[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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