After taking Binghamton women’s basketball to its first home playoff victory since 2020, its first postseason tournament since 2018, and just its third 20-win season in program history, the Pipe Dream Sports Desk has selected Mary Grimes as the 2025-26 Coach of the Year.

Grimes’ journey to the helm of Binghamton women’s basketball began in 1999, when she began her career as a four-year athlete on Siena College’s women’s basketball team. Playing for Siena, she made an NCAA tournament appearance in 2001. Her coaching career began as an assistant coach at Le Moyne following her graduation in 2003, before she spent five years at Syracuse, where she recruited the No. 8 class in the nation in 2009.

Grimes also spent six years as an assistant coach at the University of Albany, where the Great Danes claimed the America East Conference Championship five consecutive years. Her final stop before Binghamton was a return to Le Moyne, where she took over as head coach while leading the Dolphins through a transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.

With two seasons of head coaching experience at the Division I level, Grimes became Binghamton’s head coach for the 2024-25 season. In her first season, Grimes improved the Bearcats’ record from 15-15 to 17-14, although their season came to a close with a 66-63 loss in the AE Quarterfinals to Bryant.

In her second campaign, the Bearcats opened the 2025-26 season with an 8-5 record in conference play before beginning 2026 with a 9-1 record in conference play. Binghamton managed another playoff appearance, earning the No. 3 seed in the AE Conference Championship, as Grimes led the Bearcats over No. 6-seeded Bryant in the quarterfinals in a nail-biting 45-44 buzzer-beating home victory. Although Binghamton’s AE slate came to a close with a loss in the semifinals, the Bearcats’ season continued following an invitation to the Women’s National Invitational Tournament.

Binghamton dominated the opening round of the WNIT, outscoring Mercyhurst in all four quarters during an 81-60 victory, but the season officially came to a close in the second round with a 70-61 loss to La Salle after the Bearcats were outscored 19-9 in the final period of play.

Following the season, several Bearcats saw recognition in the AE Conference awards as junior forwards Kendall Bennett and guard Bella Pucci were named to the AE All-Conference Second Team, while Kendall Bennett was also named to the AE All-Defensive Team and freshman guard Carletta Bennett made the AE All-Rookie Team.

Despite falling just two games short of its first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, we feel the growth demonstrated by Grimes in assembling and maximizing squads capable of regular and postseason success bodes well for her future with the Bearcats, and we hope to follow her as she continues to strive for success within the program.