Theresa Grentz To Speak At "Holiday Hoopla" Luncheon
MAAC Sports
(WEST WINDSOR, NJ ? November 12, 2008) Theresa Grentz, long considered a legend in women’s basketball circles, will speak at the Holiday Hoopla luncheon on December 2, 2008. The luncheon will take place at Mercer Oaks Clubhouse, West Windsor, NJ beginning at 11:00 a.m. and will include holiday shopping with a variety of vendors and a fashion show of golf and tennis attire. The luncheon is part of a yearlong campaign to promote the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship postseason tournament.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and Rider University will be hosting the Trenton Regional, more commonly known as the “Sweet Sixteen” and “Elite Eight,” at the Sovereign Bank Arena on Sunday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 31. This celebrated event will be an opportunity to showcase the Mercer County Region on a national stage, and will bring the excitement of Division I Women’s Basketball to local fans.
Grentz was the center of attention for the Mighty Macs of Immaculata in the early 70s. At 5’11” she was a dominant force 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 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. During her tenure at Rutgers, she coached the U.S. Olympic Team to a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
In 1995 Grentz was named the sixth head women’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois. In four years she became the all-time winningest coach at Illinois. Grentz 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. The 10th most winning Division 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. In her 12 seasons at Illinois Grentz made over 1,000 public appearances, staying actively involved in community activities, charity functions and youth clinics.
In 2007 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. Grentz returned to her alma mater in July 2007 when she was appointed as Vice President for University Advancement at Immaculata University.
Cost to attend the luncheon is $40 and reservations are required. For more information or to make a reservation please call 609-818-0111 or email ptkryn1@aol.com. Media wishing to attend the event may contact Christine Pileckas at 609.656.3399.
Trenton Regional All-Session Tickets, giving you access to all games on March 29 & 31 at the Sovereign Bank Arena, are on sale now. Tickets are available via phone by calling 609-656-3224, at the Sovereign Bank Arena Box Office, or online at http://www.sovereignbankarena.com/events/details/?id=197.
Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 45 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, manages the Sovereign Bank Arena. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment firm Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Comcast SportsNet, a regional sports programming network, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company. Comcast-Spectacor owns three minor league baseball teams - the Bowie Baysox, the Delmarva Shorebirds and the Frederick Keys - all affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles.
CONTACT:
Christine Pileckas
Global Spectrum/Sovereign Bank Arena
609.656.3233