Springfield College women’s basketball coach Naomi Graves will be retiring following the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic year.
Graves, who is also an associate professor of physical education, has been with the Pride for more 35 years and has compiled one of the most decorated coaching resumes in college women’s basketball in her 41 years total behind the sidelines.
Graves is 12th all time in career wins (616), is the lone Springfield College coach to ever surpass 100 wins and is just the 99th coach ever, across all three divisions, to win 600 or more games.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Springfield College,” Graves said. “It was a dream of mine to be a teacher/coach at this institution and I am so grateful to have worked with so many student-athletes, staff and coaches. I leave the Springfield College Community with such gratitude.”
The Pride have won six conference championships, six regular-season conference crowns and had eight NCAA Tournament appearances under Graves’ leadership.
“For 35 years, Coach Graves excelled at her craft on Alden Street. The imprint she leaves behind on women’s basketball at Springfield College will be everlasting,” Executive Director of Athletics Dr. Craig Poisson said. “Beyond her national accolades and her postseason successes, Naomi also made her mark in the classroom as a consummate teacher-coach, impacting the lives of hundreds of students in addition to our student-athletes on the hardwood. I am grateful for Coach Graves’ longevity on the coaching staff and I wish her the best in retirement.”
Graves was an All-American athlete at Hampshire Regional before her coaching career took off, helping the Raiders to four state championships. Graves won three MVP Awards at the Western Massachusetts State Tournament and as a senior, Graves averaged 23 points and 17 rebounds a game, en route to an All-American honor.
Prior to coaching the Pride, Graves spent six seasons at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.