The following was printed on Sr. Mary Alice Murnen's HOF
plaque:
Sr. Mary Alice Murnen can best be described as the “matron
Saint” of Siena Heights athletics as a basketball coach and
administrator in the early years of athletics at the college.
Murnen became the school’s first-ever women’s
basketball coach in 1974 and coached the Saints for nine
seasons. Murnen’s teams won 101 games in those early
days of Siena Heights women’s basketball, and her 1978-79
team stills ranks as the school’s most successful ever with a
27-2 record. She was a pioneer and advocate for women’s
athletics at Siena Heights who lived her faith and deftly served as
a senior women’s administrator before that position or term
existed in collegiate athletics.
