On Wednesday night April 4th, Mayor Haslam, citizens of Knoxville and Lady Vol fans from around the area attended a welcome home celebration for the National Champions Tennessee Lady Vols Basketball Team at the Knoxville Convention Center.

The Lady Vols won the NCAA National Championship on Tuesday, April 3rd and a hard fought match with Rutgers University with a score of 59-46.

Throngs of orange-clad fans, Smokey, and UT Cheerleaders cheered as the Lady Vols entered the building.

Mayor Haslam presented Coach Pat Summitt and her team a proclamation declaring the day UT Lady Vols Basketball Team Day and encourage all citizens to join in the observance.

The proclamation read as follows:

A PROCLAMATION
On Behalf Of The People Of
THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE
By His Honor The Mayor
BILL HASLAM
To Publicly Recognize

The University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketball Team

WHEREAS: The 2006-2007 Lady Volunteers have added another great chapter to the history of UT Women's Basketball by winning the 2007 NCAA Division I National Championship on April 3, 2007 in Cleveland, Ohio; and

WHEREAS: This is the Lady Vols seventh NCAA Women's Basketball title since 1987 and they have appeared in 17 NCAA Final Fours and 12 NCAA National Championship games since 1982; and

WHEREAS: The Lady Volunteers are led by Coach Pat Summitt who has coached her teams to more victories than any other men's or women's college coach and more importantly instilled in her players lessons that will benefit them throughout their lives and is ably supported by Assistant Coaches Holly Warlick, Nikki Caldwell and Dean Lockwood; and

WHEREAS: The 2006-2007 Lady Vols Basketball team, like true teammates, worked together, refused to let each other down and played with tremendous skill and heart in compiling a 34-3 record including rallying from 12 points down in the waning moments of the semifinal game to defeat North Carolina 56-50 before defeating Rutgers 59-46 in the national championship game; and

WHEREAS: The players on the UT Lady Volunteers Basketball team are champions not only on the basketball court but also in the classroom, in the community and in life and we are proud that the University of Tennessee and this great team are located in Knoxville.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bill Haslam, Mayor of the City of Knoxville, Tennessee, do hereby proclaim April 4, 2007 to be:

UT Lady Vols Basketball Team Day in our city and urge all citizens to join in this observance.

Given under my hand and affixed with the Seal of the City of Knoxville, Tennessee, This Fourth Day of April, 2007