Bringing Knicks and Rangers History to Life at Madison Square Garden

For MaryGrace “MG” MacAvoy ’19, storytelling has always been about creating connections. Today, as archives coordinator for Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp., she helps preserve and share the history behind two of New York's most celebrated sports franchises: the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

Working within Madison Square Garden's Archive Creative Studio department, MacAvoy manages the archives for both teams and helps develop exhibits and displays throughout the arena. Her work goes beyond preserving artifacts, bringing the teams' history to life through displays that connect fans with memorable athletes, moments and milestones.

“It’s a really exciting time,” she said. “A lot of what I do involves documenting historic moments, preserving records, and working with game-used artifacts that help tell the story of the teams and the Garden.”

Among her recent accomplishments was serving as curator and creative lead for "One Hundred Years As One," an exhibition celebrating the New York Rangers' centennial season. Featuring artifacts spanning a century of Rangers history, the exhibition offered fans an opportunity to explore the franchise's legacy and the moments that have defined it.

MacAvoy also played a role in commemorating the Knicks' historic championship run, helping preserve a milestone that captivated fans across New York and beyond.

As the team advanced through the playoffs and ultimately captured the NBA championship, MacAvoy curated a new permanent exhibit at Madison Square Garden titled "Defining Moments." She selected game-worn jerseys, game-used artifacts and archival imagery to commemorate the team's achievement, leading the project from concept through installation.

Her involvement extended beyond the arena through the Knicks Championship Trophy Tour, which brought the Larry O'Brien Trophy and game-used memorabilia to communities throughout New York City's five boroughs. The multimedia experience gave fans an opportunity to celebrate the championship and engage with the team's history, including those who might not otherwise have the chance to visit Madison Square Garden.

While her career has taken her into the world of professional sports and entertainment, MacAvoy credits Molloy University with helping her discover her passion for visual storytelling and giving her the confidence to pursue an unconventional career path.

A member of the first cohort of Molloy's New Media program in the School of Arts and Sciences, MacAvoy was drawn to the flexibility of its curriculum. The program allowed students to customize their studies through complementary minors and interdisciplinary coursework. She combined her studies in new media with art, design and marketing, developing skills that continue to influence her work today.

“I knew I wanted to tell stories visually, but I didn’t know exactly what form that would take,” she said. “The New Media program gave me the freedom to explore different creative approaches while learning the technology and storytelling skills that could be applied across industries.”

MacAvoy also credits her professors with encouraging her to explore new ideas and approaches to storytelling. Sarah Evans, a professor in Molloy's New Media program, said MacAvoy's career reflects the value of an interdisciplinary education.

“MG’s success is a great example of what happens when natural talent and passion are nurtured and built upon through liberal arts education,” Evans said. “Molloy emphasizes critical inquiry, real-world application, and communication across disciplines to develop graduates who can solve complex problems and adapt to new contexts easily. MG honed these skills to build an impressive career that combines creative storytelling, technology, design, and cultural preservation with incredible finesse. We couldn't be prouder of what she accomplished!”

The multimedia skills MacAvoy developed at Molloy have also played a role in her work beyond traditional archival preservation. She has collaborated with the Rangers' video and social media teams on several digital projects, including the team's centennial season schedule release video, which featured archival artifacts she helped curate.

She also worked on the Rangers' "Players React" social media series, introducing current players to unique pieces from the archives. The projects offered another way to share the team's history, combining archival materials with video production and digital content.

Outside the classroom, MacAvoy gained hands-on experience through MolloyLife Media, where students applied their skills to campus marketing initiatives and other projects. She explored graphic design and content creation, collaborated with fellow students and began building a portfolio that would eventually help her gain admission to Parsons School of Design at the New School. There, she earned a master's degree in curation and exhibition design.

“Molloy allowed me to take what I was learning in class and actually put it into practice,” she said. “I had a camera in my hand, access to industry tools, and opportunities to create work that helped me grow professionally.”

Her time at Molloy was equally meaningful on a personal level. Along with gaining professional experience, MacAvoy formed lifelong friendships and met her future husband.

Looking back, she describes Molloy as “tiny but mighty,” a reflection of the close-knit University community and the opportunities she found by getting involved.

“We always used to say that Molloy may be smaller than some other universities, but the experiences and opportunities are incredible,” she said. “You leave with so much more than a degree.”

From her early projects with MolloyLife Media to curating exhibits at Madison Square Garden, MacAvoy has built a career around the visual storytelling she first explored as a student. Today, as she helps preserve some of the most memorable moments in New York sports history, the creative foundation she developed at Molloy continues to shape her work.