all-time leader in coaching victories (men’s or women’s) with 880 wins, surpassing former North Carolina men’s basketball head coach Dean Smith’s 879 career victories.

Summitt is now 880-171 (.837) in her 31st season at the helm of the Lady Vols. She now leads an elite group of coaches in the 800-win club, including Smith (879-254, .776), Adolph Rupp (876-190, .822), Jody Conradt (869-278, .758; still active), Bob Knight (854-332, .720; still active), Jim Phelan (830-524, .613), Clarence Gaines (828-447, .649), Jerry Johnson (821-447, .647) and Don Meyer (814-279, .745; still active). Summitt reached the 800-win plateau during in 29th season with a 76-57 victory over DePaul January 14, 2003, becoming the first woman in NCAA Division I basketball to reach that milestone. She became the winningest coach (men’s or women’s) by percentage with a 71-69 win over Baylor in the regional semifinals of the 2004 championship.

The Naismith Coach of the Century has lead Tennessee to six NCAA championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997 and 1998), more than any other women’s program, 15 NCAA Women’s Final Four appearances and all 24 Division I Women’s Basketball Championships. Summitt has captured 13 Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular-season and 11 SEC Tournament titles.

Summitt’s accolades include being the fourth coach inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, named NCAA Coach of the Year seven times (1983, 1987, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1998 and 2004) and SEC Coach of Year six times (1993, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2004).

The native of Henrietta, Tennessee, has never had a losing season at the collegiate level and is 63-4 in international coaching, helping the United States win its first women’s basketball Olympic gold medal in 1984.

Summitt’s Lady Vols will continue their bid for their seventh title Sunday, March 27, in the regional semifinals against Texas Tech. The game will be played at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia at noon Eastern time on ESPN.