Cathy Inglese

Cathy Inglese (December 16, 1958 – July 24, 2019) was an American college basketball coach. She served as the head coach for women's basketball programs for a total of 27 years, at the University of Vermont, Boston College, and the University of Rhode Island.

Collegiate coaching

In 1983, Inglese became assistant basketball coach at the University of New Hampshire, a position she held for three years.

Inglese served as the head coach of the Vermont Catamounts women's basketball team at the University of Vermont for seven seasons, starting in 1986. She put together a string of 57 consecutive regular season wins over two seasons going 28–0 in 1992, and 29–0 in 1993. She posted a 120–74 record overall at Vermont.

Inglese was the head women's basketball coach for the Boston College Eagles women's basketball team at Boston College from May 1993 until April 2008. She posted 20-win seasons in seven out of her last eight seasons, and guided her team to three consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances. In 2004, her team earned their first ever Big East Championship. That year, the Eagles won a school record 27 games. Inglese won her 300th career game in December as well. In 2005, her team defeated Number 1 seed Ohio State in the Women's NCAA Tournament. Her teams also qualified for five consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and seven out of the last eight tournaments. Inglese abruptly resigned following a 21-win 2007–08 season featuring second round exits from the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament, losing to the University of Maryland, and from the Women's National Invitation Tournament, losing to St. Johns University. She resigned from her position at Boston College on April 10, 2008. Her overall record at Boston College was 239–151 in 13 seasons.

In 2009, Inglese became head coach of the Rhode Island Rams women's basketball team at the University of Rhode Island. She coached the team for five seasons; in March 2014, her contract was not renewed.

Inglese later worked at Fairleigh Dickinson University for two seasons (2017–18 and 2018–19), then was hired as an assistant coach at Hofstra University in June 2019.

USA Basketball

Inglese served as an assistant coach of the USA representative to the World University Games (also known as the Universiade) held in Izmir, Turkey, in August 2005. The USA team played their first game against the Czech Republic and won, 88–64. The 24-point margin in that contest would be the closest any team would come to beating the USA. The USA then took on and defeated South Africa, China, and Poland to move on to the quarterfinals. Then they would beat Taiwan and Russia, each by more than 50 points. This set up the championship and gold medal game with Serbia & Montenegro. The USA would win this game, 79–63, to complete a 7–0 record and win the gold medal. Sylvia Fowles would lead the USA team in both points and rebounds, with fifteen points, and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Coaching honors

• 1990–1991 – National Coach of the Year Finalist
• 1990–1991 – District 1 Coach of the Year
• 1990–1991 – North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year
• 1991–1992 – National Coach of the Year Finalist
• 1991–1992 – District I Coach of the Year
• 1991–1992 – North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year
• 1992–1993 – National Coach of the Year Finalist
• 1992–1993 – District I Coach of the Year
• 1992–1993 – North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year
• 1998–1999 – Big East Conference Coach of the Year

Personal life

Inglese graduated magna cum laude from Southern Connecticut State University in 1980, and later earned a master of education in counseling from the University of New Hampshire in 1987.

She was an inductee of several halls of fame, including at Southern Connecticut State University, the University of Vermont, and Boston College.

Inglese reportedly suffered a traumatic brain injury in a fall sustained on July 17, 2019, according to a social media post by her sister Nancy. She died from her injuries on July 24, 2019.