Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Josh Wang
Megan Griffith Signs Five-Year Extension with Columbia
4/17/2023 9:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Women’s basketball program’s all-time winningest coach led Lions to record 28 wins this past season
NEW YORK — Megan Griffith '07CC has signed a five-year extension to remain the head coach of the Columbia women's basketball program. Griffith's new contract will run through the end of the 2027-28 season.
"I'm incredibly excited to continue this journey at Columbia," said Griffith, who will enter her eighth year leading the program. "While we have accomplished several firsts and broken numerous records, there is still much work to do! We have unfinished business and I am hungrier than ever to get back to work.
"This is my home and I can't thank Peter Pilling enough for taking a chance on me seven years ago. The buy-in and investment from our administration are unmatched in the history of our program and the Ivy League in general. We've created something special for our community, our campus, our alumni and our fans, and I know we will continue to build on that."
A Hall of Fame point guard in her playing days, Griffith graduated from Columbia in 2007 before returning to Morningside Heights as the eighth head coach in program history in March of 2016. After building up the program over her first few years, Griffith led the Lions to three straight record-breaking seasons. Her tenure has included a 25-win campaign in 2021-22, followed by 28 wins and the program's first Ivy League Championship this past year. Columbia has qualified for the postseason in each of its last three seasons, including five straight wins in the WNIT on a run to the championship game against Kansas earlier this month. The Lions are the first team in Ivy League history to reach the WNIT's championship final.
"These last two seasons have been so impactful for the Columbia community," Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling said. "We were able to witness a spirit of camaraderie for everyone that supported our women's basketball program. We are thrilled and grateful that Megan has decided to continue her journey at Columbia."
Griffith holds a record of 99-77 (.566) through six competition seasons — the 2020-21 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia posted an unprecedented 28-6 overall record in 2022-23, including a second-straight 12-2 Ivy campaign that earned the Lions a share of their first regular season championship.
The 2022-23 season also saw the Lions receive their first votes in both the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll. They received their first AP Top 25 votes on Dec. 12 and went on to receive votes six separate times. Columbia received its first votes in the Coaches Poll on Jan. 3 and continued to appear in the poll for five consecutive weeks. The Lions also received votes in the final Coaches Poll of the season that was released earlier this month.
The 2022-23 Ivy League Coach of the Year, Griffith's tenure has included 13 All-Ivy League selections. Abbey Hsu and Kaitlyn Davis were each named First Team All-Ivy League this season, marking the first time two Lions landed on the First Team in program history. Griffith has also seen three players earn Met Basketball Writers Association Women's Div. I Rookie of the Year honors (Kitty Henderson, 2021-22; Abbey Hsu, 2019-20; Sienna Durr, 2018-19), as well as one MBWA Player of the Year (Camille Zimmerman, 2016-17).
At the 2022 Women's Final Four in Minneapolis, Griffith was named the 2021-22 CBB Analytics Women's Basketball Coach of the Year by the Asian Coaches Association.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
"I'm incredibly excited to continue this journey at Columbia," said Griffith, who will enter her eighth year leading the program. "While we have accomplished several firsts and broken numerous records, there is still much work to do! We have unfinished business and I am hungrier than ever to get back to work.
"This is my home and I can't thank Peter Pilling enough for taking a chance on me seven years ago. The buy-in and investment from our administration are unmatched in the history of our program and the Ivy League in general. We've created something special for our community, our campus, our alumni and our fans, and I know we will continue to build on that."
A Hall of Fame point guard in her playing days, Griffith graduated from Columbia in 2007 before returning to Morningside Heights as the eighth head coach in program history in March of 2016. After building up the program over her first few years, Griffith led the Lions to three straight record-breaking seasons. Her tenure has included a 25-win campaign in 2021-22, followed by 28 wins and the program's first Ivy League Championship this past year. Columbia has qualified for the postseason in each of its last three seasons, including five straight wins in the WNIT on a run to the championship game against Kansas earlier this month. The Lions are the first team in Ivy League history to reach the WNIT's championship final.
"These last two seasons have been so impactful for the Columbia community," Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling said. "We were able to witness a spirit of camaraderie for everyone that supported our women's basketball program. We are thrilled and grateful that Megan has decided to continue her journey at Columbia."
Griffith holds a record of 99-77 (.566) through six competition seasons — the 2020-21 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbia posted an unprecedented 28-6 overall record in 2022-23, including a second-straight 12-2 Ivy campaign that earned the Lions a share of their first regular season championship.
The 2022-23 season also saw the Lions receive their first votes in both the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll. They received their first AP Top 25 votes on Dec. 12 and went on to receive votes six separate times. Columbia received its first votes in the Coaches Poll on Jan. 3 and continued to appear in the poll for five consecutive weeks. The Lions also received votes in the final Coaches Poll of the season that was released earlier this month.
The 2022-23 Ivy League Coach of the Year, Griffith's tenure has included 13 All-Ivy League selections. Abbey Hsu and Kaitlyn Davis were each named First Team All-Ivy League this season, marking the first time two Lions landed on the First Team in program history. Griffith has also seen three players earn Met Basketball Writers Association Women's Div. I Rookie of the Year honors (Kitty Henderson, 2021-22; Abbey Hsu, 2019-20; Sienna Durr, 2018-19), as well as one MBWA Player of the Year (Camille Zimmerman, 2016-17).
At the 2022 Women's Final Four in Minneapolis, Griffith was named the 2021-22 CBB Analytics Women's Basketball Coach of the Year by the Asian Coaches Association.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia women's basketball, follow @CULionsWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
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