Where Are They Now? Colleen (McCrea) Maguire
7/9/2020 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Women's basketball alumna makes history leading the NJSIAA
Before embarking on a Hall of Fame basketball career at GW, Colleen (McCrea) Maguire was a 2,000-point scorer at South Hunterdon Regional High School where she led the Eagles to the 1992 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 1 title.
In piloting one of the Garden State's smallest schools to a championship, the point guard demonstrated the skill, passion and determination that would later spark the Colonials to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and a considerable collection of March Madness moments.
It's a memory that remains special nearly three decades later, a fact obvious today to visitors to her NJSIAA office who are greeted by her prize recognizing the tiny school's grand achievement.
"I joke that I'm the only director in the office that actually has won an NJSIAA state championship," Maguire said with a chuckle. "And I have a big trophy in my office to remind everyone of that."
Maguire brings an accomplished resume and a personal history to her new role as leader of the NJSIAA.
After six years serving as director of finance and administration, the Buff and Blue great was promoted to the newly created title of chief operating officer. On July 1, she officially became the first woman to oversee the organization in its 102-year history.
Over the past month, athletic leaders around the state have praised Maguire as both a role model for girls around the state and the perfect person to take on the job.
"It's very humbling, to be honest," said Maguire, who graduated from the GW School of Business with an Accounting degree in 1997. "To have the success in what's been predominantly a male world, I fully appreciate the significance of getting named to the position that I did.
"For the most part, athletic associations have been pretty male-dominated since inception. Any time you see a female get elevated to a leadership role, you get excited and they do become a role model. Because it gives girls the view that we can be equals and even drive conversations and be leaders."
At GW, Maguire left a legacy of success, on and off the court.
Over four seasons, she proved the ideal floor general to complement a talented group under head coach Joe McKeown, piling up 573 assists and 271 steals, both marks that remain among the program's top five all-time. She teamed with high-scoring classmates Tajama Abraham and Lisa Cermignano to help the Colonials earn 103 wins from 1993-1997, including seven NCAA victories.
Last November, the 1996-97 group, which went unbeaten in the Atlantic 10 regular season and then made an extraordinary run to the NCAA Elite 8, became the first team to be inducted into the GW Athletic Hall of Fame.
"We had a lot of just really humble players that bought into the idea that the team needs to succeed, not the individual," said Maguire, who was responsible for shutting down future Olympic sprinter/dynamic point guard Marion Jones in GW's Sweet 16 upset of top-seeded North Carolina that season. "That's a testament to Coach McKeown and the coaching staff. No one person thought they were more important than the other. We just really played well together."
Maguire's work in the classroom set the stage for her success in the business world. She graduated summa cum laude after earning A-10 All-Academic and CoSIDA Academic All-District honors over the course of her career in Buff and Blue.
Looking back, she can appreciate the uniqueness of that balance made possible by the supportive environment in Foggy Bottom.
"It was just a really overall wonderful, family-like community experience," Maguire said. "You felt like you were never alone. You always had someone there to help you out and support you, and we really all succeeded together."
After starting out in public accounting, Maguire later took on leadership roles at a number of companies before scaling back her work schedule to raise her three daughters, Elizabeth, Maggie and Cate, in Moorestown, N.J.
When she was ready to resume working full-time in 2014, the NJSIAA opening seemed like a great fit, a chance to link her past and her future.
"With the timing, it was kind of just meant to be," Maguire said.
Indeed, it's been a rewarding run that has challenged her to learn and grow professionally while supporting a mission that she's passionate about.
"At times, I have to remember that it is my job," Maguire said. "Because it is, most times, pretty fun and pretty interesting. For an accountant by nature to be doing what I'm doing today, it's probably one of the cooler things I could be doing with my degree."
Working in an office with 14 full-time staffers to oversee more than 430 member schools, Maguire has taken full advantage of her opportunities to take on new responsibilities and grow her leadership within the organization.
One rewarding example: She spearheaded the creation of a statewide student-athlete advisory council last school year, allowing her to hear directly from the student-athletes she's supporting and form relationships with them. The first group of seniors through the program graduated last month.
"It's made me realize the importance of understanding our student-athletes in order to move the association forward and provide the best opportunities for them," Maguire said. "Some will go onto college athletics in some capacity but many won't. You see they have these four years only once, so let's try to help them make the best memories possible by creating the best participation opportunities for them."
Maguire's unique background made her the choice to lead the NJSIAA when outgoing executive director Larry White announced his retirement at the beginning of June. The good news brought a wave of messages via text and social media from her friends in the GW community across the globe.
Maguire credits the efforts of head coach Jennifer Rizzotti and the current GW women's basketball staff for helping her reconnect with teammates in recent years.
Despite her busy schedule, Maguire has been able to make it back for a couple of recent alumni weekends, including the one last fall for the Hall of Fame induction as part of Home Opener Weekend.
The steady point guard-turned-trailblazing NJSIAA administrator relished the chance to share her experiences with the current group of Colonials as part of a career panel while also finding time to relive some unforgettable moments with a legendary squad.
"It's been really special to have that connectivity again," Maguire said. "It's always nice to get back down for one of those weekends and pretend we're back in college and be goofy but also have serious conversations about life and where we are today and how meaningful those four years were to getting us where we are today."
In piloting one of the Garden State's smallest schools to a championship, the point guard demonstrated the skill, passion and determination that would later spark the Colonials to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and a considerable collection of March Madness moments.
It's a memory that remains special nearly three decades later, a fact obvious today to visitors to her NJSIAA office who are greeted by her prize recognizing the tiny school's grand achievement.
"I joke that I'm the only director in the office that actually has won an NJSIAA state championship," Maguire said with a chuckle. "And I have a big trophy in my office to remind everyone of that."
Maguire brings an accomplished resume and a personal history to her new role as leader of the NJSIAA.
After six years serving as director of finance and administration, the Buff and Blue great was promoted to the newly created title of chief operating officer. On July 1, she officially became the first woman to oversee the organization in its 102-year history.
Over the past month, athletic leaders around the state have praised Maguire as both a role model for girls around the state and the perfect person to take on the job.
"It's very humbling, to be honest," said Maguire, who graduated from the GW School of Business with an Accounting degree in 1997. "To have the success in what's been predominantly a male world, I fully appreciate the significance of getting named to the position that I did.
"For the most part, athletic associations have been pretty male-dominated since inception. Any time you see a female get elevated to a leadership role, you get excited and they do become a role model. Because it gives girls the view that we can be equals and even drive conversations and be leaders."
At GW, Maguire left a legacy of success, on and off the court.
Over four seasons, she proved the ideal floor general to complement a talented group under head coach Joe McKeown, piling up 573 assists and 271 steals, both marks that remain among the program's top five all-time. She teamed with high-scoring classmates Tajama Abraham and Lisa Cermignano to help the Colonials earn 103 wins from 1993-1997, including seven NCAA victories.
Last November, the 1996-97 group, which went unbeaten in the Atlantic 10 regular season and then made an extraordinary run to the NCAA Elite 8, became the first team to be inducted into the GW Athletic Hall of Fame.
"We had a lot of just really humble players that bought into the idea that the team needs to succeed, not the individual," said Maguire, who was responsible for shutting down future Olympic sprinter/dynamic point guard Marion Jones in GW's Sweet 16 upset of top-seeded North Carolina that season. "That's a testament to Coach McKeown and the coaching staff. No one person thought they were more important than the other. We just really played well together."
Maguire's work in the classroom set the stage for her success in the business world. She graduated summa cum laude after earning A-10 All-Academic and CoSIDA Academic All-District honors over the course of her career in Buff and Blue.
Looking back, she can appreciate the uniqueness of that balance made possible by the supportive environment in Foggy Bottom.
"It was just a really overall wonderful, family-like community experience," Maguire said. "You felt like you were never alone. You always had someone there to help you out and support you, and we really all succeeded together."
After starting out in public accounting, Maguire later took on leadership roles at a number of companies before scaling back her work schedule to raise her three daughters, Elizabeth, Maggie and Cate, in Moorestown, N.J.
When she was ready to resume working full-time in 2014, the NJSIAA opening seemed like a great fit, a chance to link her past and her future.
"With the timing, it was kind of just meant to be," Maguire said.
Indeed, it's been a rewarding run that has challenged her to learn and grow professionally while supporting a mission that she's passionate about.
"At times, I have to remember that it is my job," Maguire said. "Because it is, most times, pretty fun and pretty interesting. For an accountant by nature to be doing what I'm doing today, it's probably one of the cooler things I could be doing with my degree."
Working in an office with 14 full-time staffers to oversee more than 430 member schools, Maguire has taken full advantage of her opportunities to take on new responsibilities and grow her leadership within the organization.
One rewarding example: She spearheaded the creation of a statewide student-athlete advisory council last school year, allowing her to hear directly from the student-athletes she's supporting and form relationships with them. The first group of seniors through the program graduated last month.
"It's made me realize the importance of understanding our student-athletes in order to move the association forward and provide the best opportunities for them," Maguire said. "Some will go onto college athletics in some capacity but many won't. You see they have these four years only once, so let's try to help them make the best memories possible by creating the best participation opportunities for them."
Maguire's unique background made her the choice to lead the NJSIAA when outgoing executive director Larry White announced his retirement at the beginning of June. The good news brought a wave of messages via text and social media from her friends in the GW community across the globe.
Maguire credits the efforts of head coach Jennifer Rizzotti and the current GW women's basketball staff for helping her reconnect with teammates in recent years.
Despite her busy schedule, Maguire has been able to make it back for a couple of recent alumni weekends, including the one last fall for the Hall of Fame induction as part of Home Opener Weekend.
The steady point guard-turned-trailblazing NJSIAA administrator relished the chance to share her experiences with the current group of Colonials as part of a career panel while also finding time to relive some unforgettable moments with a legendary squad.
"It's been really special to have that connectivity again," Maguire said. "It's always nice to get back down for one of those weekends and pretend we're back in college and be goofy but also have serious conversations about life and where we are today and how meaningful those four years were to getting us where we are today."
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