Holy Cross Crusaders women's basketball

Holy Cross Crusaders
women's basketball
2024–25 Holy Cross Crusaders women's basketball team
UniversityCollege of the Holy Cross
Head coachCandice Green (interim)
ConferencePatriot
LocationWorcester, Massachusetts
ArenaHart Center
(capacity: 3,536)
NicknameCrusaders
Student sectionTBD
ColorsRoyal purple[1]
 
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament round of 32
1985, 1991
NCAA tournament appearances
1985, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2023, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1985, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2023, 2024
Conference regular season champions
1984, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2022, 2024

The Holy Cross Crusaders women's basketball team is the women's basketball team that represents the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. The team currently competes in the Patriot League. The Crusaders are currently coached by interim coach Candice Green.

History

The Crusaders began play in 1974. They went 0–12, coached by Sharon Dupre in her only season. For their first six years (1974–1980), the Crusaders were in Division III, going 37–60 during that time. From 1980 to 1982, the Crusaders were in Division II, going 43–8 during their two season tenure before making the jump to Division I. The Crusaders joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1983. In their seven season tenure, they won two conference tournaments. In 1990, the Crusaders joined the Patriot League. They have won the Patriot League women's basketball tournament 11 times, the most of any school in the League. The Crusaders are coached by Maureen Magarity.[2]

Postseason

The Crusaders basketball team in the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament

NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship

The Crusaders have appeared in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship 14 times. Their record is 2–14.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1985 7 Round of 32 Ohio State L 102–60
1989 9 Round of 48 Temple L 90–80
1991 11 Round of 48
Round of 32		 Maryland
Auburn		 W 81–74 (OT)
L 84–58
1995 16 Round of 64 Colorado L 83–49
1996 15 Round of 64 Old Dominion L 83–56
1998 14 Round of 64 Louisiana Tech L 86–58
1999 14 Round of 64 Duke L 79–51
2000 15 Round of 64 Rutgers L 91–70
2001 14 Round of 64 Florida L 84–52
2003 13 Round of 64 Penn State L 64–33
2005 15 Round of 64 Ohio State L 89–46
2007 16 Round of 64 Duke L 81–44
2023 15 Round of 64 Maryland L 93–61
2024 16 First Four
Round of 64		 (16) UT Martin
(1) Iowa		 W 72–45
L 91–65

WNIT results

The Crusaders have appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) twice.

Year Round Opponent Result
2002 First Round Vermont L 70–63
2022 First Round Columbia L 80–69

WBI results

The Crusaders have appeared in the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) once.

Year Round Opponent Result
2012 First Round
Quarterfinal		 New Hampshire
Manhattan		 W 63–59
L 78–63

Player accolades

MAAC Player of the Year

  • 1985 – Janet Hourihan
  • 1987 – Tracy Quinn

Patriot League Player of the Year

  • 1991 – Mary Helen Walker
  • 1992 – Norinne Powers
  • 1993 – Norinne Powers
  • 1994 – Laurie Carson
  • 1995 – Lauren Maney
  • 1996 – Lauren Maney
  • 1997 – Kathy Courtney
  • 1998 – Amy O’Brien
  • 1999 – Amy O’Brien
  • 2000 – Anna Kinne
  • 2008 – Briana McFadden
  • 2021–22 – Avery Labarbra

Coaching history

Coach Years Record Conference
Record		 Conference
Titles
Mary DiStanislao 1974–1975 0–12 (.000) N/A
Pat Corcoran 1975–1978 21–26 (.447) N/A
Kevin McAuley 1979–1980 16–22 (.421) N/A
Togo Palazzi 1980–1985 103–28 (.786) 18–6 (.750) 1
Bill Gibbons 1985–2019 613–410 (.599) 319–125 (.718) 11
Ann McInerney (interim) 2019–2020 26–15 (.634) 18–11 (.621)
Maureen Magarity 2020–2024 51–25 (.671) 34–16 (.680) 1
Totals 808–531 (.607) 376–153 (.711) 13

Season-by-season results

Holy Cross played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) 1983 to 1990 before joining the Patriot League in 1990.

Season Record Conference record
1974–75 0–12 n/a
1975–76 8–7 n/a
1976–77 8–9 n/a
1977–78 5–10 n/a
1978–79 7–10 n/a
1979–80 9–12 n/a
1980–81 20–4 n/a
1981–82 23–4 n/a
1982–83 19–6 n/a
1983–84 20–7 9–3
1984–85 21–7 9–3
1985–86 21–7 8–4
1986–87 19–10 8–4
1987–88 21–8 9–3
1988–89 21–10 10–2
1989–90 20–10 7–3
1990–91 25–6 12–0
1991–92 16–13 10–4
1992–93 22–7 12–2
1993–94 15–14 10–4
1994–95 21–9 12–2
1995–96 23–10 9–3
1996–97 23–4 12–0
1997–98 21–9 10–2
1998–99 21–8 11–1
1999–00 23–7 11–1
2000–01 21–9 11–1
2001–02 23–8 12–2
2002–03 24–8 13–1
2003–04 13–15 8–6
2004–05 20–11 12–2
2005–06 16–14 10–4
2006–07 15–18 7–7
2007–08 19–13 10–4
2008–09 13–17 8–6
2009–10 10–21 5–9
2010–11 10–20 6–8
2011–12 19–15 7–7
2012–13 18–14 8–6
2013–14 20–14 10–8
2014–15 15–17 11–7
2015–16 13–17 10–8
2016–17 8–21 6–12
2017–18 13–18 7–11
2018–19 18–13 9–9
2019–20 19–11 7–4
2020–21 7–8 7–7
2020–21 20–9 14–4
TOTAL 805–530 376–153

References

  1. ^ "Visual Identity Toolkit". College of the Holy Cross. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "Holy Cross Names Maureen Magarity Head Women's Basketball Coach". Holy Cross Athletics. April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2020.