Hall of Fame
Mary Coleman, a starting forward for the Rutgers-Newark basketball team from 1977-1980, was known for her quickness and explosive jump.
Her coach, Tina Kogut Bertucci, said, “Though she was only about 5’7”, Mary’s impressive vertical jump allowed her to grab many rebounds. It also allowed me to match her up against much taller players.”
Coleman averaged nearly 10 points a game in her four-year varsity starts and posted an impressive 56 percent accuracy mark from the field.
She was also named one of the best defensive players in the league and an outstanding rebounder, averaging nearly 10 rebounds per game. Her coach praised her as a vital part of the team’s full court press, an integral part of the defense. She could analyze situations and make adjustments almost automatically.
Despite daily commuting, helping at home, basketball practice and games, Coleman was a dean’s list student as well as an all-star basketball player.
She currently lives in Union, New Jersey.
