Wheaton College Athletics

Joining the Women’s Physical Education Department to teach team sports to freshmen, Martha (Cole) Baptista was appointed head coach of the newly-formed women’s varsity basketball team in 1960. Her teams compiled a 77-17 record, the .819 winning percentage still the best of any coach with at least five years at the helm. The 1967-68 squad posted a perfect 11-0 mark, still the only unbeaten basketball season in Wheaton history, including a 42-40 upset of the University of Iowa, considered one of the stronger teams in the nation. Under Martha’s leadership the Crusaders won 11 of their 13 contests against Division I schools in nine years, including the universities of Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and DePaul.