Cathy Rush
Encyclopedia
Cathy Rush was the head women's basketball coach at Immaculata
from 1972-1977. She led Immaculata to three consecutive AIAW
national titles from 1972-1974. She led the Mighty Macs to six consecutive final four appearances in her six seasons with the school, attaining a 149-15 record. Rush was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
on April 7, 2008. She had also been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
in 2000 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
in 2005.
A resident of Ventnor, New Jersey, Rush grew up in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
and graduated from Oakcrest High School
in 1964. She received a Bachelor of Science in 1968 and a Masters in Education in 1972, both from West Chester University
. She has four children with her ex-husband, former National Basketball Association
referee and Supervisor of Officials Ed T. Rush
.
The Mighty Macs, a movie about the season leading to the winning of the first women's national basketball championship in 1972, was released in October 2011. Rush is played by Carla Gugino
.
Immaculata University
Immaculata University is a Catholic University on King Road in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.-History:Immaculata was founded as Villa Maria College, a women's college in 1920. It was the first Catholic college for women in the Philadelphia area...
from 1972-1977. She led Immaculata to three consecutive AIAW
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
national titles from 1972-1974. She led the Mighty Macs to six consecutive final four appearances in her six seasons with the school, attaining a 149-15 record. Rush was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
on April 7, 2008. She had also been inducted to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
in 2000 and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., that was established in May 2002, to honor individuals and groups who are either area natives who became prominent in the field of sports or who became prominent in the field of sports in the...
in 2005.
A resident of Ventnor, New Jersey, Rush grew up in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Egg Harbor Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 43,323, a growth of more than 40% since the previous enumeration....
and graduated from Oakcrest High School
Oakcrest High School
Oakcrest High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school located in Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. The school name was chosen based on its site on the crest of a hill amid oak trees...
in 1964. She received a Bachelor of Science in 1968 and a Masters in Education in 1972, both from West Chester University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public university located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, about miles west of Philadelphia. It is one of the 14 state universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education . West Chester was ranked 69th in the Master's Universities ...
. She has four children with her ex-husband, former National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
referee and Supervisor of Officials Ed T. Rush
Ed T. Rush
Ed T. Rush is a former professional basketball referee. He joined the NBA as a referee in 1966. In 1973, he left for the American Basketball Association, but returned to the NBA when the ABA merged with that league in 1976. Rush became the NBA's director of officiating in 1998, and served in that...
.
The Mighty Macs, a movie about the season leading to the winning of the first women's national basketball championship in 1972, was released in October 2011. Rush is played by Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco...
.
Accomplishments
- Brought the tiny Immaculata College (under 500 students) into the National spotlight with five trips to the championship game of the AIAW Women's Basketball TournamentAIAW Women's Basketball Tournament-1973 tournament:The 1973 AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament was held on March 22–25, 1973. The host site was Queens College in Flushing, New York...
in six years, winning three back-to-back titles. - Compiled a career record of 149 wins and 15 losses - a 91% winning percentage.
- Coached and directed the 1975 U.S. Women's basketball team at the Pan American games, leading the team to a gold medal finish.
- 2008 Hall of Fame Inductee - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Member of the Women's Basketball Hall of FameWomen's Basketball Hall of FameThe Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
, 2000. - One of the few woman inducted into the PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Hall of FameHall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
. - Member of the U.S. Olympic Committee of Women's basketball.
- Received Special Achievement Awards from both the New Jersey and Philadelphia Sports Writers' Association.
Current activities
- Future Stars Camps - Cathy is the founder president of Future Stars. For over 35 years, Future Stars has been conducting basketball, field hockey, soccer, all sport, and sports and arts camps for girls and boys.
- Color Commentating - Cathy has been the color commentator several major networks, including NBC, CBS, CBN, ESPN, PRISM and the Sport Channel.
- Cathy is a breast cancer survivor and a spokesperson for the American Cancer SocietyAmerican Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
.