01940 Winter 2022

WINTER 2022 | 33
2002 College of the Holy
Cross Hall of Fame inductee
Lauren Maney George.
Banner bound
BY JOEY BARRETT
The summer of 1990: a Lynnfield native
intentionally attended a College of
the Holy Cross basketball clinic to impress
the coaching staff. Looking back,
Lauren Maney George could have never
imagined she’d have her jersey dangling
over the Crusaders’ court one day.
As a freshman at the college in 1993,
it was initially just excitement to be
there. But once she stepped foot inside
of the Hart Center Arena, it was more
than just excitement – rather, the beginning
of a legacy.
George, a former shooting guard,
scored a total of 1,721 points in her
career. For that reason, the number four
will never be worn by a Crusader again.
Despite her individual prowess, it
wasn’t herself she was thinking of when
first hearing the news.
“It was a very big surprise,” George
said. “Something that immediately made
me think of my teammates.”
One of her teammates, Christine
Porath, said she remembers working at
the summer camp the wide-eyed high
schooler was attending. Years later, they
wound up being travel roommates. Despite
George’s competitive nature – even
in the world of card games – Porath said
she doesn’t have enough good things to
say about her former road partner.
“She was a lot of fun, of course,” Porath
said. “She’s the first person to show
up for you when you have a personal
crisis or challenge.”
With all of the 6 a.m. practices,
hardwood battles, and off-the-court
memories, she has one remembrance
that always sticks out in her mind: the
Fordham game.
A hard-fought battle resulted in Holy
Cross defeating Fordham after losing to
them earlier in the season – winning the
Patriot league for the Crusaders in what
George described as “extra sweet.”
“It’s funny, just this summer, several
of us got together at our coach’s lake
house in New Hampshire and somebody
asked that question,” George said. “I
immediately said the Fordham game.”
George said she learned so much from
her time in the purple and white, but
that her biggest takeaway was how an
individual can love working hard for the
people around them.
“We’re in this together,” George said.
“That’s obviously something that helps
in life after college and after sports, is
that mentality of doing your best and
working together as a team. That’s true
in the workplace, it’s true in your family,
it’s true everywhere.”
Her number will be placed in the rafters
on Jan. 28, 2023 at the Hart Center
Arena in Worcester, where George’s
legacy will live on forever.
“I loved Holy Cross. I loved playing
basketball. I just couldn’t get enough of
40
it,” George said.