"Choosing to run for Coach and this program was the best decision of my young life.
I had an incredible experience that brought growth and meaning to my life and has shaped me to this day. I wouldn’t have changed a thing. If you want to be a part of something special, choose Coach Giambanco and Hofstra Track/ XC."
"The team culture here is amazing. Coach pours his heart and soul into scrapping and clawing for continued elevation of the program. The team attracts recruits that are hungry for success and understand the sacrifice and disciple required to do so.
The bread and butter of the program is the weekly Long Run at Rockefeller State Park every Sunday morning. Enjoy your Long Run with teammates climbing one hill after another on beautiful dirt carriage path trails along side your brothers and sisters. When you are done, stuff your face with bagels!!
Go Pride!"
"Coach take an effort based approach to training, he teaches the team how to monitor their body and take an enjoyable/ holistic approach to training. He emphasizes a big picture strategy where the goal is consistency and gradual improvement. He stresses the importance of student athletes communicating when they are over fatigued or have an ache or pain and adjusts training daily around individual. Each student athlete receives an individual training program each week, there is obviously overlaps as we train as a team and run a range of weekly mileage/ paces. These programs also include the practice times and locations so you know what to expect for the week and can plan effectively.
There is a former member of the team that has been writing negative reviews and trying to bring the program down, don't be fooled, this is a special program and coach has lead this team to new heights. If you are a distance runner looking for a passionate team and Coach, come to Hofstra - you will be happy you did so."
"The pursuit of excellence. Coach and this team is not for everyone. It's for those that hold themselves to a high standard. For those that take care of business. For those that strive to be the best version of themselves. Coach emphasizes behavior. He expects self discipline and buy in. If you commit to the proccess you will improve by leaps and bounds and be part of a special team. "
"If you love a nice sunrise you will love Coach :)
Coach believe in a rise and grind lifestyle - live a healthy lifestyle, early to bed/ early to rise and most importantly approach training with all of your heart. Love your teammates and love the process. 4 years goes by fast, choose Hofstra and Coach and you will have a very special experience pursuing your passion with like minded teammates and coaches."
"If you are a recruit and considering Hofstra University, look no further - the program is a special place where the team has a competitive mindset but approaches the sport in a very positive and holistic way. Coach is invested in the program beyond measure. He has created and nurtured a program where everyone’s love for the sport and shared goals creates a sense of purpose and meaning. I wouldn’t want to run for any other coach or team."
"The best coach in the NCAA. Completely transformed the program in a way that seemed impossible 10 years ago. Choose Hofstra, you’ll have a great experience with great teammate, training venues, and a Coach that will help you reach your full potential if you put in the work."
"Coach Giambanco has taken over what was maybe the worst program in the NCAA in 2014 and has lead it to becoming. a destination for competitive distance runners. There is strong comradery amongst both the men’s and the women’s team and this is something that does not happen by accident. He treats everyone with respect and does his best to guide everyone to success while always putting the team first and holding a high standard for behavior and attitude. Coach Giambanco never, ever makes it about himself – you won’t see him on social media and if anyone tries to shine the light on him, he quickly steers it back to the team, staff, and support staff. Coach Giambanco understands it takes a team of people to accomplish anything and is humble enough to understand that the program is powered by man power, and the more strong characters the better.
He is very direct about what he expects and understands that it may not be the right program for everyone.
If you want to have an incredible college experience and be surrounded by great people – come here, just know the standard and expectations are high. Only good team members are wanted.
"
"Coach was the only Coach that came to my home and spent time with my family. I chose Hofstra because of him. At first I struggled with my academics but with increased structure and a strict academic regiment I was able to bring my GPA to 3.7.
I ran fast and finished very high at the conference championship. Coach would have us over to his home, he took us to Maine for training camp where we spent a week bonding with our fellow teammate and staff. Coach and his wife Page would have us over to his home where the team would hav eat together. I ended up transferring to another school due to financial reasons but had my besrunning and running at Hofstra with Coach. He was very supportive when I spoke to him about transferring and encouraged me to do what I felt was best for me. When I saw Coach at competition now at the other school he came over and gave me a hug and asked me how I was doing. I would reccomend Coavh and the staff at Hofstra to anyone very one."
"From the day that coach Giambanco got to Hofstra, the program began improving. Prior to his arrival the team had exactly 1 male runner make all CAA - since then Hofstra has produced multiple medalists, including CAA champions and NE Regional champions. This is not a coincidence.
Coach Giambanco cares immensely about this program, and it reflects in the amount of time and effort he puts in. During my time he would arrive at 4:30am, and not leave until 6pm most days. From a personal standpoint he helped me improve as a runner, and as a leader. He definitely has a way of doing things - a way which might differ from one's high school experience - however I did not find him dogmatic. There were times when I approached him with ideas, and we worked to find common ground. Moreover, when I did get injured, he was understanding and patient. I never felt rushed to come back from an injury.
I found him to be deeply knowledgeable, passionate, and caring as a coach. If you are a runner complaining about weekly mileage, then you should find another sport. And, for those who do not understand the impact that coach Giambanco has had on the program, I implore you to look back at the results prior to his arrival. Hofstra was the worst team in the entire NCAA, bar none. He almost single handily brought the program from the absolute basement of the NCAA to a level of respectability. "
"As a parent of 4 college student/athletes and a 40 year career in public education and law enforcement ; I fully endorse Coach Vincent Giambanco. When my daughter had narrowed her search to a small North East D1 college and one that embraced academic prowess and a competitive cross country program ; Hofstra University was a must visit. After contacting the school and a recruiting visit at my home by Coach Vince and staff, it was clear that this man embodied all the qualities necessary to promote a University , a competitive and challenging classroom and campus life for my daughter, while putting our entire family at ease with the knowledge he would watch over her as if she were his daughter. Once at Hofstra my daughters' transition was smooth and in the classroom the student /teacher ratio was low and challenging and Coach Vince was always available to help with even the smallest things on and off the field. I can conclude by saying that Coach Vince is a sincere and honest person. He challenged my daughter on the field to be the best she could be and taught her leadership by example. My daughter was a five year runner and captain for team Hofstra and was a High Honored student for all semesters through graduation. BEST OF LUCK COACH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO."
"I have known Coach Vince for nearly 20 years. We competed against each other in college (at academically strong ACC schools) and remain close to this day. He's always shown himself to be deeply knowledgeable and passionate about XC/track. As a current HS coach, I often seek his advice about training and motivating young runners.
I have PRs of 4:02 mile and 3:44 1500. I made footlocker xc nationals twice in high school. I know this sport well - I know what a good coach looks like. And Vince is a good coach. I would let him coach my athletes - and I would let him coach my child -- which is the strongest possible endorsement of a coach. In addition, his coaching philosophy allows athletes to excel academically - his teams have one of the top GPAs in their conference.
In short, he's passionate about the sport and his athletes. To vince, his athletes a more than a stat sheet or roster spot. They're people whom he cares about deeply. "
"Being one of Coach Vince's athletes he is an exemplary leader who wholeheartedly believes in the value of hard work and positivity. He impresses the importance of hard work in his athletes through his dedication and commitment to their development. Athletes can undergo challenges and that's normal as a sportsperson, despite's those challenges I was able to run my best time 13:39 for 5K under Coach Vince and his assistant coach Steph, and as a team, we are expecting more in the coming season to proof wrong those who are against the program."
"As a former supervisor to Vince, I can tell you first hand that you will not find a better advocate for their program and student athletes. Vince took over the program and gradually built up his and his program's credibility. As a leader, he checks every box you could ask for. This allowed Vince and the University to expand the program by adding indoor and outdoor track. Vince is not shy about advocating for his program and he always did so but putting the program first, before himself. When presented with challenges and obstacles Vince knows how to figure out solutions."
"Many years ago Vince was recruiting my son. My son was a high performer and being recruited by many coaches. The challenge was that he had special needs so with his great talent came a young man that would also require a lot of assistance. With many college coaches reaching out to us we felt like they were all trying to butter us up/ sell us something. Vince was different. Instead of selling, Vince took time to get to know our family, to open himself up and allow us to get to know him. We all created a meaningful relationship. We eventually realized that college would not be the path for our son. But the relationship would last, to this day Vince still takes the time to call my son, to meet up with him, to let him know that he is his friend. "
"Coach Giambanco is more than just a great coach, he is a caring, passionate person of high moral standard. He has a true passion for the sport and knows how to help his athletes perform at the highest level. The attention to detail he puts into programming is exceptional. He connects with his athletes and cares deeply about the culture of the program. If you want to be your best and work with the best, look no further. "
"As both a former teammate and athlete under Coach Giambanco's guidance, his expertise and passion for running is second to none. During his time as an assistant coach and under his training, I set personal records in both the 3k, 8k, and 10k. Coach Giambanco is able to connect with anybody on both a personal and professional level. Because of this, his honesty and feedback on your training or racing comes off as genuine every time and you know it's coming from a place of care. Coach Giambanco's success with the Hofstra cross country program was one of the leading factors in developing and maintaining an official men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field team. Before Caoch Giambanco, Hofstra's cross country team was regularly an afterthought in the CAA, on both an individual and team level. Under his watch, he has seen unprecedented success at the conference, regional, and national level for both cross country and track and field. Any cross country or track and field athlete would be lucky to be on his team!
"
"Coach Vince is an extremely knowledgeable Coach who continuously strives to maximize the experience of the student athlete. His experience and dedication to the program is evident in his daily efforts. His successes as a Coach has been seen throughout his career as multiple of his athletes have graduated and continued their own success. "
"The team and its dynamic has been steadily improving over the last few years and continues to do so. There are definitely bumps in the road, but it continues to get better with time. This is a mix between the hard work of the coach Vince, and the work of the athletes. No one is perfect, but when coach Vince believes he can do something better, he tries, and when he thinks he did something wrong, he does his best to adjust. The best you can ask for in a coach is one that is always learning and one that wants to do better for his team and make it better always. His efforts and the growing momentum the team is gaining is a foundation for excellence, and great things to come."
"Coach Giambanco fostered one of the best running cultures that an athlete could have asked for. During our time together Coach Giambanco built relationships with all of his athletes and ensured that our team was a tight knit group who had each other’s backs. All athletes felt comfortable and confident in themselves pushing themselves to be the best person they could be. Some of most cherished memories are with the team lounging around after practice and telling stories or the van rides to meets that were filled with laughter. Truthfully, I lacked confidence in myself and who I was as a person until Coach Giambanco gave me the confidence to become the person I am today. By creating this environment it allowed the team to compete at a high level as everyone pushed one another to be the best they could be. His knowledge of the sport was unparalleled and he knew exactly what I or my teammates needed to succeed. Thanks to my individualized training program that he created, I was able to set numerous personal records and win many individual awards. Coach knew all the perfect places to run and train along the north shore of Long Island, Central Park and Rockefeller State Park. I appreciate his sacrifices to bring us to these places as they were unparalleled to anywhere I had run before. I wouldn’t want to run for any other coach. I cannot speak highly enough about Coach Giambanco, but don’t take my word for it. Just look at his resume and how much all of his athletes and program have improved in the short time Coach Giambanco was there. Thank you for everything Coach!!!!"
"Me and my fellow midshipman had the pleasure and honor of working with Vince. To those that are trying to hinder his program and recruiting on here, I have some advice for you. Look. In. The. Mirror. Yeah Vince helped us to run faster but he encouraged us to believe that if you have a goal, and are intentional about your attitude and actions you can achieve that goal......just don't expect it to be an easy path. Vince embodied this and infused this mentality in all of us. His life was his fiancé (now wife) Page and Running, he was extremely passionate about both. In our distance graduating class 3 of us went on to become Navy Pilots and 2 of us Navy Seals. Nothing but respect for Vince.
Acta Non Verba."
"Coach Giambanco is a motivating coach who goes above and beyond to ensure his team's success both on and off the course. He is incredibly understanding and encourages team bonding activities and serving the community through volunteering and promoting a special needs track club called Shooting Stars which I created while on the team. Coach has a good heart."
"Vince is a special coach, he along with incredible teammates helped me become confident not only as a runner but as a person. I was very shy and reclusive but through running and being part of a supportive team I became comfortable in my own skin which has had lasting effects. I went from a walk-on who ran over 21 minutes for 5K to one of the captains and running under 18:20 for 5k. Some of my favorite memories were going with my team to preseason training camps at Acadia National Park in Maine, memories I will never forget (Vince loved to make us wake up early). Vince and my teammates made me feel like family and I am forever grateful for that. Running for this team was an adventure. We were a cross country only team at the time but he always said that some day we would convince the university to add track. I was no longer on the team when this finally happened but my teammates and I who had graduated felt a great satisfaction that we were able to contribute towards this mission."
You are about to remove Vincent Giambanco from your saved coaches & staffs.
Subscribe to unlock this feature.
Level up to make the right college athletic decision. Become a 2aDays member for as low as $5 a month.
Gain access to tools that take your college search and recruiting process to the next level.
Create an account to use this feature
Create a 2aDays account or subscribe for as low as $5 a month.
Subscribe to power up your recruiting and college sports experience.
Report Abuse
Fill out the form below and we’ll try to help you out as best as we can. More details of contact info below.
Coach Profiles
Fill out the form below and we’ll try to help you out as best as we can. More details of contact info below.
