'It is with mixed emotions that I am stepping down': Maureen Magarity resigns as Holy Cross women's basketball coach

WORCESTER — Maureen Magarity, who guided the Holy Cross women’s basketball team to back-to-back Patriot League Tournament championships and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances the last two seasons, is stepping down from her position, for family reasons, effective immediately.

Assistant coach Candice Green will serve as the Crusaders’ interim coach during the 2024-25 season.

In her four years at Holy Cross, Magarity led the Crusaders to a record of 72-41 and three 20-win seasons. HC’s 24 victories in 2022-23 were the second most in a single season in program history.

Last season, Holy Cross defeated UT Martin in the First Four round of the NCAA Tournament, marking just the second victory by a Patriot League women’s team in the NCAA tourney. In 1991, Holy Cross beat Maryland.

The Crusaders went on to garner national attention when they faced Iowa and Caitlin Clark in the first round of the 2023-24 NCAAs.

“Since her arrival in Worcester, Maureen Magarity has made a significant impact on the Holy Cross community,” Kit Hughes, Holy Cross vice president for intercollegiate athletics, said. “Navigating the global pandemic and orchestrating the return to national prominence for Crusader women’s basketball, Maureen certainly leaves our program better than she found it.

“While I am sad to see such a talented coach and valued teammate depart Holy Cross,” Hughes said, “I am excited for Maureeen (and her daughters), Charlotte and Caroline to embark on this next step in their journey as a family. I respect Maureen’s decision and wish her nothing but the best moving forward.”

Magarity came to Holy Cross from the University of New Hampshire, where she was the 2017 Kay Yow National Coach of the Year. She was previously an assistant at Army and Marist.

“It is with mixed emotions that I am stepping down from my position as head women’s basketball coach at Holy Cross,” Magarity said. “While I know the timing is not ideal, after much thought I’ve decided to prioritize and focus on my family. I have truly loved coaching for the past 21 years, but I feel excited to be more present for my daughters.

“I will treasure all the memories we’ve made over the past four years on The Hill,” Magarity said, “and am so grateful for the players, coaches and fans that made this decision so difficult. I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished on the biggest stage and know the program will continue to thrive.”

Green joined the Holy Cross staff in 2023-24 after four years at Fordham, where she was the interim coach in 2022-23. That season, Green helped guide the Rams to a 19-13 mark and an appearance in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

“We are immensely grateful for Coach Green’s enthusiasm to serve as interim head coach for the 2024-25 season,” Hughes said. “Candice has first-hand experience coaching and mentoring student-athletes during a challenging transition, and we are fortunate to have someone so uniquely qualified here at Holy Cross. I am eager to support Coach Green, our staff and student-athletes as we pursue the highest standards and expectations for Crusader Basketball.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'It is with mixed emotions that I am stepping down': Maureen Magarity resigns as Holy Cross women's basketball coach