Alum of the Month

September 2013

September 2013
Lauren Hall-Gregory

BA '03


Q & A:

  • What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
    My first “real” job after graduating was as a pharmaceutical sales representative.  The most valuable professional and personal thing I learned was that it was imperative for me to have a career in a field that I believed wholeheartedly in its purpose and mission.  I am someone who needs to be intrinsically connected to my job.
  • What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
    I am a women’s college basketball coach.  Basketball has been a lifelong passion of mine.  In having the opportunity to play basketball for Hofstra University, I learned the importance of a strong community, overcoming adversity, and experiencing success.  My first experience coaching college was as a volunteer coach at St. Mary’s College in Omaha, NE.
  • What advice would you give current Hofstra students?
    Enjoy the present.  College is a great time of your life.  Experience all that you can — get out of your comfort zone. 
  • In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
    Growth. Hofstra provided me the opportunity to have new experiences.  College is a time when you learn to tackle obstacles and celebrate successes —all the while being away from home for the first time.  My teammates were tremendous people who were supportive and loving.  They encouraged me to be me.  My professors in New College preached individual thought and creativity. 
  • How do you balance work and life?
    With my line of work, it is very easy for people to get completely consumed by our job.  There is something that can always be done or done better.  I am very mindful of the balance between work, personal life and my overall well-being.  My family is a priority for me, and I do everything in my power to make sure they get my time and energy.  It is in my daily routine to work out, get rest, and eat well.  In being a Division I athlete and as a professional, there were clearly times when my balance between work and life were out of balance — and the result was never good.  Now I am cognizant of that balance and manage it.
  • How has your job influenced your mentality as a person?
    My job has had a clear influence on my mentality as a person; however I believe, vice versa, my mentality as a person has had more effect on being a coach.  I love to teach and mentor; and that is what being a coach is all about. 
  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where do you see your career progressing to in the future?
    In 10 years, I see myself still coaching at NYU.  This job is a dream job for me.  It allows me to coach wonderful young women, compete at a high level, and have balance in my life.  We are in the process of rebuilding this basketball program.  Therefore, my goal in 10 years is to be a national contender and tradition of success. Another priority for me in the next 10 years is to get married to my partner and have children.
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Lauren Hall-Gregory

Lauren Hall-Gregory (B.A. '03) recently completed her first season as head coach of the New York University women's basketball team. She had three players achieve All Conference Honors (one is the first NYU freshman to win the Rookie of the Year award in the UAA Conference), and the team had a combined  3.3 GPA for the fall semester. Lauren also launched an alumni mentorship program that partners current NYU players with graduates.

Lauren went to NYU after spending the last four seasons as the recruiting coordinator and first assistant coach at Division I Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. In her four years at Sacred Heart, the Pioneers went 87-40 (.685) overall, 57-9 (.864) in the Northeast Conference (NEC), and made two trips to the NCAA Division I Championship. Those NCAA berths came in 2008-09 and 2011-12, with Sacred Heart capturing the second and third NEC titles in program history in those years. After going 25-8 overall and 15-3 in the NEC this past season, the Pioneers ended the year ranked 17th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.

Prior to her time in Fairfield, Lauren spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. The Mountain Hawks reached the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament both years and posted an 18-13 overall record in 2007-08.

Lauren began her coaching career as an assistant at the College of St. Mary's in Omaha, NE, in 2005-06. That year, the Flames advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Division II Tournament.

A 2003 graduate of Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies with a human development focus, Lauren was a three-year starter and three-year captain for the Pride as point guard. She led the America East Conference in assists as a sophomore and was first in the Colonial Athletic Association in assists as a junior. The Pride's MVP her sophomore year, Lauren ended her career fourth in school history in assists (454).

Lauren, who earned a Master of Education in secondary education with a concentration in social studies from Lehigh in 2008, is a native of Vienna, VA, and resides in Ossining, NY.