Eldridge Returns to Take Helm of Women’s Volleyball Program
Oskaloosa–William Penn University Athletics Director Nik Rule is proud to announce the hiring of Lauren Eldridge as the new Head Women’s Volleyball Coach.
Eldridge comes to WPU from fellow Heart of America Athletic Conference institution Culver-Stockton College, where she served as head coach the past two campaigns.
Her two-year stint at C-SC included leading the Wildcats to 11 overall victories (nine in 2021) and seven league wins (the five in 2021 were the most since 2015). She coached three all-Heart players, while also heading the program to a USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award.
“Coach Eldridge is a leader who has a great deal of drive, is an excellent teacher of the sport, and an is an effective recruiter,” Rule said. “We believe she is a rising star in the sport who will fit well into the mentality we have as a department, striving to do uncommon things, while creating a program equipped for the future. We are excited to have her back and leading our women’s volleyball team, a program that is in great shape and ready to take the next step in success.”
Eldridge returns to William Penn after having received her Master’s of Business Leadership degree at the school in 2019. During her tenure as a graduate assistant coach from 2018-2019, she served as not only an assistant on the varsity squad, but also as the head varsity reserve skipper. While at WPU, the Statesmen owned a 31-34 record, including a 13-23 mark in the Heart. William Penn’s 19 wins in 2018 were the most for the program in the previous six seasons.
“I am ecstatic to come back to William Penn,” Eldridge said. “There are endless possibilities here. When I stepped back on campus, it just felt like I was coming home. It is a full-circle moment, coming back to coach seniors who I once recruited. It is all very exciting.”
Eldridge also taught the game to area youth while coaching at Culver-Stockton, guiding the Hometown Hitters Volleyball Club out of Hannibal for the past six months.
A 2018 graduate of Missouri Valley College, another Heart school, with a degree in Sports Management, she was a three-time all-conference performer, including earning first-team honors in 2013. A four-time team captain, Eldridge posted 1,155 kills and 125 aces in her career. She guided MVC to its first-ever NAIA National Championships appearance and its first-ever conference championship match.
“I am looking forward to getting to know the returning and incoming players, as well as the coaches, and creating relationships so we can hit the ground running come preseason,” Eldridge said. “I have big goals for this program as I believe the potential is limitless.”
“I am grateful and thankful for this opportunity provided by Nik Rule and President John Ottosson,” Eldridge said. “I am also grateful to Aleesha Cleaver for giving me my first college coaching position back in 2018, and now believing in my vision once again. I am so ready to get started!”
Eldridge has other prior coaching experience at Static Volleyball Club in Missouri from 2013-2018.
Eldridge will begin her duties on June 1.
