Randy Smith
We are wrapping up week nine of self-quarantining to battle Covid-19. My hair is more woozy than long and my eyebrows are looking a lot like Andy Rooney. Still, I'm ready to do this a lot longer if we can eventually beat this thing. Stay positive and stay home!
In terms of my Mount Rushmore project, it's time to do basketball at Tennessee and I will do the ladies first.
I will only do players because the Lady Vols' great Pat Summitt deserves a Mount Rushmore monument all by herself. She meant that much to the Lady Vols and all of Women's Basketball.
Chamique Holdsclaw - 1995-1999
She is the program's all-time leading scorer with 3,025 points as well as its leading rebounder with 1,295. She helped lead the Lady Vols to three national titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Chamique was selected as the WNBA's top draft pick in 1999 and spent 11 seasons playing professional basketball. The 6'2" native of Queens, New York was the best player in Women's College Basketball and is still considered one of the best ever.
Candace Parker - 2004-2008
At 6'4" with uncanny guard skills, Candace Parker made her mark on the Lady Vols' program as she led Tennessee to national championships in 2007 and 2008. She could dunk the basketball as well as drive the length of the floor. Candace is Tennessee's third leading career scorer with 2,137 points, even though she only played three seasons. She left early for the WNBA draft and was the top choice in 2008. She also has a couple of Olympic Gold Medals and has been named the WNBA most Valuable player twice in her nine years in the league.
Tamika Catchings - 1997-2001
She was part of the legendary "Three Meeks" of Lady Vols' basketball teaming with Chamique Holdsclaw and Semeka Randall. In 1998, the 6'2" Catchings was partly responsible for a national title for Coach Summitt as Tennessee finished 39-0, Summitt's only undefeated squad........a team still considered as one of the best women's teams ever. A knee injury cut Tamika's college career short in 2001 but she enjoyed a tremendous professional career in the city of Indianapolis in the WNBA which ended with her retirement after 15 years.
Holly Warlick - 1977-1980
This selection may surprise a few people but there is no question about her contributions to the Lady Vols. She was a three time All-American and was the first great player for Tennessee and Coach Pat Summitt. Holly was the first player, male or female, to have her number retired at Tennessee. She played before the NCAA started a post-season tournament for women, but she led the Lady Vols to an SEC Championship in 1980 and three trips to the AIAW Final Four. She became a long-time assistant coach for Pat Summitt and deservedly replaced Summitt as head coach in 2014.
Next up is the "Mount Rushmore" for men's basketball at Tennessee. Stay safe.
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Randy Smith can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com