Sue McGrath-Powell
Been with SPIRE since March 2013
Hometown: North Haven, Connecticut
Title: Director of Student/Academic Services
Bio: Sue McGrath-Powell, whose 26-year tenure as head coach of the University of Delaware women’s cross country and track and field teams was one of the longest in UD women’s athletics history. A native of Connecticut, McGrath-Powell enjoyed success with her teams, not only in the athletic arena, but in the classroom. Including two-time Academic All-American Alison Farrance, a University of Delaware summa cum laude honors graduate who received the 1986 Warner Award as Outstanding Senior Woman. Her Cross Country and Track and Field teams were consistently named Academic All-American teams for posting a team GPA of over a 3.0.
Her squads captured 10 conference team titles, she coached 80+ conference individual and relay champions, and 13 of her athletes earned conference scholar-athlete of the year honors. McGrath-Powell posted an 81-29 dual meet record in cross country, a 129-50 mark in indoor track and field, and a 34-14 record for outdoor track and field during her career and was honored three times as conference coach of the year for cross country. During her tenure at Delaware, McGrath-Powell guided her cross-country squads to three conference championships, while her indoor and outdoor track and field teams captured four and three conference titles respectively. In addition, her teams finished second at the conference meet 10 times and third 12 other times.
Among her 80-conference individual and relay champions were two-time Academic All-American Alison Farrance, UD Athletics Hall of Fame members Candy Cashell, Jody Campbell, and Dionne Jones, and 13 conference scholar-athletes of the year. Cashell was an NCAA All-American high jumper. Campbell earned NCAA All-American honors as a distance runner, and Jones won a school-record 15 conference individual and relay titles as a sprinter. McGrath-Powell was also an officer and member of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, US Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association and a member of the NCAA Track and Field Committee and Rules Committee. She was Chair of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships during her time on the NCAA Committee.
Education and Accreditations
- Bachelor of Science from Southern Connecticut State University
- Master of Education from State University of New York at Buffalo
- Additional Coursework
- 15 Graduate credits in Exercise Physiology Eastern Kentucky University
- 30 Graduate Credits in Educational Leadership
- 9 Graduate Credits in Guidance Counseling
Experience (Coaching and Playing)
- Playing Experience HS – 3 years Basketball and Track and Field (Coaching And Playing)
- Playing Experience College – 4 years Track and Field, 3 years Volleyball and 2 years Basketball
- Coaching Experience JHS/HS – 3 years as Head Coach of Track and Field, Basketball (JV) and Volleyball (JHS and HS)
- Coaching Experience College – University of Delaware 26 years Head Coach of Track and Field and 1-year Hanover College (Indiana) Head Coach of Volleyball
