Penn State Softball Adds Former Big Ten Standout to Coaching Staff

Penn State softball head coach Clarisa Crowell announced the completion of her 2025-26 coaching staff on Thursday. Joining the Nittany Lions is former Wisconsin standout and decorated assistant coach Lauren Foster.

“We are delighted to welcome Coach Foster to our Penn State family,” Crowell said in the press release. “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 joins Happy Valley after spending one year as an assistant coach with the University of Texas at Arlington softball program. Responsible for the defensive philosophy, development, and alignment of the Mavericks, she helped guide the team to 24 wins under head coach Kara Dill.

She played a vital 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.

At Penn State, she will continue to pass along her defensive knowledge. Last season, the UTA program posted a .964 fielding percentage while turning the second-most double plays (23) and double plays per game (0.47) in the Western Athletic Conference.

“I am honored to be joining the Penn State softball program,” Foster said in the press release. “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!”

Prior to UTA, Foster spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma under Patty Gasso, aiding the program to two Women’s College World Series titles in 2023 and 2024.

At a player at Wisconsin, Foster was a standout middle infielder and slugger at the plate. In five seasons with the Badgers, she led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances and collected over 100 hits.

A woman in a red and white uniform screams on the softball field. — Wisconsin Athletics

Collegiate Highlights

Finished career hitting above .267, logging 110 hits, 31 doubles, five triples, and nine home runs.
Collected 588 career putouts at shortstop and 347 assists with a .954 fielding percentage.
2019 Academic All-Big Ten honoree

Now with the Nittany Lions, Foster will have the opportunity to impact a team that is coming off a 25-27 overall record in 2025.