Lauren Cassano enters her second season as the women’s associate head coach with West Virginia University’s swimming and diving team.
Cassano spent last season as the assistant swim coach at Saint Francis (Pa.) University. Under her guidance, a pool record and long-standing school record fell as she helped develop an NEC Rookie and multiple NEC Players of the Week. While coaching at SFU, Cassano oversaw the progression and execution of the sprint and distance IM training groups working on the development of body mechanics for maintaining shoulder health, increasing mobility and overall strength. Understanding the importance of believing in yourself, she worked to lay a foundation of confidence training for the Red Flash swimmers.
The Venetia, Pennsylvania, native also supported the University’s academics for her Student Athletes. The Red Flash were able to maintain their success in the classroom as well. As a team, the swimmers held a GPA of 3.5 for the year, with 8 women achieving a 4.0 GPA. SFU Swimming was awarded the highest percentage of athletes on the North East Conference (NEC) Honor Roll with 88.4% as well as a continued 100% graduation rate.
While there, Cassano signed 6 incoming highly ranked freshman, built up the recruiting platform, assisted with travel plans, budgets, and meet origination.
Prior to SFU, Cassano was the assistant swim coach at Allegheny College for two seasons. While there, the Gators achieved their highest North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) standing in recent years for both the women and men, third & sixth respectively. The women broke the 400-freestyle relay record and multiple athletes were named NCAC Athlete of the Week.
Academically, while under Cassano’s guidance, the men and women Gators achieved high honors, 3.5 and 3.7, respectively. Ten (10) athletes were named to the 2020 Honor Roll and a total of 16 for 2021.
Cassano contributed with roles in recruitment, fundraising and the organization of Learn to Swim.
Before entering into the collegiate level of swim coaching, Cassano spent four years as a strength and conditioning coach with UPMC Sports Performance under the direction of one of the top sports performance experts, who has worked with numerous Division I and professional athletes.
Cassano oversaw the evaluation, production, progression, and execution of all training plans for high school prospects and collegiate level athletic training. This included training for top performance, injury prevention and return to play.
Lauren graduated from Grove City College in 2015 as a decorated Student Athlete with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science.
Ranked 10th in NCAA Division III, she earned four-time All-American Consideration, was a four-year letter winner, four-year All-Conference and President Athletic Conference (PAC) Champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke and a two-time PAC Champion 200 IM. She broke school records in the 100 and 200 backstroke, contributed to the 400 medley relay school record as well as the pool records for the 200 freestyle and medley relays. She was named Captain her senior season.
Cassano resides in Morgantown.
