Women's Lacrosse
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- gunningl@usc.edu
- Phone:
- (213) 740-0917
Lauren Gunning is entering her fourth season (2022-current) with the Women of Troy and her third season as an Associate Head Coach (2023-current), as she was promoted from an Assistant coach role July 22, 2022.
Gunning joined USC following seven seasons (2015-21) as an assistant coach for Connecticut where she played lacrosse as a student-athlete from 2008-11. She returned to her alma mater in the summer of 2014 and was elevated to associate head coach in 2021 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at Cincinnati (2012-14).
Gunning directed UConn’s offensive unit and helped the Huskies win 59 games during her time as an assistant coach. In both the 2016 and 2021 seasons, Connecticut reached a program-record 12 wins. In 2021, Gunning helped UConn earn a berth into the NCAA tournament for only the second time in program history and for the first time since 2013.
While on staff, Gunning groomed attacker Grace Nolan who graduated as UConn’s all-time leader in points and goals. Under her guidance, Nolan was named a third-team IWLCA All-American in 2018 and was a two-time Big East Attacker of the Year. Gunning’s efforts also helped Nolan achieve IWLCA All-Northeast Region first-team honors several times and the Big East Rookie of the Year award in 2015.
In 2015, her first season at UConn, Gunning helped lead the Huskies to the Big East Tournament final for the first time and a fourth straight double-digit wins season. She was honored with the Huskies staff as part of the Big East Coaching Staff of the Year. That season, four UConn players were named to the All-Big East first team while the Huskies finished in the national top 20 in caused turnovers, assists, and ground balls per game.
Prior to coaching at her alma mater, Gunning spent three years at Cincinnati (2012-14). There, she worked primarily with the Bearcats’ offensive unit and had a hand in the development of Cincinnati’s goalkeepers. Gunning was also part of the UC recruiting and scouting efforts and helped the Bearcats match a program record with seven wins in 2013.
Before she arrived at Cincinnati, Gunning started her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Iona in the fall of 2011 and worked directly with the attack unit. She has also served as a coach at several prominent camps throughout her career including Game On Lacrosse Camp at UConn, Duke Lacrosse Camp, and the Triple Threat Lacrosse Camp.
As a player at UConn, Gunning tallied 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) for the Huskies and was named to the Big East All-Academic Team in each of her four seasons at Connecticut. She served as a team captain in her senior season and produced a career-high seven goals to help the Huskies to a 9-7 overall record.
A native of Hunt Valley, Md., Gunning graduated from UConn with a bachelor's degree in sports management and completed her time at Connecticut with a 3.6 cumulative grade-point average and Dean's list honors.
