UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State softball head coach Clarisa Crowell announced the completion of the 2025-26 Nittany Lion coaching staff on Thursday, with the Blue & White set to welcome former Big Ten student-athlete and decorated assistant coach Lauren Foster to Happy Valley.
“We are delighted to welcome Coach Foster to our Penn State family,” Crowell said. “She will bring great passion and enthusiasm to our team, and her commitment to developing players both on and off the field directly aligns with the mission of our program. She is a defensive enthusiast, and I am excited for her to get to work with our defense. In addition, Coach Foster will bring a wealth of knowledge to our program, having learned from some of the most elite coaches in our industry, as she was a part of the University of Oklahoma’s national championship teams in 2023 and 2024. As a former student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin, she is very familiar with the Big Ten Conference, and we are thrilled to welcome her to back to the B1G and to Happy Valley.”
Foster arrives in University Park following a one-year stint with the softball program at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she helped steer the Mavericks to 24 victories under the direction of head coach Kara Dill. Foster was responsible for the defensive philosophy, development and alignment of the Maverick softball program, and will continue to share her expertise in the defensive space during her time with the Blue & White. She played a pivotal role in generating the program’s practice plans, helped organize and operate UTA softball camps, and assisted in personnel decisions related to high school recruitment and the transfer portal. With the Maverick defense under her care, Foster helped guide the UTA program to a .964 fielding percentage while leading a unit that turned the second-most double plays (23) and double plays per game (0.47) in the Western Athletic Conference a year ago.
“I am honored to be joining the Penn State softball program,” Foster expressed. “I have always had respect for Penn State and Coach Crowell from playing against them in the Big Ten during my playing career. Now, getting the chance to be a part of this program’s future is something I am truly excited for. I can’t wait to get to work and continue to build upon the success of Penn State softball. Thank you to Coach Crowell and Penn State University for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this program!”
Before her inaugural season as an assistant coach in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Foster spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma, one of the most powerful dynasties in the sport. While serving as a GA under the guidance of eight-time national championship-winning head coach Patty Gasso, Foster was able to help guide the program to a pair of Women’s College World Series crowns in both 2023 and 2024. Foster was responsible for a variety of tasks with the Sooner program, including generating in-game scouting reports and offensive call cards while assisting with the team’s defensive alignment and strategy. While working in Norman, Foster helped orchestrate a defensive unit that ranked inside the top four nationally in both of her seasons with the program, highlighted by the best defense in college softball in 2023 with a .987 finish in fielding percentage.
As a student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin, Foster was a force to be reckoned with in the middle infield and at the plate, helping guide the Badgers to a trio of NCAA Tournament appearances while mustering over 100 collegiate hits. Foster finished her five seasons at UW with back-to-back campaigns hitting above .267, ultimately logging 110 collegiate hits, including 45 extra-base knocks split between 31 doubles, five triples and nine homers. As Wisconsin’s go-to player at the shortstop position, Foster amassed 588 career putouts and 347 assists, racking those numbers up with remarkable defensive efficiency, culminating in a career-long .954 fielding percentage. Noted for her softball IQ and knowledge of the game on both sides of the ball, Foster helped lift the Wisconsin program to new heights from 2018 to 2022, highlighted by a 2-1 win over eventual national runner-up Oklahoma in the Norman Regional that snapped a 41-game winning streak for the Sooners. In the classroom, she was a two-time Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar and four-time recipient of the Academic All-Big Ten award.
A native of Wausau, Wisconsin, Foster graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall of 2021 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and Communication Arts, with an additional postgraduate certificate in Sports Communication. Foster continued her academic pursuits at the University of Oklahoma, completing her Master of Education Degree in Adult and Higher Education with an emphasis in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT COACH FOSTER
“We are so excited that Lauren Foster has landed at Penn State. She was a hard-working graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma and part of our national championships in 2023 and 2024. Lauren grew up around premier athletics, as her father was an elite name in Major League Baseball, a tremendous public speaker, and someone who taught Lauren so much about the game. I know Lauren will do great things under Coach Crowell and add to the success of the Nittany Lion softball program.” – Eight-time Women’s College World Series Champion Head Coach Patty Gasso, University of Oklahoma.
“Congratulations to former Wisconsin Badger softball great, Lauren Foster, on coming home to coach in the Big Ten. Coach Foster is certain to make an impact on the impressive student-athletes at Penn State! As a talented shortstop, Lauren helped lead our program at Wisconsin to three NCAA Tournaments in her career. She’s a student of the game, a great teammate, and she knows how to bring out the best in everyone around her.” – Head Coach Yvette Healy, University of Wisconsin.
“We are grateful for Lauren’s contributions during her time as a Maverick. She has made a lasting impact on the program and leaves it better than she found it. We look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in this next chapter of her career.” – Head Coach Kara Dill, University of Texas at Arlington.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State softball. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion softball team on Facebook at /pennstatesoftball as well as Instagram and X @PennStateSB.
The 2026 Penn State softball season is presented by Highmark.