Shippensburg University Athletics

Dr. Sally McGrath is the winningest tennis coach in school history, having guided Shippensburg to a 90-55-1 record during her 16-year tenure from 1971-87.

McGrath’s .620 winning percentage in dual meets ranks second-best among tennis coaches in school history. During her career, her players won nine individual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships (six in singles and three in doubles) and 14 runner-up titles (10 singles and four doubles).

Under the tutelage of McGrath, Shippensburg compiled an 11-0 dual record in 1981 and placed second in the PSAC Tournament, losing by one point to Slippery Rock. The Lady Raiders defeated Slippery Rock in a dual match earlier in the season.

After a third-place conference finish in 1982, Shippensburg won back-to-back conference titles in 1983 and 1984. Lynn Miller and Peggy Mount led the 1983 team and Judy O’Connell and Janice Weisgerber led the team in 1984. All four players have been inducted into the SU Hall of Fame, and seven of the eight SU women’s tennis players ever inducted to SU’s Hall of Fame were coached by McGrath.

In addition to coaching, McGrath was a professor at SU for 32 years, 15 of which she chaired the exercise science department. McGrath was an active member of APSCUF-SU, where she served on the executive committee for 22 years – including one as the organization’s president.

McGrath received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from East Stroudsburg University and completed her Doctorate of Education at University of Toledo. She later attended classes at the University of Colorado.

A native of Warren, Pa., McGrath passed away on Nov. 6, 2010 at the age of 70. Her legacy lives on through the Sally McGrath Annual APSCUF-SU award, which is annually given to a student in the College of Education and Human Services.