Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick cheers during a game last season.“Big eyes.” That’s Tennessee Lady Vols freshman guard Andraya Carter’s description of her more veteran teammates’ reaction the first time new UT women’s basketball coach Holly Warlick called a 5 a.m. practice last month.
“It was a little bit of a surprise,” she said. “But I think it got everybody’s attention.”
At 7 p.m. tonight at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena, Warlick will have the attention of the entire women’s basketball world, its eyes focused on her ability to replace her former coach and boss — Pat Summitt, who racked up 1,098 wins and eight NCAA titles.
“It’s going to be very unusual not to see Pat on their bench after all these years,” said UTC women’s coach Wes Moore, who was 0-9 against Summitt, the untouchable coach who retired in April to focus on her fight against Alzheimer’s.
“Unfortunately, sometimes life slaps you in the face. Women’s basketball has lost a legend, but it’s fitting that Holly’s the one to take her place,” he said. “It will make the transition much smoother than if it had been someone else.”