Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Muffet McGraw
- Induction:
- 2019
Before turning the University of Notre Dame into a women's basketball power, Muffet McGraw spent five seasons on the Lehigh sidelines, collecting 88 victories and a .682 winning percentage, which remains the highest in program history. McGraw was a two-time East Coast Conference Coach of the Year and led Lehigh to an ECC title in 1985-86. She coached three women's basketball players who have already been inducted into Lehigh's Hall of Fame: Shawn Steward ’86, Liz Feeley ’87 and Sherie Androlewicz ’90; and five players who earned All-ECC honors, a group that includes current WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert '86.
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, McGraw has also been inducted into Halls of Fame by Saint Joseph's University and the Philadelphia Big 5. She has also been enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. At the time of her induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, McGraw was the 32nd woman and 13th female coach to be enshrined. During her time at Lehigh, McGraw also spent three seasons as head softball coach from 1983-85.
I loved my time at Lehigh,” McGraw recalled. “It was my first head coaching job and I will be forever grateful to Judy Turner Baxter for giving me the opportunity. I learned a lot about coaching and about leadership from my time at Lehigh that shaped my philosophy as a coach. The academic standards helped me to understand the importance of the student-athlete experience and prepared me well for my move to Notre Dame.”
McGraw moved on to Notre Dame in 1987 and led the Fighting Irish to a pair of NCAA Championships (2000-01 and 2017-18) in 33 seasons leading the Fighting Irish. She made seven trips to the NCAA Division I national championship game and nine trips to the Women’s Final Four. Her 936 career wins rank sixth among NCAA Division I coaches. Her teams made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances with Notre Dame having won 67 NCAA Tournament games under McGraw’s leadership. McGraw is a three-time consensus National Coach of the Year, who has coached one Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer (Ruth Riley), two National Players of the Year, two Naismith award winners, 20 WNBA players, two Olympians, 22 All-Americans and five CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees.
Additionally, McGraw earned seven conference Coach of the Year honors across five leagues.
In December 2018, McGraw picked up her 900th career victory, notching the milestone against the same Lehigh program in which she started her coaching career.
In 2020, McGraw retired from coaching following 38 seasons overall and amassing 936 career victories. Later that November, McGraw joined the ACC Network as a women’s basketball college analyst. McGraw also teaches a sports leadership class in the Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame.
McGraw was recently immortalized with a statue in her name which marks the first time a woman who is not a saint has been recognized on Notre Dame's campus with a statue.
“I have always believed that it’s the people that make the place,” McGraw said. “I loved everyone I worked with in the athletics department as well as those across campus. Lehigh was an important step in my journey and I am so thankful for the wonderful experience that I had there. It definitely helped shape my career and contributed to my success as a coach.”
A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, McGraw earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Saint Joseph’s University in 1977. McGraw and her husband, Matt, celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in 2024 and make their home in Granger, Indiana. They are the proud parents of 34-year-old son Murphy, a 2012 Indiana University graduate.
A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, McGraw has also been inducted into Halls of Fame by Saint Joseph's University and the Philadelphia Big 5. She has also been enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. At the time of her induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame, McGraw was the 32nd woman and 13th female coach to be enshrined. During her time at Lehigh, McGraw also spent three seasons as head softball coach from 1983-85.
I loved my time at Lehigh,” McGraw recalled. “It was my first head coaching job and I will be forever grateful to Judy Turner Baxter for giving me the opportunity. I learned a lot about coaching and about leadership from my time at Lehigh that shaped my philosophy as a coach. The academic standards helped me to understand the importance of the student-athlete experience and prepared me well for my move to Notre Dame.”
McGraw moved on to Notre Dame in 1987 and led the Fighting Irish to a pair of NCAA Championships (2000-01 and 2017-18) in 33 seasons leading the Fighting Irish. She made seven trips to the NCAA Division I national championship game and nine trips to the Women’s Final Four. Her 936 career wins rank sixth among NCAA Division I coaches. Her teams made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances with Notre Dame having won 67 NCAA Tournament games under McGraw’s leadership. McGraw is a three-time consensus National Coach of the Year, who has coached one Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer (Ruth Riley), two National Players of the Year, two Naismith award winners, 20 WNBA players, two Olympians, 22 All-Americans and five CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees.
Additionally, McGraw earned seven conference Coach of the Year honors across five leagues.
In December 2018, McGraw picked up her 900th career victory, notching the milestone against the same Lehigh program in which she started her coaching career.
In 2020, McGraw retired from coaching following 38 seasons overall and amassing 936 career victories. Later that November, McGraw joined the ACC Network as a women’s basketball college analyst. McGraw also teaches a sports leadership class in the Mendoza College of Business at Notre Dame.
McGraw was recently immortalized with a statue in her name which marks the first time a woman who is not a saint has been recognized on Notre Dame's campus with a statue.
“I have always believed that it’s the people that make the place,” McGraw said. “I loved everyone I worked with in the athletics department as well as those across campus. Lehigh was an important step in my journey and I am so thankful for the wonderful experience that I had there. It definitely helped shape my career and contributed to my success as a coach.”
A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, McGraw earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Saint Joseph’s University in 1977. McGraw and her husband, Matt, celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in 2024 and make their home in Granger, Indiana. They are the proud parents of 34-year-old son Murphy, a 2012 Indiana University graduate.
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