SIUE

Lauren McConnell joined SIUE Athletics as an Athletic Performance Graduate Assistant Coach in 2026. She works with tennis, women’s soccer, and wrestling. In her role, McConnell develops and implements sport-specific strength and conditioning programs, leads and demonstrates training sessions, and oversees athletes in the weight room. She also conducts on-field conditioning, leads pre-game warm-ups, and travels with teams to provide performance support throughout competition.

Prior to joining SIUE, McConnell gained valuable experience in collegiate strength and conditioning, serving as a football Strength and Conditioning Intern at both Iowa State and Syracuse. A former four-year soccer student-athlete at Iowa State, she brings firsthand experience as a collegiate athlete to her work as an Athletic Performance Coach. 

At SIUE, McConnell is pursuing a master’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology while working toward her Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) certification. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, with minors in Biology and Sustainability. McConnell is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is also certified in First Aid and CPR.