Elon University Athletics and Men’s Basketball Head Coach Billy Taylor announced the addition of Greg Herenda as an assistant coach on the program’s staff.
“I am excited to welcome Greg Herenda, his wife, Jill, and their son, Trey, to our Elon campus community,” Taylor opened. “Coach Herenda brings a wealth of Division I coaching experience to our staff. We look forward to his positive impact and infectious enthusiasm in helping to develop our student-athletes.”
Herenda comes to Elon with an extensive resume of coaching at virtually every level of college basketball. He’s spent the last 16 years as the head coach at various institutions after serving as an assistant coach for 22 years prior.
“I am so very excited to be joining Coach Taylor’s staff here at Elon,” Herenda began. “From the very first day I stepped foot on this gorgeous campus I have felt the family atmosphere and the commitment to success both on and off the floor.”
Most recently, Herenda resurrected the program at Fairleigh Dickinson University by taking the Knights to two NCAA Tournaments in the last six years and earning the program’s first NCAA tournament win in school history. He was named the NABC District Coach of the Year in 2019 for his efforts.
Prior to FDU, Herenda guided UMass Lowell to four NCAA Tournament appearances, compiling an overall record of 95-54. He was named the 2008 NABC District Coach of the Year after leading the program to a NE 10 Championship.
Herenda also brings 22 years of experience as an assistant coach, with stops at Seton Hall, Yale, Holy Cross, East Carolina, UMass Lowell, and his alma mater, Merrimack College.
“Becoming an assistant coach again is extremely exciting for me and I look forward to working with the rest of the staff to support Billy in every way,” Herenda continued. “On top of all that, my son was born in North Carolina while we were at East Carolina and my family is very excited to come back and enjoy this beautiful area. I am very thankful, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Known as a relentless recruiter, Herenda was responsible for signing the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game, Shaheen Holloway, as well as several other 2,000 and 1,000-point scorers throughout his career. Herenda also spent one year coaching professional basketball under President Oscar Robertson in the International Basketball League.
A teacher of the game and a prolific lecturer, Herenda is part of the legendary 5-Star Basketball Camp lineage as a camper, coach, and lecturer. Herenda’s relationship with the legendary Hall of Famer Howard Garfinkel dates back to when he was on the same team as Dominique Wilkins as a camper in 1978.
Off the court, Herenda has worked closely with the Boys and Girls Club of America in Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts and in Hackensack and Lodi, New Jersey. He’s also worked for the YMCA in McHenry County, Illinois and instituted the Y’s first capital campaign. The recipient of the Most Courageous Adult Award by the YMCA in Hackensack, Herenda was named Teaneck’s Man of the Year in 2019. He’s also maintained a very close relationship with the Felician 21 Program, and the Scavengers and Scouting of Newark.
Herenda has been a mainstay on the media side of the business as well, as he was the Ivy League basketball analyst for YES Sports Network in New York City with legendary announcer John Sterling. He also hosted his own radio show (The Greg Herenda Show) for six years while at FDU, having many popular guests on the air including Hubie Brown, Dick Vitale, Jay Wright John Calipari and Jim Rome.
A charismatic and impactful speaker, Herenda is one of the few collegiate coaches to give a commencement address – which he did at FDU’s graduation at MetLife Stadium in 2019.
Herenda comes to Elon with his wife, Jill, and their son, Trey.
Former FDU Head Coach Herenda joins Elon Basketball Staff
Photo Courtesy Elon Athletics
