THERESA Shank Grentz - Grentz recently completed her 33rd season as a collegiate head coach, and 12th at the University of 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 10^th – 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 1992 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.

A native of Glenolden, Pa., Theresa Grentz first starred on the court while playing at Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pa. She scored more than 1,200 points while in high school and led her team to three consecutive Philadelphia Catholic and City League titles. For her efforts, Grentz was inducted into the Cardinal O'Hara High School Hall of Fame in May 1996.

In 1999, the Delaware County Daily Times named her the Female Athlete of the Millennium in Delaware County.

TIME LINE

• March 19, 1972...Theresa Grentz helps Immaculata to victory over West Chester State, 52-48 in the first ever AIAW national title game ever held for women's basketball. The game is played in Normal, Ill.
• March 24, 1973...Immaculata defeats Queens College, 59-52 to capture second AIAW national title.
• March 23, 1974...Immaculata wins third straight national title.
• January 17, 1975...In first game as head coach for Theresa Grentz, St. Joseph's defeats Delaware, 64-60.
• August, 1976 ....Named Head Coach at Rutgers University as the first full-time women's basketball coach.
• March 21, 1980... Grentz leads Rutgers to the school's first Elite Eight in the AIAW national tournament.
• March 28, 1982...Rutgers defeats Texas, 83-77, for the AIAW National Title. Patty Coyle scores 30 points for the Macs.
• March, 1986...Rutgers advances to its first NCAA Tournament and advances to the East Regional Final
• April, 1988...Three-time All-American Sue Wicks wins multiple Player of the Year honors, including the Naismith.
• September 10, 1990...Theresa Grentz named Head Coach of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team
• August 8, 1992...U.S. Team wins Bronze Medal Game with Cuba, 88-74.
• January 17, 1994...Becoming the only unranked team to upset the country's number one team, Rutgers defeats top-ranked Tennessee, 87-77.
• May 16, 1995...Theresa Grentz named sixth head women's basketball coach of the University of Illinois.
• February 21, 1997...Illinois clinches its first ever Big Ten title.
• March 22, 1997... Behind the three-point shooting of Krista Reinking, Illini nearly upset No. 1 Connecticut in the NCAA Regional Semifinal. That marked the first ever Sweet 16 appearance for the Illini.
• March 16, 1998...Illinois defeats UC-Santa Barbara to earn its second straight NCAA Sweet 16 Bid.
• December 18, 1999...With a 61-59 Illini win over Kansas, Grentz becomes the all-time winningest coach at Illinois.
• June 9, 2001...Coach Grentz receives the highest honor with her induction in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
• December 29, 2002...Coach Grentz records her 600th career victory -- an 80-68 victory over Auburn.
• February 26, 2006...Grentz becomes the 10th coach in NCAA history to reach the 650 win milestone after a 67-57 win at Michigan.
• March 7, 2007...Grentz wins the WBCA's Carol Eckman Award, which exemplifies spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and commitment to the student-athlete.
• July 2007…Grentz was appointed Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs at Immaculata University.