Women’s recruit: Owen J. Roberts goalie Gregory will have World Cup champion Oliver as coach at Duquesne

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/21/09

Owen J. Roberts rising senior goalie Kristen Gregory has given a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at Duquesne University.

And when she arrives at the Pittsburgh campus in a year, Gregory will already be familiar with one of her coaches – a local standout who is now on top of the lacrosse world.

The Duquesne defensive coordinator and pseudo goalie coach is Pottstown graduate Gina Oliver. Oliver was named to the All-World team by starring for the U.S. squad, which edged defending champion Australia for the World Cup championship at Prague, Czech Republic in June.

Oliver also works at 380 Lacrosse in Pottstown, where Gregory trains.

“I met her when I went up to Duquesne for junior day last winter,” said Gregory, who credits the coaches at 380 Lacrosse for a lot of her progress. “I played at their camp and I worked with her at the 380 camp. It will be nice to have someone from the area as my coach.”

Gregory has not chosen a major, but plans to pursue occupational therapy and work with children with disabilities.

Gregory has patiently waited her turn at Owen J. Roberts, serving as the JV goalie the past three years after just being introduced to the position as a freshman.

“I started playing goalie my freshman year six weeks into the season because of a knee injury,” she said. “I had played goalie in soccer, so it was not that hard to get into it. It’s just more padding and a smaller ball. It wasn’t that bad.

“It’s just fun because you’re the last person that can save your team.”

Gregory got noticed by Duquesne while playing club ball for the Phantastix. She went to the Club National Championship Tournament last summer and was named to the all-tournament team.

Gregory, an Honors student, also was a member of the Philly 4 team at the Women’s Division national Tournament in May.

She has high hopes for OJR in 2010.

“I am looking forward to team bonding and going for the PAC-10 championship,” she said. “We have a lot of people that played three years on JV as well as younger girls that are coming up.”

Seniors can sign a National Letter of Intent beginning Nov. 11. The early signing period ends Nov. 18.