One of the most successful NCAA Division I head basketball coaches in history stepped down on Wednesday. Muffet McGraw, the famed head coach of the Notre Dame women’s team, called it quits at a news conference after leading the Fighting Irish for 33 seasons.
“I am grateful to have worked with the best assistant coaches in the business, and I have been blessed to coach so many phenomenal women,” McGraw said. “To the best fans in the country, it was my honor and privilege to play for you.” McGraw compiled a record of 848-253 at Notre Dame, and overall is sixth all-time in wins in Divison I basketball history with 936 (936-263). She previously had been a head coach at Lehigh from 1982-1987.
McGraw is a 2017 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. She led the Irish to two national titles (2001&2018), nine Final Fours (seven title game appearances), and she was also won four AP Coach of the Year Awards. The veteran coach also led them to a Big East Title in 2013, and five ACC Titles from 2014-2017 and again in 2019. Niele Ivey will take over as the coach at Notre Dame. Ivey was an All-American point guard and also an assistant coach both under McGraw, and will return to the campus after coaching with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA where she became the ninth female in league history to land a coaching spot as she was an assistant for the team.
