The winningest coach in San José State women's soccer history, Lauren Hanson wrapped up her seventh season at the helm in 2020. A two-time Mountain West Coach of the Year, she has guided the program to unprecedented success including two Mountain West Tournament titles (2015 and 2018) as well as a regular season title (2017), and two NCAA postseason appearances. Her 42 regular season conference victories are the most by any head coach in Spartan women’s soccer history, and her 35 wins in the last five seasons are tied for the most in the 12-team league. The Spartans advanced to five-straight Mountain West Championship Tournaments from 2015-19, and were the only program in the Mountain West to do so prior to the tournament being canceled for the 2020 season.
Since Hanson's arrival there have been 27 All-Mountain West selections and 47 Academic All-Mountain West honorees. In 2019, Kristen Amarikwa became the program's third Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and was one of three players named to the all-conference teams. Hanson coached five All-Mountain West selections as part of the 2018 squad, including first team selections Paige Simoneau, Darriell Franklin and Amarikwa. Simoneau had the one of the best seasons of any Spartan Goalkeeper as she set school records in single-season shutouts (11), career shutouts (21) and career goals against average (0.92).
Franklin was named to the 2018 First Team for the second-straight season and was the 2017 Defensive Player of the year just two years after being in discussions for Freshman of the Year as a forward. Other latest all-conference selections include Amarikwa and Jamilecxth Becerra, the 2017 Newcomer of the Year. Former Spartan keeper Zoe Makrigiannis ended the 2015 regular season with seven shutouts and was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year as well with Hanson's guidance.
Other outstanding individual accomplishments for Hanson’s players include Dorthe Hoppius’ invitation to compete for her native German Women’s National Team at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, and Darriell Franklin’s invitation to train with the United States’ Women’s National U-20 Team. Hoppius also became San José State’s first player to become an NSCAA Scholar All-American, one of 33 Division I players in 2016 to do so. Hoppius, along with fellow 2017 All-Mountain West First Team selection Myia Wilkes currently play for first Division German Club: MSV Frauen Offiziell.
SJSU's defense has become one of the elite units in the Mountain West under Hanson's tenure. In her seven seasons, she has tallied 48 shutouts, including the record-setting 11 in 2018.
On October 20, 2019, Hanson became the program's all-time winningest coach with a 2-0 win over Nevada at the Spartan Soccer Complex for her 54th career victory. The win broke a tie with Philippe Blin for the record. Earlier in the season, she became the third-fastest among active Mountain West coaches to reach 50 career wins. Three Spartans on the 2019 squad picked up all-conference awards with Amarikwa taking home first team honors in addition to the Defensive Player of the Year Trophy. Karlee Pottorff was a second team selection and freshman Sabrina Weinman earned a spot on the all-newcomer squad. The Spartan Defense posted eight shutouts on the season, the second-most in program history.
In 2018, Hanson led the Spartans to a 9-7-6 record, their second Mountain West Tournament Championship and to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. SJSU’s defense was among the very best in the nation as they led the conference with 11 total shutouts, including a Mountain West record eight in league play. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans’ 11 shutouts were tied for the fourth-most in the nation and their goals against average of .620 ranked in the top-25 nationally and led the conference. In addition to Simoneau, Franklin and Amarikwa, she guided freshmen defenders Jada Wilson and Hannah Mathews to All-Conference recognition. Her squad won the conference tournament championship as a four-seed, becoming the first Mountain West team to do so since 2004.
Hanson was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons in 2017 after guiding the Spartans to a 9-1-1 record during league play. The team finished on a seven-game unbeaten streak and won every Mountain West match played at home. Hanson did it with proven leaders such as the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Darriell Franklin and All-MW First Team players Dorthe Hoppius and Myia Wilkes. However, she also started multiple freshmen in six league matches and had three or more underclassmen on the pitch to start eight contests. Hanson plugged in seven different starting lineups throughout conference play.
Hanson, the winner of NCAA Women’s College Cup championships as a coach and player, was made the sixth head women’s soccer coach at San José State University on December 18, 2013.
| All-Conference Selections Under Hanson | |
| Year | Player (Team) |
| 2020 | Evan House (Newcomer) |
| 2019 | Kristen Amarikwa (1st)* Karlee Pottorff (2nd) Sabrina Weinman (Newcomer) |
| 2018 | Kristen Amarikwa (1st) Darriell Franklin (1st)* Paige Simoneau (1st) Jada Wilson (2nd, Newcomer) Hannah Mathews (Newcomer) |
| 2017 | Dorthe Hoppius (1st) Darriell Franklin (1st) Myia Wilkes (1st) Yaritza Arista (2nd) Jamilecxth Becerra (2nd, Newcomer)+ Jennifer Orozco (Newcomer) |
| 2016 | Dorthe Hoppius (1st) Kristen Amarikwa (2nd, Newcomer) Maricurz Chapa (2nd) Alexis Venegas (2nd) Myia Wilkes (2nd) Yaritza Arista (Newcomer) |
| 2015 | Dorthe Hoppius (1st) Zoe Makrigiannis (1st)* Darlene Rodriguez (1st) Darriell Franklin (2nd) Rachel Docherty (Honorable Mention) |
| 2014 | Zoe Makrigiannis (1st) |
| * - MW Defensive Player of the Year + - MW Newcomer of the Year |
The 2015 Mountain West Tournament title, won against San Diego State at the SDSU Sports Deck, was the first MW championship for any sport at SJSU since aligning with the conference in 2013. It was just the second time in program history (16 years) that San José State had reached the postseason.
The Spartans blew the seventh-place MW preseason prediction out of the water that year by finishing 8-3-0 in conference play. Eight wins in conference play were the most in program history, one of many records broken during the team’s run in 2015.
SJSU finished 3-14-1 overall the year prior to Hanson and her staff’s arrival. In the first year under Hanson’s direction, the team had a marked improvement in a number of statistical categories that led to an 8-8-3 overall record. That year, the Spartans doubled their offensive output, scoring 22 goals after just 10 went into the net in 2013. The defense also saw a huge lift, allowing 18 goals when the year before it gave up 33.
Hanson won both of her NCAA Women's Cup championships with the University of Portland. In 2005, she was an assistant coach with the Pilots and in 2002, was the team captain of Portland's championship team. Her college coaching career began at her alma mater in 2004.
In 2005, Portland completed an undefeated season (23-0-2) en route to its second NCAA Women's College Cup championship. In 2006, Hanson was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) West Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Portland earned a berth to the NCAA Women's College Cup in four of her five seasons on the Pilots' staff.
As the University of Oregon's Associate Head Coach during the 2009 through 2011 seasons, she coached the Ducks' backline and was the program's recruiting coordinator.
As Lauren Orlandos, Hanson enjoyed an illustrious playing career as a four-year centerback for Portland. She was a member of three Pilot teams to play in the NCAA Women's College Cup. The 2000 and 2001 clubs reached the semifinals, and she captained the 2002 Pilots to the program's first NCAA Women's College Cup championship.
Additionally, she was a finalist for the 2002 MAC/Hermann Trophy for National Player of the Year, was a two-time West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2000,2002), garnered First Team NSCAA All-West Region and All-WCC First Team honors in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and was twice named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team (2000, 2002).
In September of 2017, Hanson was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 2002 Portland Pilots. The following August, she was inducted into the University of Portland Hall of Fame. In August 2021, she was named as a member of the Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 Under 40 Class of 2021, one of just two honorees in the class involved in sports.
Hanson also has national team playing experience. She was a member of the United States Women's National Team in 2001 and competed on the U-18 and U-21 U.S. women's national teams.
Hanson played one season professionally after she was the ninth-overall selection in the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) draft by the New York Power.
A native of Lake Forest, Calif., Hanson graduated from Portland in 2003 with her Bachelor of Arts degree. She and her husband, Travis, have two children, Cole and Taylor.