Coaching Experiences
Assistant Coach, Fairleigh Dickinson University (2019-Present) - 2nd season
Fairleigh Dickinson University and head coach Angelika Szumilo announced the addition of Lauren Holden to the women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach in June 2019.
In her first season in Teaneck, Holden helped the Knights win the first NEC Tournament Game since 1992 with a 57-43 win over Bryant. The Knights earned the three seed in the NEC Tournament with a 9-9 regular season conference record and hosted the first home game since 1997. FDU improved its win total by five-games from the 2018-2019 campaign with a 13-17 overall record.
Holden worked with the Knights guard group and helped Rachael Niles improve her scoring average by over five points, which earned the point guard the NEC's Most Improved Player. The Knights hit a program-best 197 threes in the 2019-2020 campaign.
Holden came to FDU after finishing out her playing career at Fordham under Szumilo’s guidance. The guard concluded her career with over 1,000 points scored and an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship this past season.
“I am very excited to have Lauren join our coaching staff,” Coach Szumilo said. “She was a four-year starting point guard and a two-year team captain at Fordham. Her work ethic, competiveness, positive energy and winning mindset day in and day out will be contagious. She will be a great role model and mentor to all of our guards, especially point guards.”
Holden started 117 of 132 games played at Fordham and was team captain her junior and senior seasons. She was named the South Jersey College Player of the Year this past season, averaging 9.0 points per game and 2.5 assists per game. She ended the year third in scoring and second in assists for a Rams team that finished 25-9 and won the A10 title. Holden also led all of Division I in minutes played per game with an average of 38.6 in 34 games (1,311 total minutes).
As a junior, Holden averaged 10.6 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting .367 from the field and .366 from three-point range. She finished her four years with 1,141 points, 16th all-time at Fordham, and she also ranks third in program history with 213 made three-pointers. Holden also recorded 286 assists, 253 rebounds and 50 steals in her four years with the Rams.
Holden was also recognized for her academic achievements at Fordham, earning A10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and ECAC Academic Honor Roll in each of her four years. She was also a A10 Conference Summit Leadership Academy attendee and served in Fordham’s Leadership Academy starting her freshman year. She graduated from Fordham with a degree in communications and media studies.
The Cape May, N.J., native arrived at Fordham after finishing as the all-time leading scorer at Lower Cape May Regional. In her senior season, she led the Tigers to the South Jersey Group 2 title while earning South Jersey High School Player of the Year and Third Team All-State accolades.
Holden has served as a counselor at her high school’s youth basketball camp since 2014 and has also worked at the Coach Gaitley Basketball Team Camp since 2015.
