New Hofstra Basketball Coach Cathy Inglese Dies

Cathy Inglese, a women's basketball coach for nearly 30 years and one of the newest additions to Hofstra's coaching team, died yesterday from complications she sustained from a fall last week. She was 60.

Inglese came to Hofstra University just last month. She spent nearly three decades as a Division I basketball coach, running teams in Vermont, Boston and Rhode Island. Her sister, Nancy Inglese, announced her death on Facebook. She sustained a brain injury during a fall.

"Our hearts are hurting with the passing of Cathy," said Hofstra Head Women's Basketball Coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. "Cathy was one of the kindest and nicest people I have come to know in the coaching industry and in her short time with our program she left an indelible mark. Our entire program and the Hofstra family are heartbroken that she has passed but her memory will continue to influence our program every day we step on the court. Please join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to her family. Cathy lived a wonderful life and personally I am honored to have been able to call her a friend, colleague, co-worker and mentor."

Inglese joined Hofstra as an assistant coach. During her 27 years as a head coach, Inglese made it to 10 NCAA tournaments and coached six WNBA draft picks. She was a four-time conference coach of the year and made three Sweet 16 appearances, won three conference tournament titles and two regular-season titles. She also coached two back-to-back perfect regular seasons in Vermont, going 28-0 in 1992 and 29-0 in 1993.

She started coaching in 1987, and has left a mark on every institution she worked with. She was inducted into the SCSU Athletic Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the University of Vermont Athletics Hall of Fame, the Boston College Athletics Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Softball Hall of Fame, the Massachusetts Chapter of the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame, the Sheehan High School Hall of Fame, and the New Agenda Northeast Hall of Fame for advancing the role of women in sports.

"The entire Hofstra community is devastated with the passing of Cathy," Hofstra Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. said "Cathy was an amazing person and coach and although part of our family for a short time she had already left a tremendous impact. Those who knew Cathy were touched by her kindness and generosity and her mark on the world of college athletics is immense. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Inglese family and we join everyone in mourning the passing of an incredible person who touched so many lives."