Ripon College announced that it has selected Lauren Johnson as the third women’s basketball coach in the 38-year history of the program. Johnson will take the reins of a team that finished last season 10-13 last season, including a 9-9 mark in the Midwest Conference.

Johnson comes to Ripon after spending the last year as an assistant coach at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where her duties included recruiting, academic coordinator, film coordinator, fundraising coordinator, while also serving as an instructor of Exercise Physiology and the Director of Intramurals. Prior to her time at Coe, Johnson spent three years as an assistant coach at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and one year as an assistant at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.

A native of Black River Falls, Wis., Johnson earned her B.S. in Athletic Training from Clarke College in 2008, before going on to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy from in 2010. As a member of the Crusader’s women’s basketball team, Johnson was named Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2006. As a junior during the 2006-07 season, Johnson earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the Ripon College Tournament. As a team captain that year, Johnson was named Team MVP, while also winning the Leadership Award. She finished her career at Clarke ranking in the school’s top 10 for scoring, steals, assists, 3-point field goals, free throw percentage and minutes played.

Johnson replaces legendary coach and current Ripon College Athletic Director Julie Johnson, who chose to step down as head coach in order to focus on her Athletic Director duties.

"We are very pleased to have Lauren as our new women’s basketball coach," Julie Johnson said. "The entire staff at Ripon College is looking forward to working with her and I know that she’ll continue the Red Hawk women’s basketball tradition that has been built over the years."

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