Kerry Phayre, Rhode Island/Massachusetts- 2025
Kerry Phayre has dedicated more than 40 years to advancing opportunities for girls and women in athletics, building a legacy as one of the most respected women’s basketball coaches in New England. Currently the head women’s basketball coach at Assumption University (MA), Phayre has spent 42 years coaching at the collegiate level, with stops at the University of Vermont, St. John’s University, Boston College, and Columbia University before arriving at Assumption. Now entering her 30th season with the Greyhounds, she has become the winningest coach – male or female – in any sport at the university, amassing a remarkable 493 career victories.
Phayre’s teams have consistently achieved success on the national stage, making 10 NCAA Tournament appearances between 2000 and 2025. In 2023, she guided Assumption’s basketball program to its first-ever trip to the Elite Eight, a historic milestone for the school. Beyond wins and accolades, Phayre has built her program on academic excellence and character, achieving a 100% graduation rate for every player who has stayed with the program for four years.
A standout point guard at Providence College, Phayre set the foundation for her coaching career as a leader and competitor with the Friars. She was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, a reflection of her achievements both as a player and a coach. In Worcester, she has become a role model and mentor for countless young women, not only guiding her players but also contributing to the community through service initiatives that use basketball as a tool for empowerment and growth.
Coach Phayre’s career has been defined by more than just victories. She has been a tireless advocate for women in sports, consistently working to open doors and elevate opportunities for female athletes at every level. Her commitment, influence, and passion have helped move girls’ and women’s athletics forward for more than four decades. Her induction into the New Agenda-Northeast Hall of Fame is a fitting recognition of her extraordinary career and her lasting impact on the sport of basketball and the lives of the women she has coached.