Hall of Fame Coach Barbara Stevens Announces Retirement

Following a remarkable 44-year coaching career that included 1,058 wins and the 2014 NCAA Division II national championship and culminated with the announcement of her selection into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Coach Barbara Stevens announced her retirement, effective July 31.

Stevens, whose induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spent the last 34 years at Bentley, with her tenure on the Falcon bench including a 901-200 record, 31 NCAA Division II tournament appearances and 14 regional championships.

“This is a bittersweet time for me,” said Stevens. “I am stepping away from a profession that has been my life’s work and passion for 44 years. It has been an incredible honor to serve as the women’s basketball coach at Bentley University for the last 34 years. I have been blessed to coach so many incredible young women who were champions on and off the court.

“My utmost gratitude goes to our longtime Athletic Director Bob DeFelice and Vice President for Student Affairs Andrew Shepardson for their unwavering support of our program’s pursuit of excellence. Throughout my tenure as Bentley’s head coach, I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with a number of talented assistant coaches. Associate Head Coach Carolyn White has worked with me for half of my Bentley career, and I cannot thank her enough for all she has done for our program.”

“As spectacular as her record is, her impact on her players was far greater,” said DeFelice. “Coach Stevens, her teams and Bentley University was a love affair that will last forever.”

Coach Stevens’ impact on her teams was recognized frequently throughout her career. She was named the Division II National Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association five times and Northeast-10 Coach of the Year an impressive 16 times. In 2002, she was presented with the prestigious Carol Eckman Award, which recognizes coaches for their dedication to promoting ethical behavior in student-athletes. That commitment has contributed to the positive culture of Bentley athletics and helped the university to regularly achieve high NCAA academic success ratings.

“Coach Stevens has long been a leader on our campus and a mentor for generations of student-athletes,” said Shepardson. “The program that she has created will ensure that her legacy of success on and off the court continues at Bentley. While we are saddened to see Coach Stevens go, we know that she will forever be a part of the Falcon family.”