Theresa Grentz
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Born | Immaculata | March 24, 1952|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1974–1976 | Saint Joseph's | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1976–1995 | Rutgers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1995–2007 | Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2014–2015 | Lafayette (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015–2017 | Lafayette | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Head coaching record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall | 681–362 (.653) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tournaments |
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Accomplishments and honors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championships | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Women's Basketball Hall of Fame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Theresa Marie Shank Grentz (born March 24, 1952) is an American college basketball coach. Her coaching career spanned five decades, with over 680 career wins, multiple national and conference coaching awards, and a national championship. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[2]
Grentz grew up in
From 1976 to 1995, Grentz was head women's basketball coach at
Outside of college basketball, Grentz also was head coach for the United States women's national basketball team for several international competitions from 1985 to 1992, including the 1992 Olympic bronze team.
Early life and education
Born Theresa Marie Shank in Spangler, Pennsylvania, Grentz was raised in Glenolden, Pennsylvania and attended Cardinal O'Hara High School.[3] She intended to go to college out of state, but when she was a high school senior, her family's home was destroyed by a fire, so she attended Immaculata College, then a women's college, closer to home.[4] She graduated with a B.S. in Biology in 1974.[5]
While a student at Immaculata, she played basketball for the Immaculata Mighty Macs. Under coach
Team USA playing career
In 1973, Grentz was named to the team representing the US at the 1973
College coaching career
Saint Joseph's (1974–1976)
After graduating from Immaculata in 1974, Grentz began teaching sixth grade at an elementary school, while working as a part-time assistant coach at Saint Joseph's College (now University) in Philadelphia.[3] The women's basketball program at Saint Joseph's had only begun play in 1973.[9] Grentz later became head coach and compiled a 27–5 record in two seasons from 1974 to 1976, including an appearance in the 1976 AIAW Large College Regionals.[9]
Rutgers (1976–1995)
From 1976 to 1995, Grentz was head coach at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, where she became the first full-time women's basketball head coach in the U.S.[7] In her first six seasons, Rutgers qualified for the AIAW Tournament every season and won the 1982 AIAW national championship.[10][11]
In the 1980s, Rutgers moved from the AIAW to NCAA Division I, starting as an independent, non-conference member in 1981–82 before joining the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1983.[10] The 1985–86 Rutgers team finished a perfect 16–0 in Atlantic 10 play and made the first of two consecutive Elite Eight appearances; The Star-Ledger awarded Grentz its Coach of the Year honor in women's basketball that season.[6][10] Grentz's most successful season at Rutgers was in 1986–87 with a 30–3 record, Atlantic 10 regular season and conference titles, and Elite Eight appearance. That season, she won the Converse National Coach of the Year award from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).[12][6] She was also named the March of Dimes Coach of the Year in 1990–91 and the Metropolitan Women's Basketball Association Coach of the Year in 1992–93.[6]
In the Atlantic 10, Grentz led Rutgers to eight regular season conference titles in 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, and 1994 and four conference tournament titles in 1986, 1987, 1993, and 1994.[10] Rutgers also appeared in nine straight NCAA Tournaments from 1986 to 1994, including Elite Eight appearances in 1986 and 1987.[10] The Atlantic 10 named Grentz the Coach of the Year in women's basketball in 1987, 1988 (shared), 1993, and 1994.[6] In 19 seasons as Rutgers head coach, Grentz had a cumulative 434–150 record.[13] At Rutgers, Grentz developed three All-American players: Kris Kirchner, June Olkowski, and Sue Wicks.[6] Also, Wicks won National Player of the Year honors in 1987 and 1988 and was the sixth overall pick in the 1997 WNBA draft.[6][14]
Illinois (1995–2007)
In 1995, Grentz was hired as head basketball coach by the
Illinois fell to 10–18 in 2003–04, the worst season in Grentz's tenure, before improving with three consecutive winning seasons and WNIT appearances from 2005 to 2007.[6] In the 2005 WNBA draft, Illinois forward Angelina Williams became the highest drafted Illinois player; she would be part of the 2006 Detroit Shock WNBA championship team.[6]
Grentz resigned from Illinois on April 17, 2007.[11] In her final season, she won the Carol Eckman Award from the WBCA.[15] In 12 seasons, Grentz compiled a record of 210–156, the 1996–97 Big Ten Conference regular season title, five NCAA Tournament appearances, and five WNIT appearances.[6]
Lafayette (2014–2017)
In the 2014–15 season, Grentz was an assistant coach at Lafayette College under Dianne Nolan on a 14–17 team.[16][17] After Nolan retired, on April 20, 2015, Lafayette College announced Theresa Grentz as their new head women’s basketball coach.[18][17] Grentz went 10–51 in two seasons at Lafayette before being fired in April 2017.[13][19]
USA Basketball coaching
Grentz was selected as the head coach of the team representing the US in 1985 at the
Grentz served as coach of the USA team at the 1990 Goodwill games, and the 1990 World Championships.
Grentz had other USA Basketball experience. In 1981, she directed the U.S. Dial Junior National Team in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and the U.S. Maccabiah Team in Israel, where the team won a silver medal. Grentz coached the U.S. World University Games team in Toronto in 1989 before heading the 1990 U.S. World Championships team in Malaysia and the U.S. Goodwill Games team in Seattle. Both of her 1990 national teams won gold medals in their respective tournaments.
Other work
In 2012, Grentz founded Grentz Elite Coaching, a basketball education program for children and coaches. Grentz has also been a consultant with Blue Star Basketball.[24]
Personal life
Grentz's father was an order selector at an A&P warehouse, and her mother was a nurse at the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby, Pennsylvania.[25]
In 1974, Grentz married Karl Grentz.[26] They have two children.[5]
Head coaching record
Sources for records from 1974 to 2007:[13][27][9][10]
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
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Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women ) (1974–1976)
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1974–75 | Saint Joseph's | 9–2 | |||||||
1975–76 | Saint Joseph's | 18–3 | AIAW Regional | ||||||
Saint Joseph's: | 27–5 (.844) |
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) (1976–1981) | |||||||||
1976–77 | Rutgers | 17–11 | AIAW Regional | ||||||
1977–78 | Rutgers | 16–12 | AIAW Regional | ||||||
1978–79 | Rutgers | 26–4 | AIAW semifinals | ||||||
1979–80 | Rutgers | 28–5 | AIAW third round[10] | ||||||
1980–81 | Rutgers | 27–6 | AIAW second round | ||||||
Rutgers (AIAW): | 116–38 (.753) |
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights (NCAA Division I independent) (1981–1983) | |||||||||
1981–82 | Rutgers | 25–7 | AIAW Champions | ||||||
1982–83 | Rutgers | 19–10 | |||||||
Rutgers (NCAA Div. I ind.): | 44–17 (.721) |
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1983–1995) | |||||||||
1983–84 | Rutgers | 20–9 | 7–1 | 1st | |||||
1984–85 | Rutgers | 19–9 | 5–3 | T–4th | |||||
1985–86 | Rutgers | 29–4 | 16–0 | 1st | NCAA Division I Elite Eight | ||||
1986–87 | Rutgers | 30–3 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Division I Elite Eight | ||||
1987–88 | Rutgers | 27–5 | 17–1 | 1st | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 | ||||
1988–89 | Rutgers | 24–7 | 16–2 | T–1st | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
1989–90 | Rutgers | 20–10 | 16–2 | T–1st | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
1990–91 | Rutgers | 23–7 | 15–3 | T–2nd | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
1991–92 | Rutgers | 21–11 | 11–5 | T–2nd | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
1992–93 | Rutgers | 22–9 | 12–2 | 1st | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
1993–94 | Rutgers | 22–8 | 13–3 | T–1st | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
1994–95 | Rutgers | 17–13 | 11–5 | T–3rd | |||||
Rutgers (A-10): | 274–95 (.743) | 156–28 (.848) | |||||||
Rutgers (overall): | 434–150 (.743) | 156–28 (.848) |
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Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1995–2007) | |||||||||
1995–96 | Illinois | 13–15 | 6–10 | 8th | |||||
1996–97 | Illinois | 24–8 | 12–4 | T–1st | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 | ||||
1997–98 | Illinois | 20–10 | 12–4 | 2nd | NCAA Division I Sweet 16 | ||||
1998–99 | Illinois | 19–12 | 10–6 | 3rd | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
1999–2000 | Illinois | 23–11 | 11–5 | 4th | NCAA Division I second round | ||||
2000–01 | Illinois | 17–16 | 9–7 | 6th | WNIT second round | ||||
2001–02 | Illinois | 15–14 | 7–9 | 8th | WNIT second round | ||||
2002–03 | Illinois | 17–12 | 9–7 | 6th | NCAA Division I first round | ||||
2003–04 | Illinois | 10–18 | 4–12 | T–8th | |||||
2004–05 | Illinois | 17–13 | 7–9 | 4th | WNIT first round | ||||
2005–06 | Illinois | 16–15 | 6–10 | T–7th | WNIT second round | ||||
2006–07 | Illinois | 19–12 | 8–8 | 4th | WNIT third round | ||||
Illinois: | 210–156 (.574) | 101–91 (.526) |
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Lafayette Leopards (Patriot League) (2015–2017) | |||||||||
2015–16 | Lafayette | 6–23 | 4–14 | T–8th[28] | |||||
2016–17 | Lafayette | 4–28 | 2–16 | 10th[29] | |||||
Lafayette: | 10–51 (.164) | 6–30 (.167) | |||||||
Total: | 681–362 (.653) | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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See also
References
- Works cited
- Grundy, Pamela; Shackelford, Susan (2007) [2005]. Shattering the glass (Paperback ed.). New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-822-1.
- Notes
- ^ "Character Award – Joe Lapchick Character Award Foundation".
- Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- ^ OCLC 57243370.
- ^ Grundy & Shackelford 2007, p. 160
- ^ ISBN 9780313309120.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Theresa Grentz". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b Jerardi, Dick (August 8, 2014). "The Mighty Macs enter hoops Hall en masse". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
- ^ "Eighth World University Games – 1973". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c Saint Joseph's University 2018–19 Women's Basketball (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. 2018. p. 75. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rutgers Women's Basketball 2019–20 Media Guide (PDF). Rutgers University. 2019. pp. 88, 148–154. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b "Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz Steps Down as Illinois Women's Basketball Coach". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. April 17, 2007. Archived from the original on May 5, 2007. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
- ^ "Past Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
- ^ "Sue Wicks". Basketball Reference. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "Carol Eckman Award". Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
- ^ "NCAA Statistics".
- ^ a b "Theresa Grentz". Lafayette College. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ Folck, Josh (March 26, 2015). "Lafayette women's basketball coach Dianne Nolan retires". The Express-Times. Easton, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ Craig, Kyle (April 4, 2017). "Grentz out as Lafayette women's basketball coach". The Express-Times. Easton, Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
- ^ "1985 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 28, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "ELEVENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 1990". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ "Games of the XXVth Olympiad – 1992". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ "ELEVENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN – 1990". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
- ^ "Theresa Grentz". Blue Star Basketball. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "Immaculata Commemorative Magazine". Spring 2011. p. 29. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
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(help) - ^ "Delaware County Daily Times from Chester, Pennsylvania on June 22, 1974 · Page 8". June 22, 1974.
- ^ 2021–22 Illinois Women's Basketball (PDF). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 2021. pp. 64, 71–74.
- ^ "Patriot Basketball Standings – 2015–16". ESPN. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "Patriot Basketball Standings – 2016–17". ESPN. Retrieved July 10, 2022.