Pat Summitt, a Tennessee coaching legend, has passed away at the age of 64.

Her son, Tyler Summitt, said in a statement:

“She died peacefully this morning at Sherrill Hill Senior Living in Knoxville surrounded by those who loved her most. 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.”

Summitt began coaching women’s basketball at Tennessee in 1974, winning 1,098 games, 32 SEC championships and eight national championships in a decorated 38-year career. She was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in August 2011 and stepped down in April 2012.

Support for Summitt was shown around the Tennessee community this weekend. Former Volunteers quarterback Peyton Manning released a statement Tuesday morning, the opening paragraph reads as follows:

I’ve always been honored to call Pat Summitt my friend. She was always very supportive of my career and I enjoyed seeing her back at a Tennessee football game or when would come to Indianapolis to see Tamika Catchings play. We would always get together and I made it a point when came to Knoxville to visit with her.

Friendship and admiration for Summitt extended well outside of Knoxville. Former Florida and South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier reflected on his friendship with Summitt when speaking to The State Monday:

“She sort of always liked me for some reason, and I always liked her,” Spurrier said. “There’s a fact of life that people who win a lot, they admire and respect other people who win a lot. Winners admire and respect other winners. We were both doing pretty well at that time, so we got along very well.”

We join the Volunteers community in saluting one of the SEC’s all-time greatest coaches.