[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2826-S2827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE LADY VOLUNTEERS

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, on this past Sunday night history was made, 
perfection was attained, and a dynasty was firmly established in 
women's collegiate basketball. It is with great Tennessee pride that I 
salute the 1998 NCAA National Championship Lady Vols of the University 
of Tennessee.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of S. Res. 203, submitted earlier today by 
myself and Senator Thompson.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 203) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate that the University of

[[Page S2827]]

     Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team is the new dynasty 
     in collegiate women's basketball.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, this evening, along with my fellow Lady Vol 
fan, Senator Fred Thompson, I introduce this sense-of-the-Senate 
resolution establishing the Tennessee Lady Vols as the new dynasty in 
collegiate women's basketball. When one recites the great basketball 
dynasties of all time, the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls, and the 
UCLA Bruins Men's team, one should certainly complete that list with 
the Tennessee Lady Vols.
  The greatest coach in women's basketball history, Pat Summitt, who 
recently appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the ``Wizard of 
Knoxville,'' has led the Lady Vols to their third national championship 
in a row by defeating a great Louisiana Tech team by the score of 93-75 
in the NCAA Tournament final. This victory capped a perfect season at 
39 wins and zero losses, the most victories ever for a woman's team. In 
fact, their current winning streak is 45 games.
  I watched, along with my fellow Tennesseans, with pride as the Lady 
Vols marched through their perfect season, defeating 39 teams by an 
average margin of 30 points. And 16 of these victories were against 
teams ranked in the top 25 in the Nation. This dominance is likely to 
continue into next year because, as all Lady Vol fans know, only one of 
these champion players is a senior.
  In closing, I would like to acknowledge the tremendous effort and the 
team play by the Lady Vols, who include team members, now familiar to 
this country, Niya Butts, Kyra Elzy, Laurie Milligan, Misty Greene, 
Kellie Jolly, Semeka Randall, Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings, 
Brynae Laxton, Kristen Clement, LaShonda Stephens, and Teresa Geter.
  I would especially like to acknowledge the tremendous coaching job of 
Pat Summitt, and all the members of the University of Tennessee who 
have helped contribute to the building of this great dynasty. Lastly, I 
would like to recognize the most important group, and one which I am 
honored to be included in, the great Tennessee Vol fans.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
outstanding victory of the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers in 
capturing their third consecutive national basketball championship. And 
I ask my colleagues to join me in formally recognizing the Lady Vols as 
our country's newest sports dynasty.
  Under the leadership of Coach Pat Summitt, the Lady Volunteers went 
undefeated this season. Only a few weeks ago, Sports Illustrated 
compared Coach Pat Summitt to the great John Wooden. I think the 
magazine was right on the mark.
  Of course, many of my colleagues had their own home-state favorites 
in the tournament. But Mr. President, I say that they shouldn't be too 
disappointed with the outcome. They might want to keep in mind that all 
those other teams were, after all, up against a basketball dynasty that 
just finished an undefeated season of 39 wins, coming off back-to-back 
national championships. Plus, we're talking about a Tennessee team 
here, so what else could you expect? Frankly, Mr. President, my heart 
goes out to anybody who would get between the UT players and the win 
that marks their third consecutive national championship.
  Back home in Tennessee we are very, very proud of this team. We're 
proud of the scholar-athletes. We're proud of the coaching staff. We're 
proud of the parents and the friends and the faculty who support them. 
We're proud of a program that has made women's basketball into a 
national phenomenon. And we're proud that at the end of this season, 
this team wrote itself into the sports history books with six 
championships in twelve years.
  This is just about as flawless a season of athletic performance as 
you're ever going to see, and we're fortunate in Tennessee to have this 
tremendous program and these gifted, talented young people.
  So today, I congratulate them. My colleagues have enjoyed this kind 
of excitement with teams from their own states. And I know they 
appreciate just how pleased we are in Tennessee to get bragging rights 
for 1998. Year after year, this tremendous program and these 
outstanding young people make us proud. So, Mr. President, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in declaring the University of Tennessee Women's 
Basketball program a certified, world-class sports dynasty.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to this 
resolution appear at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 203) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 203

       Whereas the Lady Volunteers (referred to in this resolution 
     as the ``Lady Vols'') won its third straight National 
     Championship in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 
     women's basketball tournament on March 29, 1998;
       Whereas the Lady Vols finished the 1997-1998 basketball 
     season with a perfect record of 39 wins and zero losses; and
       Whereas the Lady Vols have won 6 National Championships in 
     the last 12 years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team 
     should be recognized as the new dynasty in collegiate women's 
     basketball.

  Mr. FORD addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.

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