Piedmont College Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Peeples has announced the hiring of Laura Patton as the new Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at PC.
Patton comes to Piedmont after a five-year stint as the Head Coach at King’s College to go with a bevy of Division III experience.
“We’re excited to have Laura Patton joining us as the second Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Piedmont College,” said Peeples of the latest addition to the athletics staff. “Laura has Division III experience as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. She understands what Piedmont College is all about, and I’m confident that she will serve as a fine role model for our very successful program.”
Patton takes over a Lady Lion lacrosse program off to a historic four-year start since the program’s inception back in 2012. PC has made three straight trips to the USA South Championship Game and earned back-to-back USA South Regular Season crowns under the direction of the program’s inaugural coach, Emily Jacquette, who departs campus this summer as one of the top 50 winningest coaches in the country.
“I am thrilled with and humbled by the opportunity to work for a stand-out institution like Piedmont College,” said Patton. “The athletic staff, administration, and students are incredibly welcoming and warm. The school, and athletic department in particular, strives for success in every aspect of the student experience and that truly matches my coaching philosophy. I would like to thank athletic director, Jim Peeples, and President Mellichamp, for offering me the great opportunity to continue building the young and very successful women’s lacrosse program at Piedmont College.”
With experience as a head coach the last five years at Division III member King’s College, Patton helped turn around the women’s lacrosse program at the Wilkes Barre-based institution doing so by taking a team which had posted a 6-41 record in the three years previous to her hire to a 10-win season in just her first year at the helm.
Patton’s 2012 team also made an appearance in the Freedom Conference postseason for the first time since 2005 turning in three of the top six single season scoring performances in program history. Patton would again lead her team to the postseason in 2015 with a semifinal appearance in the league championship tournament after posting a 4-2 record in conference play.
Before turning around the program at King’s as the head coach, Patton served as the Assistant Coach at Susquehanna University serving under legendary Hall of Fame coach Laura Moan for three seasons. While with Susquehanna, Patton helped then-second year Head Coach Moan establish a now-nationally respected program which has made two appearances in the NCAA National Tournament over the last four years.
For their efforts in the 2010 season, Patton along with Moan were named the league’s Coaching Staff of the Year after making an appearance in the Landmark Conference semifinals. During her time with Susquehanna, Patton mentored two All-Region selections and the 2010 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year as well as nine All-Conference players over three seasons.
Under the tutelage of Moan, Patton would take her experience as an assistant coach to help her as a head coach gain national recognition and become familiar with the Division III National Tournament. Patton went on to serve as a member of the Regional Advisory Committee for the NCAA and also has twice served as a site rep for NCAA National Tournament competition.
Patton has also been an active coach on the club and camp circuits serving most recently as the co-founder of Electric City Lacrosse Club in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Having also helped to direct the lacrosse Nike Sports Camp at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, Patton has twice worked with the Hun School at Game Breakers Lacrosse and also was a coach at Liberty Lacrosse Camp in New York.
Having served as an assistant lacrosse coach at the Maccabi Games in Rockland, New York, Patton took her skills to the talent-rich West Coast as well working with the games in California helping to plan for practice, games, and travel for high school aged lacrosse players.
Though Patton earned her coaching stripes in Division III over the last eight seasons, the Pennsylvania native also spent her collegiate playing days in Division III playing four seasons at Ursinus College which competes in the nationally respected Centennial Conference which included a participant in this year’s Final Four.
While playing for the Bears, Patton was a three-year starter helping the team to a 39-28 overall record including a 24-12 mark against Centennial competition. With three appearances in the postseason tournament, Patton was a captain her senior year spending her time as a defensive specialist twice being named the Most Valuable Teammate by her peers and coaches.
Patton graduated from Ursinus in May of 2008 with her Bachelor of Science in Psychology earning Dean’s List honors along the way. Having also earned the Ursinus College Achievement Award, Patton would go on to complete her graduate degree from King’s in December 2015 in Health Care Administration.
Patton will relocate to the Demorest area taking over all operations of the Piedmont College women’s lacrosse program starting this summer.
