A New Chapter for Columbia Basketball
Megan Griffith, the Lavine Family Head Coach of Women's Basketball at Columbia University, has been appointed as a court coach for the USA Basketball U18 National Team Trials, which will take place in Colorado Springs this spring. The trials are designed to select a 12‑member team that will compete in the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup in Mexico.
Griffith arrives with an impressive résumé: she is the all‑time winningest coach in Columbia history, compiling a 171‑99 record over nine seasons, and over the past five years her teams have averaged 25 victories while posting a .781 overall winning percentage. Her recent squads have earned multiple postseason berths, including a 25‑8 record that captured the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament title and a historic first NCAA Tournament victory over Washington, 63‑60, in the 2024‑25 season.
The achievement is underscored by a collection of coaching honors, including Ivy League Coach of the Year and Maggie Dixon Met Coach of the Year, reflecting her impact on the program and the broader collegiate landscape.
The trials will assess athletes from the high school graduating classes of 2026, 2027 and 2028, with the ultimate goal of naming a 12‑player roster for the 2026 FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup in Mexico. Griffith’s role will involve direct evaluation of prospects on the practice court, bringing her strategic acumen to the national staff.
Her appointment highlights Columbia’s growing influence in college basketball and illustrates how the university’s coaching excellence feeds into the pipeline of talent that USA Basketball continues to develop.