FDU has finally released their official statement on the hiring of Greg Herenda:

Fairleigh Dickinson University has selected Greg Herenda to lead its men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics David Langford announced Friday.

Herenda was introduced as the seventh head coach in program history Friday at a press conference in the Metro Lounge at Alumni Hall. He comes to FDU after serving as the head coach at UMass Lowell for the past five seasons, where he posted a record of 95-54 (.638) en route to becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach.

“I cannot tell you how excited my family and I are to be coming back to New Jersey and to be the head coach at Fairleigh Dickinson University,” Herenda said. “This is a dream come true. This will be my 30th year of coaching college basketball, and the road has taken me all over the country and the world. It’s incredible that I start my Division I career at home.”

The 52-year-old Herenda, who is a native of North Bergen, N.J. and played for legendary coach Jerome Halligan at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, N.J., has a coaching path that has taken him to the Big East, Conference USA, the Ivy League and the Patriot League though the years, and his teams have won multiple conference championships, as well as appearing in both the NCAA and NIT Tournaments.

“I cannot thank David Langford and (Metropolitan Campus Provost) Dr. Joseph Kiernan, as well as the entire committee that selected me,” Herenda said. “Everyone cares so much about the University and the basketball program.”

“When I was a young boy I saw Al LoBalbo coach at FDU, and I remember just what a legend he was,” Herenda said. “I have known Tom Green for years and all the success he had. Now it is my turn to reenergize the program, and I cannot wait to get to work.”

Herenda took over at UMass Lowell in 2008, inheriting a 12-win squad from the year before. In his first season, he was named the Northeast Conference-10 and NABC East Region Coach of the Year after leading the Division II school to a 21-8 record, which started a stretch of three straight 20-win seasons and four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. During that time, Herenda led UMass Lowell to a NE-10 Tournament title in 2009-10, a semifinal appearance in 2010-11 and another championship game appearance in 2011-12.

Before leading UMass Lowell, Herenda was the head coach at Cabrini College for one season (2007-08), Division III school in Radnor, Pa. While coaching at Cabrini, Herenda doubled as a lead analyst and color commentator for YES Network’s Ivy League basketball telecasts.

Herenda started his head coaching career at Elgin Community College in Elgin. Ill., in 2006. He turned around a six-win team from the previous year into a squad that finished 18-11, won the Skyway Conference championship and reached the Region IV District B Junior College championship game for the first time in school history during his only season at the helm.

In his last three head coaching jobs, Herenda has improved his teams’ win total by an average of 9.33 games in his first year with each of the programs.

Prior to becoming a head coach, Herenda was the associate head coach at East Carolina (2000-05), and an assistant coach at Yale (1997-99), Seton Hall (1994-97), Holy Cross (1989-94), his alma mater Merrimack (1985-89) and UMass Lowell (1983-85).

Herenda returned home to the Garden State in 1994 to become an assistant coach at Seton Hall under Head Coach George Blaney. His three-year stint with the Pirates was highlighted by an NIT appearance in his first season. Herenda also recruited Shaheen Holloway, a former McDonald’s All-America Game Most Valuable Player and a three-time All-Big East selection.

Before making the move to Seton Hall, Herenda was an assistant coach at Holy Cross for five seasons. He helped lead the Crusaders (23-7, 12-2 Patriot League) to the 1993 NCAA Tournament after the team earned an NIT bit in 1990 during his first season.

While an assistant coach at Merrimack (1985-89), Herenda helped guide the Warriors (22-10, 13-5 NE-10) to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Championship in 1989 in his final season.

A four-year player at Merrimack, Herenda still holds the school record for assists in a game (22) and shares the record for the single-season average (9.0). He graduated in 1983 and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing.

Herenda will make the move back home to North Jersey with his wife, Jillene, and his 10-year old son Trey.

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