Lauren Stewart (’79)
Lauren Stewart was one of the finest female athletes in the history of Glen Rock High School.
Lauren Stewart was one of the best basketball and one of the best softball athletes in
the history of Glen Rock High School.
Lauren was a four year starter and an outstanding point guard on the girls basketball team. She directed the offense and was the team’s leading scorer. Despite being 5’6”, she was also a leading rebounder. Lauren was the first female GRHS basketball player to score over 1000 points in her career with a final total of 1,037 points.
As a freshman and sophomore, Lauren received Honorable Mention, All-B-PSL. As a junior, she was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL and to the Second Team, All-Suburban (by The Ridgewood News). Finally, as a senior she was named to the First Team, All-B-PSL and to the First Team, All-Suburban and received Honorable Mention, All-County (by The Bergen Record).
Lauren was also a four year starter on the softball team. She was an outstanding catcher with a great arm. She was also an excellent hitter, batting over .400 in her junior year and over .500 in her sophomore and senior years. She had a great deal of power and hit lots of home runs. And she was an exceptional base runner, stealing almost one base per game.
During Lauren’s senior year, the softball team won its first B-PSL championship and the school’s first B-PSL championship in girls sports.
Lauren was the softball team’s most honored player in each of her four years. As a freshman, she received Honorable Mention, All-B-PSL. As a sophomore, she was named to the First Team, All-County and to the First Team, All-B-PSL. As a junior, despite missing the second half of the season due to suffering an injury, she was named to the First Team, All-County, to the First Team, All-Suburban and to the First Team, All-B-PSL. Finally, as a senior, she repeated being named to the First Team, All-County, to the First Team, All-Suburban and to the First Team, All-B-PSL. Finally, she also received All-State recognition from the Associated Press and Newark Star Ledger.
In June 1979, the administration and coaches of Glen Rock High School recognized Lauren as the top female athlete in that year’s graduating class and gave her the Esteemed Athlete of the Year Award.
After Glen Rock, Lauren attended and graduated from William Paterson University where she excelled in both basketball and softball.
Lauren stated that she had the greatest coaches while at Glen Rock. Art Erickson lived for coaching and always gave it his all. Lauren stated that Anne Camp got the most out of her.