Biography
lauren.e.rizzo@wilmu.edu
Lauren Rizzo stepped into the new head coach position at Wilmington University in July and will enjoy her first year at the helm of the Wildcats in 2013, after spending one season as an assistant coach last year.
Rizzo joined the Wilmington softball coaching staff in 2012 after spending the previous two years as assistant coach/hitting instructor at her alma mater, Ferrum College, in Ferrum, Virginia.
In her only season as an assistant coach with the Wildcats, Rizzo helped lead the team to a program record 18 wins in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, earning the fourth seed for the CACC Tournament. Overall, the team finished the season with a 26-25 record.
While at Ferrum, Rizzo helped lead the Panthers to a 57-29 record. During her first season, Ferrum won a record-setting 31 games, and were USA South Athletic Conference runners-up. Under her guidance, the Panthers produced eight All-Conference players and one Rookie of the Year, while leading the conference in numerous offensive categories.
Rizzo was a four year starter in the infield at Ferrum, and earned USA South All-conference honors in 2008 and 2009. She was also a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region Third Team Award Winner in both 2008 and 2009. Rizzo was a three-time Academic All-Conference selection, and was named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors Academic All-State team 2008 and 2009. She finished her career as a Panther with four offensive records, and claimed the team batting titles in her final three seasons, one of only three Ferrum players to ever achieve the honor. Rizzo was named the 2009 Ferrum College President’s Cup recipient, given to the College’s top graduation student-athlete for academic, athletic, and civic worth. She was also Ferrum’s 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee.
Rizzo is a 2005 graduate of St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington, and graduated cum laude from Ferrum in 2009, with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
She currently gives private strength and conditioning lessons and resides in Wilmington.
