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Legendary Women's College Basketball Coach Pat Summitt Dead at 64

Here's how the hoops community and beyond are reacting to her loss.

The basketball community is in mourning over a tremendous loss.

Pat Summitt, the winningest coach in college basketball history, died Tuesday after fighting an "Alzheimer's Type" of early-onset dementia, as confirmed by her foundation. She was 64.

Summitt led the University of Tennessee to eight national championships and 1,098 wins in her 38 years as head coach of the Lady Volunteers basketball team from 1974-2012. Her wins total tops the list of Division 1 college basketball coaches — male or female. She was also a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Since 2011, my mother has battled her toughest opponent, early onset dementia, 'Alzheimer's Type,' and she did so with bravely fierce determination just as she did with every opponent she ever faced," her son Tyler Summitt said in a statement, as reported by CNN. "Even though it's incredibly difficult to come to terms that she is no longer with us, we can all find peace in knowing she no longer carries the heavy burden of this disease."

He added: "She'll be remembered as the all-time winningest D-1 basketball coach in NCAA history, but she was more than a coach to so many — she was a hero and a mentor, especially to me, her family, her friends, her Tennessee Lady Volunteer staff and the 161 Lady Vol student-athletes she coached during her 38-year tenure."

At Tennessee, Summitt coached the likes of Chamique HoldsclawTamika Catchings and Candace Parker, who all went on to become WNBA stars.

Upon learning the sad news of Summitt's passing, the basketball community and beyond tweeted their remembrances of the legendary coach.

Our condolences to the Summitt family.

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