Vermont Hires Maureen Magarity in First-Ever Division I Married Couple Coaching Duo
A husband and wife will now lead men’s and women’s basketball at the same university — and it’s believed to be the first time that’s ever happened in NCAA Division I history.
Maureen Magarity, 45, was hired as the 10th University of Vermont women’s basketball head coach on April 14, joining her husband John Becker, who has led the Vermont men’s program since 2011.
Maureen Magarity’s Winding Road Back to Coaching
Magarity didn’t take the obvious path back to the sidelines.
She served as New Hampshire’s head coach for 10 years, where her 146 total wins rank second most in program history.
She then spent four seasons (2020-2024) at Holy Cross, where she compiled a 72-41 record, guided the Crusaders to NCAA tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024 and finished with three 20-win seasons.
Magarity ultimately left that job due to “family reasons,” per ESPN.
In the two years since leaving Holy Cross, Magarity worked in the Vermont athletic department as the director of major gifts — close to the game but not coaching. Vermont athletic director Jeff Schulman noticed.
“I always had joked that I thought we had two of the best women’s basketball coaches in the country on our staff,” Schulman said, per USA Today. “One was our women’s basketball coach (Alisa Kresge) and the other our major gift officer for athletics (Magarity).”
How the Vermont Coaching Job Opened Up for Magarity
The opportunity came together quickly. Kresge resigned as head coach on April 11 after accepting a job at Richmond, clearing the way for Magarity — who happened to be Kresge’s college teammate at Marist University.
“This is an incredibly unique situation of following my college teammate and a friend for a really long time… so I’m so proud of what (Kresge) has accomplished,” Magarity said, per USA Today.
“I just can’t begin to say how proud I am of Alisa and she’s going to do incredible things at Richmond, and I’m going to miss her a whole lot too. I’ve been in a lot of contact with her,” she added.
Maureen Magarity’s Daughters Helped Inspire Her Decision
According to USA Today, Maureen Magarity decided to take the job after talking to her husband. She also wanted to set an example for her two daughters, Charlotte, 13, and Caroline, 10.
“This was a huge reason I wanted to take this job is to (give my daughters) role models like you (the players) girls and for them to grow up around you guys all the time,” Magarity said, per USA Today.
“That’s what I missed the most about coaching is having 15 big sisters (for my daughters) to look up to all the time,” she added.
John Becker and Maureen Magarity’s Love Story and Historic Chapter
The couple’s personal timeline makes this story even sweeter. According to Instagram, Becker proposed to Magarity in 2023, and they tied the knot in 2025.
Now they share a home, a university and the challenge of leading two Division I basketball programs under the same roof.
With Becker’s long tenure leading the men’s program and Magarity’s proven record — including back-to-back NCAA tournament trips at Holy Cross — Vermont basketball enters an unusual and historic chapter.
Whether this arrangement becomes a blueprint or remains one of a kind, the Becker-Magarity household has already secured its place in college basketball history.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
