The 1980s marked decade of success for Millersville women's basketball during
Debra Schlegel's tenure as Marauder mentor. She paced the Black & Gold to a 156-95 record over 10 seasons (second-highest win total in club history).
But Schlegel attained prominence when she led Millersville to the 1981-82 AIAW Division III Final Four and a 20-11 record—the first Marauder women's cage squad to reach that win milestone. The '81-'82 Marauders won four hard-fought regional games, including a 69-66 regional final decision over Kean, and added respective national tourney first and second round conquests over St. Thomas Aquinas and Knoxville to advance to the national semifinals in Iowa. The Marauders finished fourth in the nation—their highest national tourney finish ever.
Fueled by their success that year, the Marauders went on to claim PSAC tournament championships in 1984 (69-54 “State Game” win over Shippensburg) and 1987 (56-55 “State Game” conquest of Lock Haven). Both the '84 and '87 squads earned automatic qualification to the NCAA-II tournament. The '87 club came ever-so-close to claiming an East Region title but was denied by host Pitt-Johnstown in a 59-58 thriller.
Schlegel tallied eight winning seasons at MU, including 19-7 and 18-8 marks during the Marauders' PSAC championship campaigns in '84 and '87. Her 1982-83 squad posted a 17-4 record for an 81 percent win ratio—the fourth-best mark in the program's seven decades.
Under her guidance, four MU Athletic Hall of Famers--Amy Gipprich '84, Shelly Bowie Bryant '85, Peg Kauffman '87, and Karen Armold Granzow '89—enjoyed exceptional collegiate careers at the ‘Ville. Another prominent competitor whom Schlegel coached was standout forward Darlene Newman '84, who has been assistant coach for the MU women's basketball program the past 12 years.
Schlegel served as head coach at the United States Naval Academy for three seasons (1991-94, the first years the Midshipmen competed in NCAA Division I). From 1996 to 2001, she served as head coach of the girls' varsity program at Manheim Township High School. Today, she is a health and physical education teacher at Manheim Township.
