Andy McGovern, who was Temple's first full-time women's basketball coach, produced the Owls' first winning season of the modern era with a 14–10 mark in the 1979–80 season. Prior to the 1980–81 season, Temple named Linda MacDonald as its second full-time head coach and began the process of national recruiting and scheduling. By the 1988–89 season, MacDonald had produced the Owls' first team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. In the 1983–84 campaign, Marilyn Stephens was named to the Kodak All-America team.