Tennessee will dedicate the Pat Summitt Plaza and statue at 11 a.m. on Nov. 22, the university announced on Wednesday.
The bronze statue of the legendary Tennessee women’s basketball coach has been created by artist and sculptor David Adickes of Houston. The statue will be the centerpiece of the plaza, which is under construction at the corner of Loudoun Boulevard. and Phillip Fulmer Way.
The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony with parking available in the G-10 garage between Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena.
The list of donors contributing to the project numbers approximately 550, the UT release said. The lead gifts came from the LaPorte family of Elizabethton and Houston, and the Hilleary family of Spring City.
The LaPortes donated the statue. The Hillearys provided the lead gift for the plaza in honor of Bill Hilleary, a community and business leader from Rhea County.
On dedication day, Phillip Fulmer Way will close at 9 a.m. from the Andy Holt Tower administrative parking garage entrance to the intersection with Lake Loudoun Boulevard. At 10:30 a.m., Lake Loudoun Boulevard will close from Neyland Drive to Volunteer Boulevard.
Summitt stepped down as UT’s coach following the 2011-12 season. During her 38-year tenure, the Lady Vols won 1,098 games and eight national titles. Summitt announced in August of 2011 that she had been diagnosed with early onset dementia Alzheimer’s type.