With increased media coverage and initiatives promoting women's basketball at all levels, the sport is enjoying a moment of heightened visibility and recognition. As fans continue to rally around their favorite teams and players, women's basketball is poised for continued growth and success on the global stage.
Buoyed by standout players like rising star Caitlin Clark, whose electrifying playmaking abilities and remarkable scoring prowess have drawn attention to the sport, women’s basketball is captivating audiences and inspiring a new generation of fans.
Lehigh women’s basketball has had its own share of star players and coaches, some of whom are among the outstanding women recently named to the Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame. The program is supported by former players, students, and avid alumni. Here are just a few of the standouts.
Mary Kush ’88
Lehigh Player, 1984-88
Consultant, Douglass Winthrop Advisors
Member, Lehigh Board of Trustees
Lehigh Athletics Donor Honor Roll
Mary Kush set individual single-season records in total blocks and blocks per game in each of her four seasons of play. She continues to hold the all-time Lehigh individual career records for total blocks (292) and blocks per game (2.9) and ranks fourth in field goal percentage (.506).
“I think it’s great that women’s basketball is starting to catch up to men’s in terms of salary and fan support. I remember going to games when the WNBA first started where there were very few people in the stands. The last WNBA game I went to in August, the whole arena was full,” Kush says.
As a first-generation student who was only able to attend Lehigh thanks to grants and financial aid, she is a supporter of Lehigh Athletics and women’s basketball in particular, wanting to pay forward the generosity that allowed her to attend Lehigh and earn her bachelor’s degree in accounting.
“I wanted to give back to young women the opportunity I was given as a high school senior.. Basketball was a foundation for me, for my career and success. The teamwork teaches you so much that you carry into the real world — I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had not had that opportunity.”`
Muffet McGraw
Lehigh Coach, 1982-87
Basketball Analyst, ACC Network
Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee
Before turning the University of Notre Dame into a women's basketball powerhouse and becoming one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history, two-time national champion head coach Muffet McGraw recorded her first 88 career wins as coach at Lehigh. She led Lehigh to an ECC title in 1985-86. She coached three women's basketball players who have been inducted into Lehigh's Hall of Fame: Shawn Steward ’86, Liz Feeley ’87, and Sherie Androlewicz ’90; and five players who earned All-ECC honors, including current WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert ’86.
“I have special feelings about Lehigh because it was my first head coaching job — it's where I got my start and learned everything I know about coaching,” McGraw says. “My husband and I loved the people at Lehigh, and I think that's what makes the place. We didn't have scholarships back then, so I won't say it was easy to recruit, but it's easier to recruit when you love where you are and the people that you're with.”
McGraw is thrilled at women’s basketball’s rising popularity. “We’re in such a great place right now — this is the high of my 40 years in the game. It’s the best in terms of attendance, media attention, just casual fans knowing. I saw someone tweet the other day, ‘I'm trying to fill out a men's bracket, but the only basketball player I know is Caitlyn Clark.’ And it's just so true that the women's game has so many great individual players’ storylines. We've got these terrific freshmen across the country. There's probably five or six that are going to be All-American and WNBA greats when they graduate.”
Jessica De Palo ’05 ’06G
Lehigh Player, 2001-05
B.S. Marketing, M.Ed. Elementary Education
Senior Associate Athletics Director for Success Through Well-Being, Columbia University
Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee
A prolific scorer, Jessica De Palo's final two seasons of play at Lehigh rank among the finest in school history. DePalo scored 549 points as a junior in 2003-04 to set a school record that stood for 19 years. She followed that up by scoring 536 as a senior and in 2004-05 became the first Lehigh women's basketball player to be named Patriot League Player of the Year. De Palo amassed 1,466 points for her career, ranking fourth in school history when she graduated. She currently ranks seventh on Lehigh's career scoring list and is one of 12 players to reach both the 1,000-point and 500-rebound milestones.
De Palo credits others with helping her attain standout status. “The recognition I’ve achieved is shared with the many people who helped make Lehigh an opportunity for me and supported me during my journey as a student-athlete,” De Palo says. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, as the accomplishments we attained were the result of everyone's contributions.”
The Lehigh community was what made De Palo’s years here special. “I truly felt supported and cared for, not only as a student-athlete, but also as a person. I’ll always be grateful for the support of the administration, coaches, and my teammates, who are my best friends.”