USA SOUTH HALL OF FAME FEATURE: Kelly Gregory

Even 20 years after finishing her collegiate playing career at Averett University, sports remain a constant for Kelly Gregory ’02. If she’s not coaching them, she’s playing them or watching her 6-year-old son Henry participate.

As she prepares to be inducted into the USA South Athletic Conference Hall of Fame on Sunday, Gregory wouldn’t want it any other way.

“That’s a huge part of my life,” said Gregory, who still plays soccer and beach volleyball while regularly hitting the gym. “And now my son is 6 and it’s a huge part of his life, too. He’s into hockey and speed skating, soccer and golf. We get to do that together now. I want to make that a part of his world, too.”

A multisport student-athlete, Gregory was mostly known for her prowess on the soccer field. She also played three seasons of tennis, two seasons of basketball and one season of volleyball. She was equally as gifted in the classroom. In 2001, she was the female recipient of the USA South's prestigious Don Scalf Award, which serves as the league's Student-Athlete of the Year Award, and was nominated for the NCAA's Woman of the Year award. Gregory also received the 2000-01 Female Student-Athlete of the Year award from Averett.

After a few years of coaching at the college level  — including several years at Averett as a head coach for women's soccer and women's lacrosse — Gregory returned to her native Canada in 2008 to be closer to family and begin her teaching and coaching career at the high school level. She’s been paying it forward ever since.

In addition to teaching, Gregory has been coaching boys soccer, cross country and track and field in Kingston, Ontario. She’s also normally coached skiing and snowboarding, although this past season didn’t happen for those because of shutdowns. Although it means juggling a lot of responsibilities, Gregory has enjoyed being involved.

“Parents say, ‘Gosh, you put so much in,’” Gregory said. “Yes, but I’ve gotten so much out of it, too. I feel like I need to give back because of what everybody provided for me. I wouldn’t have gone to university if it wasn’t for Averett and everyone.

“I don’t want to miss out on anything and I don’t want the kids to miss out on anything because that was a saving grace for me growing up and at Averett,” she added. “Having the coaches that were phenomenal at Averett provide that opportunity for me, I didn’t want to see it get shut down for these athletes here.”

Gregory is excited that high school sports are finally returning to normal in her region.

“It’s been great to provide those opportunities for the student-athletes like I had,” she said. “They’ve missed out on a lot.”

Gregory said the last few years have brought about a sense of apathy in students, but she turned to what she learned at Averett to try to change that mentality.

“Sport and Averett and the people in it and around it really provide me with that ‘go get ‘em’ (mentality),” Gregory said. “Jump on the opportunity and take that risk. You’ve got that support group around. I really got that at Averett and growing up. And that’s what I’m trying to provide now. Go out and do it. You never know what might come from it.”

That’s what happened in 1997 when Gregory made the leap of faith to come to Averett, which was a 14-plus-hour drive from her hometown of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. It paid off. The four-year women’s soccer standout scored 34 career goals with seven assists for the Cougars from 1997-2000. Playing on Averett's back line, Gregory earned USA South All-Conference Second Team honors in 1998 and 1999. In addition to soccer, Gregory played three seasons of tennis, earning First Team All-Conference honors in 2000 at No. 5 singles as a junior and First Team All-Conference recognition at No. 2 doubles and Second Team All-Conference accolades at No. 3 singles during her senior season in 2001. Gregory played two seasons of basketball and one season of volleyball as well. 

Being able to handle playing different sports while succeeding in the classroom has helped her in her life beyond Averett.

“I suppose I prepared for that my whole life with all my different coaches and family support in academics and having that good habits growing up that I was able to do that at Averett,” Gregory said. “I was able to jump on those opportunities that those Averett coaches and teachers gave. They all allowed me to have that opportunity, which is very important because I know that value that being a student-athlete can bring you at the university level. … What Averett was able to provide was huge in so many respects.”

During the 2013-14 school year, Gregory was selected to the USA South Conference's 50th Anniversary Team for both women's soccer and tennis. Gregory then was inducted into the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Now, she is set to take her place in the USA South Hall of Fame as the lone member of the 2022 class.

“It’s really surprising to me because I didn’t do it for the recognition. None of it,” Gregory said. “I did it for the love of sports. … Was this a goal of mine? No, it’s just an extra bonus of all that heart and passion I put in and Averett put into me. When you go through the list of teachers and coaches I had, I think it honors them, too. If I wouldn’t have had that investment in me, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. So it’s really a celebration and recognition of Averett as well.”

Even though Kingston is more than 800 miles away, Gregory still follows all of the exciting developments currently happening at Averett.

“What Averett has continued to provide for me — the coaches, the teachers, the people — and that pride and honor, when I get those emails about all the new and wonderful things that Averett is able to do, it warms my heart,” she added.