CBS/AP/ October 5, 2012, 6:29 PM

Tenn. coach Summitt says she retired on her own

Pat Summitt has the most wins of any coach in college basketball history.

Pat Summitt has the most wins of any coach in college basketball history. / CBS News

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt says she retired on her own and never believed athletic director Dave Hart forced her to step down.

Summitt issued a statement Friday in response to the "misunderstandings" her signed affidavit created when she indicated that she had been forced out.

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Pat Summitt

She said Friday "it was entirely my decision to step down" in April and that she never felt "forced out" by the university.

In the signed affidavit released Wednesday as part of former Lady Vols media director Debby Jennings' lawsuit against Tennessee, Summitt says Hart told her on March 14 she'd be replaced after the season. She said Hart later told her she'd misinterpreted his comments.

The 60-year-old Summitt has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and is currently Tennessee's head coach emeritus. Summitt's longtime assistant Holly Warlick was promoted to replace her. Summitt will also be publishing a yet-to-be titled book about her life in spring 2013.

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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