DETROIT (1/12/2026) -- The University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics has announced that Titan Hall of Famer and former women's basketball standout Mary Cicerone (Lillie) will have her #20 jersey retired during halftime of the women's basketball game against Northern Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 28. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
She is just the second women's basketball player in school history to receive the honor after teammate Cheryl Williams in 2014.
"I was extremely surprised when I received the news," said Cicerone. "I never really thought of awards or honors when it came to my playing or coaching career. I was thinking, there have to be more deserving people, but I was very surprised, and I feel very honored. Thank you, U-D."
The 1982 President's Award winner, Cicerone, earned All-State honors as a junior and senior and was named Detroit Mercy Student-Athlete of the Year after her junior campaign. She held the school's assist record for 20 years with 486, which still ranks third in the Titan record book. She also scored 1,035 points and ranks second in school history with 333 steals.
Cicerone was a standout student-athlete at Coopersville High School and was a three-time All-League standout as a prep.
"I was going to go to Michigan State, and then I went to a camp," said Cicerone. "The assistant coach, Lydia Simms, was at the camp, and she communicated to head coach Sue Kruszewski about me, and they asked me to come down and see me play. It was kind of like an open tryout, and after seeing me play, they offered me a scholarship that was way better than what Michigan State was offering."
Cicerone played in 117 games with 115 starts and helped the Titans to a 95-26 record, three AIAW state championships, and a berth to the AIAW National Tournament. UDM defeated a pair of ranked teams in her time in #3 Kansas and #9 North Carolina State, and frequently beat some of the major programs in the Midwest with a 39-8 record against Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.
"I have to say, it was so exciting to hear about their plans," said Cicerone. "They were telling me about their goals for the program, who they were trying to play, and the recruits they were looking at. I got a chance to play with some really great players, and really, I remember thinking, this is where I want to be; basketball is important here. We got a chance to play in the main arena with the men, not just the intramural team-building, like some other programs. Their goal was to make the program really special and the best in the state."
After graduating, she was a decorated high school coach for 38 years at Bloomfield Hills Marian, where she posted a record of 707-233, the fourth-winningest coach in Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) girls basketball history, and the winningest female head coach.
"I think I knew when I was in high school that I wanted to go into coaching. It was such a part of my life, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to continue it," added Cicerone.
Under her leadership, the Mustangs won six Class A state championships (1988, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2015) and reached the MHSAA semifinals seven times. Her teams also won 19 Catholic High School League (CHSL) championships and 20 overall Central Division league titles.
"I learned so much from the coaches at U-D. The level of competition and the practices, drills, and intensity were so incredible, and I really took a lot from them into my early years of coaching," said Cicerone. "I was trying to make my way early on. I struggled as a young coach getting some wins, and after a couple of years, it just took off. I took my lumps, but that really helped me learn how to be a better coach."
Coach Cicerone received the MHSAA Women in Sports Leadership Award and the CHSL's Ed Lauer Person of the Year Award. She has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame for the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan, Catholic High School League, Grand Rapids Sports, and Marian High School.
"The girls today have so many choices when it comes to sports; it is great. We barely had one, maybe two, with basketball and track when I was in high school. They have so many opportunities. I raised a daughter, and she had so many opportunities and chances. I guess you can say my generation was the pioneers that got it going, but it is just great for the kids today and what they have," said Cicerone.
Cicerone leaves a legacy on the court and on the sideline. With all the wins, championships, and awards, she still remembers what it meant to make the journey across the state to the Motor City.
"Coming from little Coppersville to Detroit was a huge move for me," said Cicerone. "I have nothing but fond memories of my time at U-D. I just remember all the good memories, the professors, that's where I met my husband. We were the big dogs in the state, but what I remember most is the camaraderie and celebration with the team after those games. We were close and just going through all the hard practices, and then winning and celebrating is a special feeling to have with your teammates."
