Lawrence Tapped to Lead Hartwick Tennis Programs
ONEONTA, NY – Dr.
Kim Fierke announced the hiring of
Caitlyn Lawrence as the new head men's and women's tennis coach at Hartwick College. Lawrence has served as an assistant coach at Smith College in Northampton, MA for the last two seasons and brings 10 years of coaching experience to the Hawks.
"I am looking forward to having Caitlyn as the head coach of both our men's and women's tennis programs," said Fierke. "Her ability as a high level athlete combined with her coaching experience makes her a good fit for both our programs. I have no doubt she will step in as the leader and build competitive programs."
Lawrence arrives at Hartwick after completing her master's degree in Exercise and Sports Studies this past May at Smith. While coaching the Pioneers, Lawrence planned and conducted practices, tracked student-athletes progress, provided in-competition coaching, had a significant role in the program's recruiting strategy and execution, and designed and managed the team's social media presence.
"I would like to thank Dr. Fierke and the search committee for giving me this opportunity," said Lawrence. "Hartwick College really values the experience of the student-athlete and I am excited to be a part of this culture. From the moment I stepped on campus I knew both programs had tremendous potential. I am excited to maximize this potential and to create an environment where the student-athletes can excel both on and off the court."
Lawrence is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She created and implemented in-season and off-season workouts for several Smith athletic teams. She has also spent five years as the Director of Summer Programs at Simcoe Tennis, playing a key role in the company's development and expansion, helping it grow from one to seven locations. While with Simcoe, Lawrence coached coed junior teams which had had many players move on to compete at the Division II, Division III, NAIA, and international level.
Smith completed her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of South Carolina Aiken. While in Aiken, she was a member of the tennis team, serving as a captain for three of her four years for the Division II Pacers.