Former OCC Women's Soccer Coach Peggy Graham Matthews Mourned

Margaret "Peggy" Graham Matthews, a Brick Township High School graduate who coached the women's soccer team at Ocean County College to three regional championships and took the Rider University women's soccer team to the conference final, passed away Jan. 1 at home surrounded by family after a battle with cancer. She was 55.

Visitation and funeral services are Monday and Tuesday, according to her obituary on the Colonial Funeral Home website.

Peggy started her soccer coaching career at Brick Memorial High School before becoming the head coach of the Ocean County College women's soccer team. During her tenure from 1994 to 1998, she steered the Vikings to a 69-9 record. During that time OCC won three regional championships and reached as high as third in the National Junior College Athletics Association national tournament. The team also won a sportsmanship award at the NJCAA national championships.

Her success at OCC earned her the Region 19 Coach of the Year and Garden State Athletic Conference Coach of Year awards four times each, and she was runner-up for NSCAA National Coach of the Year. She also received the Shore Conference Officials Sportsmanship Award.

She was inducted into the Ocean County College Viking Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 2011 for her coaching accomplishments.

"Peggy remained a friend and loyal supporter of OCC Athletics long past her coaching days for the Vikings," the college said on its website. "We will greatly miss her, and offer condolences to her family."

Following her tenure with the Vikings, Peggy became just the second women's soccer coach at Rider University, heading the Broncs' program from 1999-2002, leading Rider to a 2002 MAAC Championship runner-up finish, two MAAC Championship berths and a 3-1-1 record in the tournament.

She retired from her collegiate coaching career to focus her time on family. Coach Peg then brought her talents to St. Joseph's Grade School, where she coached the girls middle school basketball team to a 2008 Run for the Roses championship. Coach Peg also started the St. Joseph's grade school soccer program. She followed up her St. Joseph's coaching days by coaching soccer at coaching at Monsignor Donovan High School and Manasquan High School. Coach Peg was also very proud of their family business, Graham Family Soccer Training.

Peggy was raised in Brick Township and moved to Toms River 30 years ago. She was a 1981 graduate of Brick Township High School, where she was one of the leaders on the girls soccer team. She went on to play at Springfield College in Massachusetts before returning to her Jersey Shore roots. Peggy was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Toms River.

She is predeceased by her mother, Lillian Graham, in 2006. Surviving are two sons. Graham Matthews and his fiancée, Mara Danoski of North Carolina; and Shamus Matthews of Toms River. She is also survived by her father, Donald Graham of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and her sister, Patty Maldjin and her husband, Peter, of Brielle. She also leaves behind her beloved dog Fancy.

Viewing hours will be held on Monday, January 7, 2019, from 2-4 p.m and 6-8 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home, 2170 Route 88, Brick. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Toms River. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Brielle. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.colonialfuneralgroup.com

Note: This article hase been updated with further information from her obituary.

Photo via Ocean County College