Theresa Grentz

Theresa Grentz

Class of 2001

  • Played at Immaculata College and was a member of the Mighty Macs' three consecutive AIAW national championship teams (1972, 1973, 1974)
  • Began her coaching career at St. Joseph's (1974)
  • Was hired as the first full-time women's basketball coach in the nation when she took over at Rutgers (1976)
  • Helped Team USA win a silver medal at the Maccabiah Games (1981)
  • Led Rutgers to the AIAW national championship, the final championship in AIAW history (1982)
  • Helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Jones Cup (1985)
  • Was named Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year four times (1987, 1988, 1993, 1994)
  • Helped Team USA win gold medals at the Goodwill Games and World Championships (1990)
  • Served as head coach of the U.S. Olympic team, which won a bronze medal in Barcelona (1992)
  • Was hired as head coach at Illinois (1995)
  • Was named Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year twice (1997, 1998)
  • Served as president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (1999-2001)
  • Returned to coaching as an assistant and then head coach at Lafayette (2014-2017)
  • Retired with a career coaching record of 681-362 over 35 seasons at St. Joseph's, Rutgers, Illinois, and Lafayette (2017)

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