Story Courtesy: Aaron Morse, Bates Athletics
Bates women’s basketball’s all-time leading scorer is returning to campus. Meghan Graff ’23 is the program’s newest assistant coach, as announced Monday by head coach Alison Montgomery.
“The opportunity to coach with Meg in the program that she had such an integral role in helping build is a dream,” Montgomery said. “As a player, Meg elevated our program with uncommon basketball IQ, relentless competitiveness, and a championship mindset. We are lucky to welcome Meg back to the Bates sideline as we embark on another season of chasing excellence. Her former role in our program allows for a seamless transition with our coaching staff and our team. We are so grateful that our program and the Bates community gets another opportunity to be represented by Meg Graff!”
Originally from South Portland, Maine, Graff scored 1,645 career points during her time as a Bobcat, the most in program history and the fifth-most in the history of the NESCAC.
The 2021-22 NESCAC Player of the Year, Graff led the Bobcats to the program’s first conference title that season as a junior on her way to being named a D3hoops.com Second Team All-American.
“I couldn’t be more grateful and excited to join the coaching staff at Bates,” Graff said. “It is a surreal feeling to come back after being part of this program as a player. This team is a competitive group of women and I am thrilled that I get the chance to coach and mentor them! I am looking forward to the start of the season and coaching alongside coach Montgomery who has been a mentor to me since I first came to Bates.”
A two-time team captain at Bates, Graff has jumped into the coaching world since graduating in 2023, having served as an assistant coach at Saint Joseph’s in 2025-26. The Monks finished the season with an overall record of 17-11 and a 10-2 mark in Great Northeast Athletic Conference play. She has also coached with XLP, a Maine-based AAU program focused on holistic player development. There, she has been instrumental in mentoring young athletes and preparing them for collegiate competition, while also emphasizing leadership and personal growth on and off the court.
Graff is joining the reigning NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year, as Montgomery, Jackie Luckhardt, Mike Seltzer, and Jack Stannard led Bates to the program’s second NESCAC title in 2025-26 and a spot in the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Championship tournament. Graff fills Seltzer’s spot on the coaching staff as he stepped away to spend more time with his family. Seltzer spent the past decade on the Bates bench as a key member of the coaching staff, helping Bates win a pair of NESCAC titles to go along with four appearances in the NCAA tournament.
The Bobcats open the 2026-27 campaign on Friday, November 13 at 7 p.m. when they host Pomona-Pitzer in Underhill Arena.
Tagged with: D3 NESCAC
