How Holly Warlick’s storied career at Tennessee led her to the Olympics with Pat Summitt.
Knoxville, Tenn. – Holly Warlick was in Bulgaria when she heard the devastating news.
The USA women’s Olympic team had just won a pre-qualifying tournament, going 6-1, when President Jimmy Carter announced the decision.
The USA would boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia, due to Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan.
Warlick was crushed and angered and puzzled.
“I just didn’t understand why politics had to get involved with sports,’’ she told Jimmy Hyams on The Rewind on Full Disclosure. “It was a major disappointment.’’
Did Warlick feel Carter made a bad decision at the time?
“Oh, absolutely,’’ Warlick said. “That opinion hasn’t changed that much. Can you imagine Simone Biles not being able to go (to the Olympics) because of a political issue?’’
Warlick, a Knoxville native who attended Tennessee on a track scholarship and walked on to play basketball, was a terrific athlete. She ran the 400, and 4×400, and 4×100 relays.
In her first season at Tennessee, she ran in the nationals in track and was on the Lady Vols basketball team that made the AIAW Final Four. She was a three-time All-American in basketball and the first UT female athlete to have her jersey retired.
She made the 1979 National Women’s Basketball team that won two international competitions and placed second in another.
She made the Olympic team that hoped to challenge the Russians, who had demolished the USA in the 1976 Olympics 112-77.
But in 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan. That didn’t strike Warlick as a huge deal at the time. She was focused on playing her senior year at Tennessee and was confident the matter would be settled.
The USA issued an ultimatum in January 1980 for Russia to withdraw. Russia refused.
“As it got closer and closer,’’ she recalled, “it didn’t look good. But we had to go about our business with the assumption we’re still going to go.’’
At the time, the USA had to play in a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament that was held in Bulgaria. While the USA team was still in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Carter announced a likely boycott.
“We went to Bulgaria with hopes that maybe Russia would pull out of Afghanistan,’’ Warlick said, “and everything would be fine.’’
The USA, coached by Sue Gunter with Pat Summitt as an assistant, won the tournament, beating eventual Olympic medal teams from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. It was there that Carter made the final decision to boycott.
“We won the tournament but that’s as far as we could go,’’ Warlick said. “That had to be our celebration as a team. We disbanded after that – never to play again.”
“It was devastating.’’
Warlick’s chance at competing in the Olympics quickly vanished.
Warlick and Summitt weren’t the only ones with UT ties on the 1980 team. Two former Lady Vols, Cindy Noble and Jill Rankin, made the roster.
After the Olympic Games that year, Carter invited all Olympians to the White House. Some refused to attend. No Warlick.
“It was a very good gesture,’’ said Warlick, who never considered not attending. “It was a chance to be back with your teammates and celebrate your accomplishments.’’
Four members of the 1980 women’s Olympic basketball team played in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and won a gold medal with Summitt as the coach.
Warlick was not among them. She joined the professional Women’s Basketball League in 1980 at a time when pros weren’t allowed to play in the Olympics. About halfway through the season, the WBL quit paying players and dissolved.
While there were rumors pros would be allowed in the 1984 Games, Warlick didn’t wait around. She began her coaching career.
“I was trying to earn a living and get a career going,’’ Warlick said.
“I would have loved to (have played in 1984) but that’s kind of hindsight. By the time they let pros play, I was removed from playing basketball and had started my coaching career.’’
Warlick is still bitter about being denied the chance to play in the Olympics.
“To not be able to compete was really difficult,’’ she said.
Does she consider herself an Olympian?
“Oh, absolutely,’’ she said. “I made the Olympic team and wanted that opportunity to compete but it didn’t happen.”
“But yeah, I’m an Olympian.’’
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