immaculata women's basketball 1972 roster

Before we send you to , pleasesubscribe to our daily newsletter. Immaculatas opponent was Queens College of New York, which they defeated 59-52, earning the team its second championship in a row, and Cathy Rushs second championship as Immaculata head coach. The coach and her team repeated their winning ways in the 1973 and 1974 seasons. Cathy Rush, her Mighty Macs championship-winning squads, and a few individual Mighty Macs players who also found basketball coaching success have been enshrined in Basketball Hall of Fame organizations in the United States. Chestnut Hill College. The team won two additional titles in 1973 and 1974. The legendary Mighty Macs demonstrated a dominance rarely seen in any sport, either womens or mens, becoming true heroes of intercollegiate athletics. In the finals, the Mighty Macs had another close game with West Chester University, winning 52-48. Follow The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Instagram The Immaculata Mighty Macs played a huge part in the evolution of womens sports since the 1970s. Discover more about the championship Mighty Macs. At the time Rush was disappointed by the school administration's decision to not offer scholarships, but as she says, it was just the arrogance of her youth. "I said we needed to give scholarships and they said we don't want to be a jock school.". Each game was close, as Immaculata won two of its first three games by a three-point margin and defeated Indiana University by a single basket. Ultimately the school raised enough to send eight out of twelve players to the tournament. Thats Normal, in Illinois, home of Illinois State University, site of the 1972 national basketball championships. OR call toll-free: "It's insane what they did, winning three championships and having no money," said Hayek, who grew up in nearby Lancaster, and was a star basketball player in the area before earning a scholarship to Miami. The Mighty Macs continued their dominance, reaching the Final Four in the following three seasons, placing second in 1975 and 1976 and fourth in 1977. City of Champions is the title of a mural painted in 2015 on the side of Spikes Trophies at 2701 Grant Avenue in Philadelphia. Financial Aid, MapIMMACULATA UNIVERSITY The winners of those regional championships automatically proceeded to the National tournament, then a selection committee chose additional teams based upon considerations for individual team performance and geographical balance. Pre-NCAA statistics, based on AIAW Archives, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.[8]. But Sister Mary of Lourdes, the Immaculata president, organized fund-raising efforts for the "Mighty Macs" women's basketball team so that players could be flown to Illinois. Before we send you to , pleasesubscribe to our daily newsletter. 1-877-42 TODAY, Accepted Students Day - March 25 (on campus), College of Nursing and Health Professions, https://www.immaculata.edu/about/history/championship-mighty-macs/, High-tech, High-demand: Headed for a Secure Job in Cybersecurity, Adult Professionals Rely on Immaculata University for Upskilling, Reskilling and Degree Completion, Anxiety Cant Hamper Her Law School Ambitions, Alumnus Brian Troop, Ed.D. The highlight during the early years was defeating the Temple Owlettes in 1946, winning the unofficial City Championship and handing Temple its first defeat in four years. History. While all attempts are made to ensure the correctness and suitability of information under our control and to correct any errors brought to our attention, no representation or guarantee can be made as to the accessibility, correctness or suitability of information provided by any hyperlinked site or any other linked information accessed through the Basketball Hall of Fame website but not under its control. Discover more about the championship Mighty Macs by visiting https://www.immaculata.edu/about/history/championship-mighty-macs/. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. "I had a lot of offers, but my children were starting school and I wanted to spend time with them," Rush said. To think that 11 young women and their equally young coach raised the profile and changed the perception of womens sports is amazing. The Mighty Macs continued their dominance, reaching the Final Four in . Rush (2000), Grentz (2001), and Stanley (2002) have also been inducted into the Womens Basketball Hall of Fame. The Mighty Macs were not favored to win the championship, but the women showed determination and knocked their first three opponents out of the tournament en route to the finals. The 1973 team went undefeated, beating Queens College in the finals, and the 1974 team defeated Mississippi State College for Women in the finals. The 1972 AIAW women's basketball tournament was held on March 16-19, 1972. (In 1982, both the AIAW and NCAA sponsored competing tournaments.) "I think of colleges today that don't draw 3,000-4,000 to their games," she said. [1][2] The winners of the AIAW tournaments from 1972 to 1981 are recognized as the national champions for those years. She didn't completely give up basketball, though, beginning a Future Stars camp that she still is involved in. Canterino also played for Immaculata from 1989-92 and makes sure that the current athletes are aware of the team's storied past. Theresa Grentz was a Mighty Macs player who was part of all three Immaculata AIAW championship squads. "They elevated women's sports to a whole new level.". This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The players crowded four to a room and washed their wool uniforms in hotel sinks. Grounded in IHM tradition and charism since 1920. For more information about the 50th anniversary event or to interview any of the Mighty Mac players, email lszyjka@immaculata.edu. Those schools were going to attract the better players. The 1972 AIAW women's basketball tournament was held on March 1619, 1972. Schedule a Visit We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. The Mighty Macs, as a 15th-seed, upset three teams to reach the finals in Illinois. They defeated South Dakota State University (60-47), Indiana State University (49-46), Mississippi State School for Women (46-43), and finally regional rival West Chester University, 52-48. IMMACULATA, PA. 19345, Phone1-610-647-4400 To honor the 50th anniversary of the first victory, Immaculata is recognizing members of all three national championship teams during a campus celebration on Friday, March 18, from 12 to 3 p.m. This Immaculata team definitely felt on top of the world. 1947), a graduate of West Chester State College (later West Chester University), implemented strategies used in the mens game. Immaculata shocked the world of college sports, and the rest is history!. : I was really happy being a mom.". In the early 1970s, the Mighty Macs of Immaculata College ushered in the modern era of womens athletics. To think that 11 young women and their equally young coach raised the profile and changed the perception of womens sports is amazing. Other players became doctors, teachers, philanthropists, or businesswomen. The Mighty Macs were forced to work out at local grade schools and play all their games on the road. IMMACULATA, PA. 19345, Phone1-610-647-4400 The current Mighty Macs also honor Rush every year when they wear pink jerseys with her name on the back in their annual Pink Zone game in February. The Macs opened championship play with a 60-47 victory over South Dakota State, survived a second-round scare to defeat Indiana State 49-47, and then held off defending national titlist Mississippi State College for Women, the top seed in the 16-team field, 46-43. Once money played a major role in women's sports, the champs of women's basketball suddenly couldn't compete. Now over 250 games are broadcast on the ESPN networks, including the last 16 national championship games. "It was Camelot, I don't know that it will ever happen again the way it happened," said Grentz, who became a successful college coach at Rutgers and Illinois. Director Tim Chambers Writers Tim Chambers (screenplay) Rush is widely acknowledged for shining the national spotlight on women's basketball and playing a crucial . Immaculata. I was a senior at Immaculata in 1972 and winning the championship that year is something I will never forget. Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 4pm, Closed Monday, The Basketball Hall of Fame All-America Team, The Mannie Jackson - Basketball Human Spirit Award(s), AIAW National Championships (1972, 1973, 1974), Games won in three seasons, losing only two times, The Morgan Wootten Lifetime Achievement Award, The John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, Glenn Roberts and The Genesis of The Jump Shot, Wayland Baptist Flying Queens of 1948-1982, Basketball Hall of Fame Golf Classic at Monarch Beach Golf Links Hosted by Jerry West, MGM Springfield Hall of Fame Golf Classic, 2016 Karl Malone Award Watch List Narrowed to Ten Finalists, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Names Steiner Sports as Licensing Agent, Schedule and Match-Ups Announced for Boca Raton Beach Classic. "My original plan was to take a year off and then I'd go back the following year and go someplace else. The underdog team, led by Hall of Fame coach Cathy Rush, went on to win national championships in 1973 and 1974, a story retold in the 2011 film The Mighty Macs. I was a senior at Immaculata in 1972 and winning the championship that year is something I will never forget. Their Cinderella story was made into a Hollywood movie, The Mighty Macs. Several players continued their love of the game by becoming high-profile professional and collegiate coachesmaking their mark from the sidelines. The film focuses on their rise to prominence and their struggles as underdogs in womens basketball. A Century of Philadelphia Sports. On Sunday, March 19, 1972, 11 remarkable young women and their coach from immaculata college achieved the impossible, winning the first-ever national womens college basketball championship, and against all odds, capturing the title again in 1973 and 1974. "It would have been huge for us.". The Mighty Macs continued their dominance, reaching the Final Four in the following three seasons, placing second in 1975 and 1976, and fourth in 1977. History. 1-877-42 TODAY, Accepted Students Day - March 25 (on campus), College of Nursing and Health Professions, Mighty Macs Reunite to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of First National Championship, The Road to Normal: The Mighty Macs Celebrate 50th Anniversary of First Championship. "Immaculata was the founding fathers of what college basketball is today," Auriemma said. Ten of the sixteen teams were the winners of regional tournaments. Coach Cathy Rush was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, and the 1972-1974 national championship teams were inducted in 2014. DVD distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2012. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2001. The story of the 1972 Immaculata Universitys womens basketball season is embedded in the history of college sports. The Mighty Macs were also part of the first nationally televised game in 1975, playing Maryland. Copyright 2023 American Community Journals, LLC |, Discover more about the championship Mighty Macs. For more information about the 50th-anniversary event, e-mail lszyjka@immaculata.edu. The Mighty Macs took the basketball world by stormwinning the next two national championships as well. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located in Springfield Massachusetts honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the games elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. Degrees & Programs "I was 25 at the time and thought they were so wrong, but they were so right," she said. The Mighty Macs, as a 15th-seed,. Rush also was an innovator in marketing the game. Immaculata shocked the world of college sports, and the rest is history!. Boxscore Women's Basketball at Trine University March 4, 2022 7:00 P.M. Women's Basketball // W 70 - 57. While they haven't made the national tournament since the glory years, the Mighty Macs were on the verge last season of making the Division III NCAAs. Find out what an IU education can do for your mind, your character and your future. First National Women's Collegiate Basketball Championship (March 19, 1972) - AIAW First to win three consecutive national titles (AIAW: 1972, 1973, 1974); placed 2nd in 1975 and 1976 and 4th in 1977 First women's team, with the University of Maryland, to appear on national TV (January of 1975) Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Follow The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Instagram, Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Philadelphia, the Place that Loves You Back, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, The Mighty Macs (Trailer via Youtube, April 3, 2014), Mighty Macs Naismith Hall of Fame/ Macs Memories (Immaculata.edu), Cathy Rush gets call from the Hall archived story (Gomightymacs.com). (). The Mighty Macs winning history has also reached the silver screen. Things were so bad for Immaculata that it had precious few basketballs to practice with, so when the team went to other schools for games, the Mighty Macs would "exchange" one of their bad balls for a new one. On Sunday, March 19, 1972, Immaculata University's women's basketball team etched its name into sports history as the first women's college basketball national champions. Grentz went on to coach basketball at Saint Josephs University, Rutgers University, Illinois University, and Lafayette. On Sunday, March 19, 1972, Immaculata University's women's basketball team etched its name into sports history as the first women's college basketball national champions. Rush was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, and her 1972-1974 teams followed suit by being inducted in 2014. Even then, only eight of the 11 players could go, flying standby. The implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the subsequent inclusion of womens sports in the NCAA spelled the end of the Mighty Macs dominance, as they did not have the financial resources to offer athletic scholarships to team members as their competitors did. Copyright 2023 Immaculata University | 1145 King Road, Immaculata, PA 19345, Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution founded by the Sisters, Servants, and Immaculate Heart of Mary. "We had a whole collection of basketballs emblazoned with other school's names," Grentz recalled, laughing. SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore College women's lacrosse team remained perfect on the season with a lopsided victory over Immaculata University, 19-3, on Wednesday night. The Hall of Fame has more than 400 inductees and 40,000 sq. Without them I probably wouldn't have had a chance to play.". The Mighty Macs went 24-1, with their only loss to West Chester in the regional finals. Members of the Mighty Macs 1972 championship team in attendance on Monday included Sue Forsyth O'Grady, Denise Conway Crawford, Theresa Shank Grentz, Betty Ann Hoffman Quinn, Judy Marra Martelli, Janet Young Eline and Patricia Mulhern Loughran. Rush and Immaculata were trailblazers. Even then, only eight of the 11 players could go, flying standby. The 1972 victory is now a landmark moment in the history of college sports: the Mighty Macs were an underdog team from a small womens college in suburban Philadelphia with a gym that burned to the ground years before. (Author information current at time of publication.). ); The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. She led Immaculata to three consecutive AIAW national titles from 1972-1974. The power points calculation has not been generated yet. Other players became doctors, teachers, philanthropists, or businesswomen. 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