For the First Time Ever in D1, a Married Couple Just Took Over Both Basketball Programs at Vermont

Holy Cross coach Maureen Magarity is heading to the University of Vermont, and she's not going there alone. Her husband, John Becker, has been running Vermont's men's basketball program since 2011. Now they're about to make history together: the first married couple to lead both a school's men's and women's teams at the Division I level.

Vermont announced the hire Monday, just days after the program's previous women's coach, Alisa Kresga, announced she was leaving for Richmond. This wasn't some random move either. Magarity had already been living in Burlington for two years with her husband, and she's been watching this program up close the entire time. She knows what she's walking into.

What Magarity Brings to Burlington

At Holy Cross, Magarity was a force. She went 72-41 overall and led the Crusaders to back-to-back Patriot League tournament titles with automatic NCAA tournament berths in 2023 and 2024. Those weren't flukey runs either, those were consecutive years of excellence. Before that, she played college ball herself, a standout at Boston College and Marist.

When she left Holy Cross in 2024, she cited "family reasons," but she wasn't shy about what she'd built there. "What we accomplished these four years at Holy Cross," Magarity said at the time. "I still have to pinch myself. It's the most incredible run I ever could have dreamed of."

How This Whole Thing Came Together

Vermont's opening happened because of a domino effect nobody saw coming. Virginia fired women's head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (who had just led the Cavaliers to the Sweet 16), and Richmond's Aaron Roussell bolted for that Virginia job. That left Richmond needing a coach, and Vermont's Kresga, the winningest women's basketball coach in school history, took that job Saturday. By Monday, Vermont had Magarity signed.

In her official statement, Magarity made it clear she understands the stakes. "I'm honored," she said. "I'm so thankful to athletic director Jeff Schulman for his belief in me. Over the past couple of years, I've fallen in love with this program. Coach Kresga has done an incredible job restoring a championship culture and I will work tirelessly to maintain the standards that have been established here."

Becker has been Vermont's men's coach for over a decade and has taken the team to six NCAA tournament appearances. Now they're doing this together. The couple got engaged in 2023 (Becker posted on Instagram: "She said yes!") and married last year. Same city, same school, same mission.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.