Pat Summitt met with the media Thursday as she brought down the curtain on her legendary career as women’s basketball coach at the University of Tennessee, calling it a “great ride.”

Summitt, the winningest coach in college basketball – men or women – said coaching the Lady Vols for 38 years “has been a privilege.”

On Wednesday, the school announced that longtime assistant Holly Warlick will take over for Summitt, who was promoted to head coach emeritus.

Summitt decided to step down eight months after she announced she was suffering from early onset dementia.

“It is now time to turn over my whistle to you,” Summitt said in presenting a whistle to Warlick.

The 59-year-old Summitt posted a 1,098-208 record and led Tennessee to eight NCAA championships, second only to UCLA’s John Wooden (10).

“I made a choice early in my career to challenge myself to step up my game each and every day,” Summitt said. “You can be sure I will take this same attitude into my new role as head coach emeritus and continue to teach our players the same commitment. I can promise you ladies I’m here for you. Trust me that that will happen.”