Theresa Shank-Grentz
Born (1952)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2022
Card Shown: 2022 Panini
Hall of Fame
Position: C
Height: 5’11”
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Theresa Shank-Grentz was one of the pioneers of women’s basketball. Her distinguished college coaching career perhaps gets more attention than her playing days, but Theresa was a star at Immaculata University who led the Mighty Macs to three national championships. Her teammates and those who watched her play described Shank-Grentz as a hard-nosed, no-nonsense, fierce and powerful competitor who was the most dominant player of her generation.
Awards and Honors
- Theresa was a three-time AIAW National Champion on the Immaculata University Mighty Macs from 1972-74. Interestingly, Shank-Grentz was a player on the team that won the first three AIAW tournament and the coach of the team that would later win the final AIAW tournament before the NCAA instituted its own tournament in 1982.
- Shank-Grentz was also a three-time All-American at Immaculata.
- Immaculata retired Theresa’s number 12 jersey.
- Theresa was a member of the 1973 United States World University Games team. The USA did well, but lost to the powerhouse Soviet Union team and had to settle for the silver medal.
- In 2009 a major motion picture, “The Mighty Macs”, chronicled the inspiring story of the Immaculata women’s basketball team.
Points of Interest
- Sports Illustrated magazine referred to Theresa as the female Bill Walton because she was dominating in college at Immaculata in much the same way that Walton was playing at UCLA.
- Following an illustrious playing career, Shank-Grentz coached women’s college basketball at St. Joseph’s, Rutgers, Illinois, and Lafayette.
- When Theresa took the coaching position with Rutgers she became the first full-time women’s basketball coach in the country.
- The 1981-82 Rutgers Lady Knights, coached by Shank-Grentz, won the last AIAW National Championship. Their story is chronicled in the film “Forgotten Champions” which premiered on October 8, 2022.
- Theresa was the head coach of the 1992 women’s Olympic team which earned a bronze medal at the games in Barcelona. Players on that team included Teresa Weatherspoon, Teresa Edwards, Katrina McClain, and Cynthia Cooper.
Statistics
Theresa Shank-Grentz Statistics
(none available)