The inspirational story of the women’s basketball team from a small Catholic college that soared to fame in the 1970s is the basis of The Mighty Macs, a family-friendly film that debuts today.

The film is based on the story of Cathy Rush, head coach at the all-women’s Immaculate College in Philadelphia who led her team to become the first women’s basketball team to win the national title. Said to be ahead of her time, the newly married Rush was not afraid to do the hard work required to get her fledgling team ready for the 1971-72 season which was the first time a women’s basketball championship was held in U.S. collegiate sports.

Thanks to the support of the Immaculate Heart nuns at the college and her own indomitable spirit, Rush was able to transform her team from barely making the tournament to becoming the first dynasty in their game. As a result, Cathy Rush was immortalized when she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Starring Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush and David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush, Marley Shelton plays the spunky Sister Sunday and Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn is Mother St. John.

The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film’s executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters who run Immaculata College are portrayed as major characters in the film.

“We gave the sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary final approval of the script,” director Tim Chambers told the Catholic News Agency (CNA). “So in many ways, they collaborated with us to tell a story that just had a values-based infrastructure.”

Chambers set out to create an inspiring sports film for girls but one that appealed to all ages and was faith- and family-friendly. The film was given a “G” rating by the Motion Picture Association of America.

Chambers made it a point to “not to be too preachy” with the film. “For me as a Catholic, I’d rather people evaluate me on how I act rather than what I say,” he said.

Theresa Shank Grentz, an original member of the winning Mighty Mac’s basketball team, said that the story of the Mighty Macs was overshadowed by God’s guidance.

“There was a lot of Divine Providence from the beginning,” she told CNA.

Grentz and the other members of the original Mighty Macs struck up a “virtuous friendship” during their days at Immaculata that has remained with them to this day.

“A virtuous friendship is built upon the cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude,” she said. “That is going to last. And that’s what happened here.”

“We made each other better,” she added.

Grentz also praised the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary during her college years.

“They were a big part of our lives,” she said. “They formed us.”

Sister Marian William Hoben, 88, taught at Immaculata during the era of the Mighty Macs and had nothing but good things to say about the movie.

“I can’t think of anybody that wouldn’t gain something from it,” she said. “I think that is such a great movie.”

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