There are a few things you need to know about the woman I call Coach.
First of all, don't sleep on her 5-foot-6 frame because Muffet McGraw is fierce. Every ounce of her is built with a Philly toughness and a tenacious and resilient spirit. Coach is a rare combination of ambition and authenticity. There are no pretenses. She simply tells it as it is.
She demonstrates deep compassion -- not by coddling (unless your name is Murphy McGraw) but, rather, with empathy and honesty. She is an intense competitor with remarkable intellect and integrity. She excels without arrogance, is selfless and always deflects praise by redistributing the spotlight to shine on those around her. When I say she has no ego, I mean none, nada, zero. Double zero might even be more accurate.
She is a brilliant visionary, tactician and teacher. She is my coach, mentor, role model and friend.
Farewells are never easy, but it is a different level of difficult when it is farewell to the one who paved the way for you. My emotions were all-encompassing when I heard that Muffet McGraw was going to retire, which Notre Dame announced Wednesday. Gratitude consumed me. Without a doubt, Coach is the most influential figure in my sports career and one of the greatest influences in my life.
Then sadness set in as I contemplated the void that would be left behind. Although only a size 6.5, hers are some monumental heels to fill! Notre Dame without Muffet McGraw -- how does one even comprehend that statement? That is like suggesting that there is Blue without Gold or fans without lime green shirts. While I doubt that Niele Ivey -- who will take over the program -- will be doing Muffet's signature squat on the sideline, there is no one more fitting to carry on the legacy of the program!
As I began to reflect on the legacy of Muffet McGraw, my sadness turned to a celebration of the life of one of the most extraordinary women our sports world has ever seen.
Muffet was a pioneer, a trailblazer impacting the landscape of sport and the trajectory of women's basketball. Her journey as a head coach started in 1982 at Leigh University, and on May 18, 1987, she was named the third head coach at the University of Notre Dame -- and the rest is history. Literally historic. She is one of five NCAA Division I coaches (men's or women's basketball) with more than 930 wins, nine Final Fours and multiple national championships. She built an elite program from the ground up and then sustained success over decades. Simply legendary.
Muffet is a pioneer, a trailblazer impacting the lives of women and girls by using her platform to emphatically and unapologetically declare their value and worth. With the same passion and fiery Irish spirit, she takes on an opponent far greater than one ever faced on the court: the biases, behaviors, laws and stereotypes in which inequality is bred and thrives. With a strong, steady voice of proclamation, she speaks up not just for the women she is leading in an IRISH jersey, but also her voice echoes down the halls of injustice for girls and women everywhere.
One of the most significant lessons I learned from Coach has nothing to do with hoops. I witnessed the strength she received from the love and support of her husband, Matt, and how she reciprocated it. They are partners in every way. There is nothing that gives her more joy than her son, Murphy. Let's just say Murphy was always a welcome sight at practice because then we would see a softer side of Coach, which we hoped would translate to running fewer sprints! I saw Coach prioritize her family while building a program, and that balance of work and life was such a powerful testament to me.
While the leprechaun is our official mascot, I would argue that Muffet McGraw is today's most iconic figure at the University of Notre Dame. She perfectly embodies the values of excellence, community, education, faith and tradition. For 33 seasons, she has led the Fighting Irish up the mountain of excellence and then set up camp there. With a record of 848-252 (.771) in South Bend, she is the model of consistency, demonstrated not just in the volume of wins but also in how she did it -- always with integrity and class.
What she has accomplished has undoubtedly etched her place in the Mount Rushmore of basketball coaches, but how she did it and who she is have etched her place in our hearts -- "and in our hearts forever, Notre Dame will love thee, Muffet McGraw!"
From the first conversation I had with Coach and assistant Carol Owens on their official recruiting visit to my house, I knew Notre Dame was the place for me -- not just because of the academics or faith or athletics but also because of Muffet. She painted a picture of a program that I wanted to be a part of. She didn't promise a starting position or playing time. She promised a quality education, the opportunity to be part of building something, that I would be part of her family. From the heartache to the joys, Coach has always been there for me ever since.