Swarthmore College Women's Basketball

Dawn Grant enters her fifth season as the Head Coach of the Swarthmore College Women’s Basketball team in 2025-26. Grant took over the program on an interim basis in 2021-22 before taking on the role for good in 2022-23. In 2023-24, Grant guided the Garnet back to the Centennial Tournament for the first time since 2020. In her first season, Grant led the Garnet to their first winning record since 2013-14, posting a 14-11 mark. The squad's 14 wins also marked the second-highest, single-season win total for the program in the past decade. The highlight of the season for Grant and her squad came against No. 22 University of Mary Washington. The Garnet knocked off the nationally-ranked Eagles, 65-60, for the team's first nationally-ranked victory in program history. Grant, a 1989 graduate of The City College of New York, spent the 2019-20 season as head coach at Delaware County Community College. Inducted in the CCNY Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997, Grant helped the women’s basketball program to the CUNY Athletic Conference Championships in 1987 and 1989. A long-time mathematics teacher in the East Ramapo Central School District, she served as the head girls varsity basketball coach at Spring Valley High School and spent some time as the head boys basketball modified coach at Pomona Middle School. Grant spent 13 years as the program administrator and AAU Coach in the New Jersey Sparks Athletic Club. Over the years, she coached and helped develop the basketball skills for the members of the 15U EYBL, 16U NIKE and 17U EYBL programs. In 2011, Grant received the Rockland County Coaches Association Achievement Award. She was also named the New York State Section 1 Coach of the Year and PSAL Section One Girls Varsity Basketball Coach of the Year in 2008. At CCNY, Grant received a Bachelors in Management and Administration (1989) and a Master in Secondary Education Mathematics (1997). In 2006, she graduated from Long Island University with a Masters in Educational Administration. Grant resides in Delaware with her husband, James. Coaching Record Team Season W-L Win % Conf. W-L Conf. % Postseason Swarthmore 2021-22 (interim) 14-11 .560 10-10 .500 Swarthmore 2022-23 11-14 .440 9-11 .450 Swarthmore 2023-24 12-14 .462 10-10 .500 Centennial First Round Swarthmore 2024-25 8-17 .320 3-12 .200 Total 4 seasons 45-56 .446 32-43 .427

Lawson (nee Bryson) joined the women's basketball staff as the program's first full-time assistant coach in the summer of 2022 after spending three seasons as an assistant at Goldey-Beacom College. During her time in Pike Creek, Lawson served as the top assistant while focusing on the development and mentorship of post players.  On the court, Lawson established herself as one of the greatest players in the history of Goldey-Beacom athletics. The forward started 110 games over a four-year career with the Lightning while averaging 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Lawson averaged a double-double in points and rebounds during her sophomore and junior campaigns. She also surpassed 100 offensive rebounds in both seasons.  Lawson currently ranks third in program history with 1482 points and finished second in rebounding with 1071 during her career. She is the only player in program history to amass over 1000 points, 1000 rebounds and 200 blocks. Lawson earned three All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference selections during her career.

Daniel Walsh joined the women's basketball staff as an assistant coach in 2022 after a decorated basketball career at Wilmington University.  While a member of the Wildcats, Walsh totaled 1,264 career points to become the sixth player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point milestone. During his four-year career, the guard averaged 11.0 points per game with 2.2 assists and 2.2 rebounds. As a senior, Walsh averaged 14.3 points per game as he went on to earn Third-team All-CACC recognition.