Greene grew up in St. Stephen, South Carolina, as the daughter of Addison and Cynthia Greene. Greene played basketball for Timberland High School in St. Stephen, South Carolina. She helped her team win twenty or more games for three consecutive seasons, and in her senior year, she led the team to its first ever state championship. She averaged 17 points per game as a freshman; by the time she was a senior, she averaged 28 points, 18 rebounds, nine steals and eight assists per game. Greene was named a WBCA All-American. She participated in the 2005 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored four points.
College
Greene's choices came down to Georgia and Connecticut. She liked the Georgia program, but the UConn program, with both a family atmosphere and an expectation you have to work hard for everything you get swayed her to choose to come to join the University of Connecticut Huskies. Greene suffered a major knee injury in a game on December 17, 2007 against South Carolina, an injury that would end her season. It turned out to be a damaged ACL and torn LCL. UConn rarely played South Carolina, but set up a two-game series, with a game in 2007 against South Carolina in Connecticut, with a return trip to South Carolina in 2008, scheduled so that Greene could play in her home state as a senior. Her coach, Geno Auriemma, worried it might be a career-ending injury. She worked hard to rehabilitate her knee, including staying on campus over the summer to work out in the gym every day. She played the following season, for a team that won the national championship, although not at the same level as before her injury. During the year, she had to make a decision whether to leave as an academic senior, or return for a fifth year. Players who are injured during a year can get an additional year of eligibility, if they haven't played too many games in the season. Greene's injury occurred in the eighth game of her junior season, so she was eligible to return if she chose. She considered her options,and chose to return for a fifth year. On March 9, 2010, Greene played in her 151st game as a UConn Husky, more than any other player in UConn Women's basketball history, breaking the mark held by Renee Montgomery. Greene played in 157 games in her complete college career, an NCAA record. Greene helped lead UConn to the Championship of the Big East Tournament, and earned Most Outstanding Player of the tournament for her performance.
