Hempstead, NY – Hofstra University Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach Vince Giambanco announced the appointment of former collegiate standout Laura Cummings as the Pride's assistant men's and women's cross country coach.

Cummings, a native of Bay Shore, NY, comes to Hofstra after serving as Head Cross Country Coach/Assistant Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Coach at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, NY since 2015. Prior to her stint at Calhoun High School, she served as Head Cross Country Coach at Manhassett (NY) High School from 2011 through 2014 as well as the Assistant Track and Field Coach at Manhassett from 2010-2013.

Cummings was a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier, running on the cross country team at the University of North Carolina in 2005 and 2006 before finishing up her collegiate career with two seasons at the University at Albany. At UNC as a freshman in 2005, she was the third Tar Heel finisher, placing 29^th overall in 22:47 at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship. She also was the sixth UNC runner and 60^th overall in 22:03 in the NCAA Southeast Regional as well as the 210^th overall in 22:12 in the NCAA Championship. A year later, she was fourth on the Tar Heels and 44^th overall in 22:47 at the ACC Championship and seventh on the team and 243^rd overall in 24:07 at the NCAA Championship.

Cummings transferred to Albany for her junior year in 2007 and began her Great Danes' career with a bang, winning the 4K Monmouth Kick-Off Classic in 14:15. She also finished second in 16:07 at the Stony Brook Invitational and was fifth at the George Mason Invitational. Cummings also placed seventh in 18:42 at the 2007 ECAC Championship to earn All-ECAC honors. She also placed 14^th in 18:35 at the 5K America East Championship. She was also a member of the America East Women's Cross Country All-Academic Team.

As a senior in 2008, Cummings posted the top 4K, 5K and 6K times for the Great Danes. She won the 4K Monmouth Kick-Off Classic for the second consecutive season, placed third overall in 18:08 at the 5K Vanderbilt Commodore Classic and placed 24^th in 23:12 in Princeton's 6K Old Nassau Run. Cummings wrapped up her collegiate career with a 22^nd place finish in 18:36 at the America East Championship.

Cummings, who graduated from Albany with a bachelor's degree in English, is a registered diagnostic medical and cardiac sonographer who formerly worked for New York Medical Imaging. She resides in Bay Shore, NY.