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    Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz Steps Down as Illinois Women's Basketball Coach

    Illinois' All-Time Winningest Coach Leaves After 12 Seasons

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    Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz stepped down after 12 seasons as Illinois' Head Women's Coach
    Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz stepped down after 12 seasons as Illinois' Head Women's Coach

    April 17, 2007

    CHAMPAIGN, ILL - Director of Athletics Ron Guenther announced today that Theresa Grentz has resigned as women's basketball coach to pursue other career opportunities.

    "I thank Theresa Grentz for her outstanding contributions to our women's basketball program over the past 12 seasons," Guenther said. "She is responsible for putting Illinois on the national map for women's basketball and finishes her career as the school's all-time winningest coach. Theresa and I have had discussions over the last month and she has made a decision to look at other career options. Theresa has been an exceptional representative of the University in the community and throughout the nation, and a terrific leader among women. Her hiring in 1995 raised the bar for women's basketball in the Big Ten Conference."

    The 2001 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and 1992 U.S. Olympic coach said she felt it was time for a change.

    "I would like to express my gratitude to Ron Guenther for his direction, guidance and his friendship. It has been a marvelous working relationship," Grentz said. "I thank the University of Illinois, the Big Ten Conference, the outstanding fans in our community and the wonderful staff who have worked with me throughout the years. Karol Kahrs played a big part in my coming to Illinois, so I also thank her very much for the opportunity here. I especially want to thank each and every player who has played for me. Watching the players grow, succeed and move into the next phases of their lives has been the most meaningful part of my career. Each person touched my life in a special way and I'll forever be indebted. They have given me far more than I will ever be able to give to them.

    "I know there is still something out there for me, whether it be as a collegiate or professional coach, a position in the academic world, working with women's issues, or, possibly even politics. I feel I can make a difference in some professional way. Coaching has provided me a very broad-based horizon, insight, perception and a dynamic way of looking at things. Winston Churchill once said `Change is the price of survival.'"

    Grentz recently completed her 33rd season as a collegiate head coach, and 12th at Illinois, where her record stands at 671-311 (.683) overall and 210-156 (.574) with the Illini. The Fighting Illini advanced to postseason play in 10 of 12 seasons in Champaign-Urbana, and won the school's only Big Ten title in women's basketball in 1997. Grentz spent 19 years at Rutgers, where she compiled a record of 434-150 (.743), including nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1986-94. She led Rutgers to the 1982 AIAW National Championship.

    The 10th-winningest Div. I Coach in history was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, and topped the 650 mark in career wins in 2006. She coached the U.S. Olympic Team to a Bronze Medal at the 1982 Barcelona Games. Grentz has won more honors than can possibly be mentioned. She earned back-to-back Big Ten Coach of the Year and WBCA District Coach of the Year honors in 1997 and 1998 after leading the Illini to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen each season.

    Long considered a legend in women's basketball circles, Grentz was the center of attention for the Mighty Macs of Immaculata in the early 70s. At 5-11, she was a dominant force in the middle on the Immaculata teams that won a remarkable three AIAW National Championships from 1972-74. Grentz's coaching career began as soon as she graduated from college in 1974. She was hired as the part-time head coach at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia later that year. After guiding the Hawks to two winning seasons, including an 18-3 mark in 1976, Grentz was hired at Rutgers, becoming the first full-time women's basketball head coach in the nation.

    Grentz became a national spokesperson for women's basketball in 1999 when she accepted a nomination to serve two years as the president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. This past season, Grentz won the WBCA's Carol Eckman Award, which exemplifies spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and commitment to the student-athlete. In her 12 seasons at Illinois, Grentz has made over 1,000 public appearances, staying actively involved in community activities, charity functions and youth clinics. She teamed with the men's team to form one of the most successful Coaches vs. Cancer initiatives in the nation.

    Guenther indicated a national search would begin immediately, with the hope a new coach could be introduced in a minimum of three weeks.

    Theresa Grentz's Coaching Record 

    YEAR      SCHOOL          RECORD    RANKING 	POSTSEASON
    2006-07   Illinois     	19-12       	--            	• WNIT Second Round
    2005-06   Illinois     	16-15       	--            	• WNIT First Round
    2004-05   Illinois     	17-13       	--            	• WNIT First Round
    2003-04   Illinois     	10-18       	--            
    2002-03   Illinois     	17-12       	--            	• NCAA First Round
    2001-02   Illinois     	15-14       	--            	• WNIT Second Round
    2000-01   Illinois     	17-16       	--            	• WNIT Second Round
    1999-00   Illinois     	23-11       	--            	• NCAA Second Round
    1998-99   Illinois    	19-12       	--            	• NCAA Second Round
    1997-98   Illinois     	20-10       	14th         	• NCAA Sweet 16     
    1996-97   Illinois     	24-8         	13th         	• Big Ten Champs/NCAA Sweet 16
    1995-96   Illinois     	13-15       	--
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1994-95   Rutgers     	17-13       	--                                                            
    1993-94   Rutgers     	22-8         	--            	• NCAA First Round
    1992-93   Rutgers     	22-9         	--            	• NCAA Second Round
    1991-92   Rutgers    	 21-11      	 --           	 • NCAA Second Round
    1990-91   Rutgers     	23-7         	20th         	• NCAA First Round
    1989-90   Rutgers     	20-10       	--            	• NCAA First Round
    1988-89   Rutgers     	24-7         	--            	• NCAA Second Round
    1987-88   Rutgers     	27-5         	8th           	• NCAA Sweet 16
    1986-87   Rutgers     	30-3         	5th           	• NCAA Regional Finalist
    1985-86   Rutgers     	29-4         	10th         	• NCAA Regional Finalist
    1984-85   Rutgers     	19-9         	--
    1983-84   Rutgers     	20-9         	--
    1982-83   Rutgers     	19-10       	--
    1981-82   Rutgers     	25-7         	8th           	• AIAW National Champions
    1980-81   Rutgers     	27-6         	9th           	• AIAW National Tournament
    1979-80   Rutgers     	28-5        	 8th          	 • AIAW National Tournament
    1978-79   Rutgers     	28-4        	 7th          	 • AIAW National Tournament
    1977-78   Rutgers     	16-12      	 --            	• EAIAW Tournament
    1976-77   Rutgers     	17-11      	 --            	• EAIAW Tournament
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1975-76   St. Joseph's         18-3        	 --
    1974-75   St. Joseph's         9-2          	 --            
     
    Grentz's Overall Record     671-311 (.683)        33 seasons 
    at Illinois                               210-156 (.574)        12 seasons              
    vs. the Big Ten                       101-91 (.526)          12 seasons (reg. season only)
    at Rutgers                              434-150 (.743)        19 seasons 
    at St. Joseph's                       27-5 (.844)              2 seasons                
     
    Grentz Honors and Awards
     
    National/Regional Coach of the Year
    1997-98   Kodak District IV Coach of the Year
    1996-97   Kodak District IV Coach of the Year
    1996-97   IBCA Coach of the Year
    1992-93   Kodak District II Coach of the Year  
                  Metropolitan Women's Basketball Association 
    1990-91   March of Dimes Coach of the Year
    1987-88   Kodak District II Coach of the Year
    1986-87   Converse National Coach of the Year
    1985-86   Newark Star Ledger Coach of the Year 
     
    Big Ten Coach of the Year
    1996-97, 1997-98
     
    Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year 
    1986-87, 1987-88 (co-winner), 1992-93, 1993-94 
     
    Honors and Awards
    •               WBCA Carol Eckman Award, 2006-07
    •               Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, 2001
    •               Delaware County, Pa. Female Athlete of the Millenium
    •               WBCA President, 1999-2001
    •               Athena Woman of the Year, 1998
    •               Cardinal O'Hara High School Hall of Fame, inducted 1996
    •               Charter member of the Associated Press Women's Basketball Poll
    •               Member of the Olympic Games Committee
    •               Founding member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)
    •               Honored as a Woman of Distinction by the Delaware-Raritan Girl Scout Council, 1993
    •               NIKE Hall of Fame, inducted 1991-92
    •               Inducted as a Loyal Daughter of Rutgers, 1990-91
    •               Named a Woman of Worth by Douglass College, 1990-91
    •               Douglass College and the N.J. State Federation of Women's Clubs - N.J 
    •               Woman of Achievement Award, 1987-88
    •               Frequent keynote speaker for corporations including State Farm Insurance, Ameritech and National City Bank

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