# Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball team is the intercollegiate women's basketball program representing Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Scarlet Knights play home basketball games at the Louis Brown Athletic Center on the university campus in Piscataway, New Jersey.

## History

The Scarlet Knights (known as the Lady Knights until 1995) began play in 1974, winning their first ever game against Princeton 76–60. In 1976, Theresa Shank Grentz was hired as head coach, becoming the first full-time female basketball coach. The Scarlet Knights won the AIAW National Tournament 83–77 over Texas at the Palestra with the help of Restrepo-Pinero, who scored 30 points while being named MVP. In 2007, C. Vivian Stringer became the first coach to ever lead three teams (including Rutgers) to the Final Four.

## Retired Numbers

Rutgers Scarlet Knights retired numbers :
| No. | Player | Date of retirement | Career |
| 23 | Sue Wicks | April 26, 1998 | 1984–1988 |
| 25 | Cappie Pondexter | December 1, 2016 | 2002–2006 |
| 45 | June Olkowski | January 2, 1988 | 1978–1982 |

## All-Time Statistical Leaders
### Career leaders

* Points scored: 2,655 (Sue Wicks – 1984–88)
* Assists: 839 (Tasha Pointer – 1997-01)
* Rebounds: 1,357 (Sue Wicks – 1984–88)
* Steals: 294 (Cappie Pondexter – 2002–06)
* Blocks: 332 (Rachel Hollivay – 2012–2016)

### Single season leaders

* Points scored: 793 (Sue Wicks- 1987–88)
* Assists: 257 (Tasha Pointer – 2000–01)
* Rebounds: 404 (Sue Wicks – 1986–87)
* Steals: 117 (Liz Hanson – 1993–94)
* Blocks: 127 (Rachel Hollivay – 2013–14)

### Single game leaders

* Points scored: (44 by Sue Wicks vs George Washington −12/05/1987)
* Assists: (18 by Tasha Pointer vs Stephen F. Austin – 03/17/2001)
* Rebounds: (26 by Sandy Tupurins vs William Paterson – 03/01/1977)
* Steals: (10 by Syessence Davis vs Penn State – 01/10/2015 & 10 by Denise Kenney vs Saint Joseph’s – 02/16/1978)
* Blocks: (11 by Sue Wicks vs West Virginia – 01/03/1987)

## Awards and honors

* Naismith/U.S. Basketball Writers Association/Women’s Basketball News Service/Street & Smith’s National Player of the Year – Sue Wicks, 1988 winner.
* Big East Conference Coach of the Year – C. Vivian Stringer, 1998 & 2005.
* Atlantic-10 Conference Coach of the Year – Theresa Grentz, 1986, 1988 (co), 1993, & 1994.

### International

* Mael Gilles Canada: 2017 Summer Universiade
* Kahleah Copper United States 2024 Paris Olympics

## Coaching history

As of the beginning of the 2024–25 season, the Knights have had five head coaches and two interim coaches.
| Coach | Tenure | Record | Conference record |
| Ellen Johns | 1974–1975 | 6–5 | n/a |
| Dottie McCrea | 1975–1976 | 5–9 | n/a |
| Theresa Grentz | 1976–1995 | 434–150 | 156–28 |
| C. Vivian Stringer | 1995–2022 | 477–267 | 243–136† |
| Coquese Washington | 2022-present | 18-31 | 5-17 |
| Carlene Mitchell (interim) | 2010 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Timothy Eatman (interim) | 2018 | | |
| Totals | Totals | 941–462 | 404–181 |
† Denotes combined conference record (202–94 record with the Big East Conference (1979-2013), 12–6 record with the American Athletic Conference, and 19–15 record with the Big Ten Conference)

## Postseason results
### NCAA Division I

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1986 | #2 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #7 Villanova #3 Penn State #4 W. Kentucky | W 85–58 W 85–72 L 74–89 |
| 1987 | #2 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #7 Duke #3 NC State #1 Texas | W 78–64 W 75–60 L 77–85 |
| 1988 | #3 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #6 Old Dominion #2 Virginia | W 88–78 L 75–89 |
| 1989 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Southern Miss #2 NC State | W 95–73 L 73–75 |
| 1990 | #11 | First Round | #6 Vanderbilt | L 75–78 |
| 1991 | #6 | First Round | #11 Toledo | L 65–83 |
| 1992 | #8 | First Round Second Round | #9 Southern Miss #1 Tennessee | W 93–63 L 56–97 |
| 1993 | #9 | First Round Second Round | #8 Vermont #1 Ohio State | W 80–74 L 60–91 |
| 1994 | #5 | First Round | #12 W. Kentucky | L 73–84 |
| 1998 | #5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #12 Oregon #4 Iowa State #1 Tennessee | W 79–76 W 62–61 L 60–92 |
| 1999 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #14 Dartmouth #6 Arizona #2 Texas Tech #1 Purdue | W 84–70 W 90–47 W 53–42 L 62–75 |
| 2000 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | #15 Holy Cross #10 St. Joseph's #11 UAB #1 Georgia #1 Tennessee | W 91–70 W 59–39 W 60–45 W 59–51 L 54–64 |
| 2001 | #4 | First Round Second Round | #13 Stephen F. Austin #5 SW Missouri State | W 80–43 L 53–60 |
| 2003 | #4 | First Round Second Round | #13 W. Kentucky #5 Georgia | W 64–52 L 64–74 |
| 2004 | #7 | First Round | #10 Chattanooga | L 69–74 |
| 2005 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #14 Hartford #6 Temple #2 Ohio State #1 Tennessee | W 62–37 W 61–54 W 64–58 L 49–59 |
| 2006 | #3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #14 Dartmouth #11 TCU #2 Tennessee | W 63–58 W 82–48 L 69–76 |
| 2007 | #4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four Title Game | #13 East Carolina #5 Michigan State #1 Duke #3 Arizona State #3 LSU #1 Tennessee | W 77–34 W 70–57 W 53–52 W 64–45 W 59–35 L 46–59 |
| 2008 | #2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #15 Robert Morris #7 Iowa State #6 George Washington #1 Connecticut | W 85–42 W 69–58 W 53–42 L 56–66 |
| 2009 | #7 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #10 VCU #2 Auburn #6 Purdue | W 57–51 W 80–52 L 61–67 |
| 2010 | #9 | First Round | #8 Iowa | L 63–70 |
| 2011 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Louisiana Tech #2 Texas A&M | W 76–51 L 48–70 |
| 2012 | #6 | First Round | #11 Gonzaga | L 73–86 |
| 2015 | #8 | First Round Second Round | #9 Seton Hall #1 Connecticut | W 79–66 L 55–91 |
| 2019 | #7 | First Round | #10 Buffalo | L 71–82 |
| 2021 | #6 | First Round | #11 BYU | L 66–69 |

### AIAW Division I

The Scarlet Knights made four appearances in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 7–4.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1979 | First Round Quarterfinals | Tennessee Long Beach State | W, 73–66 L, 51–69 |
| 1980 | First Round Quarterfinals | Central Missouri State Providence Old Dominion | W, 87–75 W, 70–54 L, 62–84 |
| 1981 | First Round Quarterfinals | Clemson Long Beach State | W, 99–76 L, 73–77 |
| 1982 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship Game | Georgia Southern Minnesota Villanova Texas | W, 89–79 W, 83–75 W, 83–75 W, 83–77 |