LAUREN HOLDEN | ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

Lauren Holden joined the Bucknell women's basketball staff in April 2025. The new associate head coach arrived at Bucknell after spending time at FDU, Fordham, and Gardner-Webb, and a distinguished playing career with Fordham. 

Her coaching journey started at FDU in 2019 where she spent time as the director of operations and assistant coach. Holden played a key part in resurrecting FDU's moribund program into the NEC powerhouse it is today. During her tenure, FDU recorded its first NEC Tournament win in 30 years (2019-20), the 2020-21 team led the conference in scoring defense (55.4 ppg), and Madison Stanley received First Team All-NEC honors.

Encouraged by her NEC success, alma mater Fordham called, and Holden answered the request. The Rams made the WNIT Tournament in her two seasons while ranking 22nd nationally in free throw percentage (77.61). Several players flourished under her guidance. Anna DeWolfe was First Team All-A10 (2021-22 & 2022-23) and became the third leading scorer in program history. Asiah Dingle developed into a defensive fortress, finishing fourth nationally in steals (2022-23), and earning A-10 Defensive Player of the Year. She did not neglect the offensive side, leading the A10 in scoring (2022-23). Kaitlin Downey posted the most starts in program history and excelled in the classroom, twice earning Academic All-A10 honors (2021-22 & 2022-23). She and the Rams faced Bucknell in the 2021-22 WNIT where the Bison emerged victorious, 73-64. 

Holden spent the last two campaigns in rural and rolling Boiling Springs as an assistant coach for Gardner-Webb. With her expertise, Ashley Hawkins earned 2024-25 Big South Player of the Year and led the conference in scoring. The Bulldogs nearly doubled their wins in the 2024-25 season from their 2023-24 output. 

A recruiting paragon, Holden has connections sprinkled throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast - the bedrock of Bucknell's natural reference pool, especially New Jersey which has blessed the Bison program in recent years. 

Holden's playing career for the Rams dots the Fordham record book. She finished her career with 1,141 points (17th at the time), 213 three-pointers (third), and an 85.3 free throw rate (fourth). A tenacious force, she averaged 34.0 minutes per game in her career, including ironwoman numbers in her junior (39.2) and senior (38.6) seasons, leading to her most minutes played in program history mark (4492). The 2018-19 Rams won the A10 Championship, and Holden completed her collegiate career scoring nine points against Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament. Fordham twice made the WNIT during her four seasons, including a Sweet Sixteen run in 2017-18. 

A native of Victorian-inspired and ocean-hugging Cape May, New Jersey, Holden graduated from Fordham in 2019 with a bachelor of arts in communications and media studies.