Temple women’s basketball head coach Tonya Cardoza became the program’s all-time winningest coach in dramatic fashion, as the Owls topped Memphis, 73-67, in overtime on the road on Sunday night. The win, the fifth-straight for the Owls, improves the team to 9-3 overall, starting 1-0 in conference play. Memphis dips to 7-7 overall, 0-1 in The American.
Cardoza passed Dawn Staley (2000-08) with her 173rd victory in cherry and white and is now 173-104 in her ninth season as Temple’s head coach.
“Obviously I’m happy to break the record, but again, if it wasn’t for Dawn [Staley], I wouldn’t be in this position,” explained Cardoza. “She helped me get the job, we went to college together, we’re the best of friends, so without her, it wouldn’t be possible. Without Geno [Aurigemma] this isn’t possible either. But more importantly, without the players and my coaching staff, it wouldn’t be possible. They’re the ones that go out and do it every single day — it’s their record. I’m just the one that gets to stand out in front of everyone and get acknowledged for the success.”
Before becoming the head coach at Temple, Cardoza spent 14 years as assistant coach at the University of Connecticut under Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma, a tenure in which she helped the Huskies to five National Championships.
Photo Courtesy Temple Athletics
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