Laura-Ann Lane was named the seventh Head Field Hockey Coach in program history on August 9, 2023 and completed her second season at the helm in 2024.
Lane helped guide the Cougars to eight wins in 2024, which was the program's most since 2018 and added three NEWMAC wins, which were the Cougars most since 2012. Graduate student Rachael Romain earned a spot on the All-NEWMAC Second Team with six goals and four assists, while leading the Cougars backline. Sophomore Rachel Reiter and junior Loren Root each received NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week honors. Clark knocked off NEWMAC foes Mount Holyoke, Salve Regina, and Wellesley.Â
In her first season at Clark, Lane tallied five victories, including wins against NCAA Tournament participant Worcester State, Regis, St. Joe's, Mount Holyoke, and UMass Dartmouth. The Cougars recorded four home wins, which were their most since the 2019 season. The team earned the NFHCA National Academic Team Award, with four members being named to the NFHCA Scholars of Distinction, and eight received NFHCA All-Academic squad honors. Six student-athletes garnered All-NEWMAC Academic Team recognition.Â
Lane arrived in Worcester after spending the last three years at Nichols College as their Head Coach. At Nichols, Lane recorded her 250th career win, coordinated all aspects of a NCAA DIII field hockey program, coached 13 Academic All-Americans, increased alumni giving by over 50%, and created positive relationships with partners around campus to help the program grow.
Prior to Nichols, Lane was the Head Field Hockey Coach and Senior Woman Administrator at Gwynedd Mercy for 13 years. At Gwynedd Mercy, Lane was a three-time Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Coach of the Year and the 2018 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Coach of the Year. She led the Griffins to nine consecutive CSAC Conference Championship Games, including a your-year streak from 2011-14 and six NCAA Tournament appearances.
Lane helped guide 89 All-Conference student-athletes, with 45 earning First-Team selections, and coached seven Player of the Year athletes. A total of 13 student-athletes earned a spot on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) South Atlantic All-Region honors as well as an NFHCA All-American. From 2017-19, the field hockey program led the conference in highest team GPA.
Before arriving at Gwynedd Mercy, Lane was the Head Coach at Roanoke College for three years. Lane led the Maroons to three Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament appearances and coached nine student-athletes who received All-Conference honors. Nine student-athletes were Academic All-America selections over Lane's three seasons.
Lane began her career in coaching and spent six years at her alma mater, Beaver College (now Arcadia University), where she led the program to five conference tournament appearances. Lane was named Presidents Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (PAC) in 2002, coached 23 All-Conference players, and saw 55 student-athletes named to the PAC Academic All-Conference squad.
As a player, Lane earned three Philadelphia Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (PAIAW) All-Conference honors and helped guide the team to a pair of conference championships. Lane graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and later received a Master's Degree in Education.
Lane has served as an NCAA Field Hockey Championship site representative on four occasions (2010, 2015-16, 2019) as well as on the NCAA Regional Rankings Committee (2009-12, 2019) and the NFHCA Regional All-America Committee (2008-12). She coached at the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game four times (2013-14, 2017-18) and was a speaker and presenter at the NCAA Division III Senior Woman Administrator Program in 2020. Lane was also selected as a U12 coach for the 2020 Limerick Cup in Ireland.
CLARK COACHING RECORD
| Season |
Overall Record |
NEWMAC Record |
Postseason |
| 2024 |
8-9 |
3-6 |
None |
| 2023 |
5-12 |
1-8 |
None |
| Two Seasons |
13-21 |
4-14 |
|
