Bio

Lauren Karnitz, who guided the Titans to the 2023 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association title, enters her 17th season as the head women’s gymnastics coach at UW-Oshkosh in 2024.

Karnitz, a two-time national Coach of the Year, has guided 14 Titans to 36 total All-America awards: Kelly Busacker (2008 uneven bars); Mary Ann Oehlerking (2009 uneven bars); Stacie Jenkins (2009 all-around, 2010 floor exercise); Leane Blais (2013-14 uneven bars); Krystal Walker (2013-16 all-around, 2013-15 balance beam, 2013 vault, 2014 uneven bars, 2015 floor exercise); Jessica Bernardo (2017, 2019 all-around); Dana LoCascio (2017 balance beam); Baylee Tkaczuk (2017-20 uneven bars, 2018 balance beam); Emily Gilot (2019 floor exercise, 2019-20 and 2022 vault); Kaira Hammond (2019 uneven bars); Rahdea Jarvis (2019 vault, 2022 uneven bars); Trinity Sawyer (2020 and 2022 vault, 2022 floor exercise); Emily Buffington (2022 uneven bars); and Olivia Keller (2022 balance beam).

Last season, Karnitz led the Titans to the program's second consecutive and sixth overall national team title, scoring an NCAA Division III-record score 195.525 at the NCGA Championship in Winona, Minn. The Titans won their third-straight WIAC championship in Kolf Sports Center, scoring a season-high 193.100. Reanna McGibboney was named the WIAC Newcomer of the Year and Rahdea Jarvis earned the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. They each earned All-WIAC honors and were joined by six fellow Titans. At the national meet, five Titans earned All-America honors, headlined by McGibboney with scores of 9.800 on the floor and 9.750 on the vault.

In 2023, Karnitz and the Titans won the program's fifth overall national team title and first since 2007, scoring 194.100 at the NCGA Championship. UW-Oshkosh also won the WIAC championship, marking the first time since 1989 that the Titans clinched both the conference and national championships in the same season. Karnitz was tabbed the WIAC Coach of the Year for the third time while Buffington earned WIAC Gymnast of the Year and NCGA West Region Gymnast of the Year honors after winning a pair of events at the league meet. The Titans had six All-America performances at the NCGA Championship, including Buffington's individual title in the uneven bars.

In an abbreviated 2021 season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Karnitz and the Titans produced a 2-2 dual meet record against conference rivals exclusively. The WIAC and NCGA championships were canceled.

During the 2020 season, Karnitz earned her second straight Coach of the Year honor from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches after leading the Titans to their first WIAC title since 1996. UW-Oshkosh won each of its five conference dual meets and claimed a league triangular title against UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater. The Titans had one WIAC event champion and three All-Americans despite the cancellation of the NCGA Championship due to the coronavirus pandemic. UW-Oshkosh’s Baylee Tkaczuk was named the NGCA Outstanding Senior of the Year and WIAC Gymnastics Scholar Athlete of the Year.

In 2019 Karnitz became the third Titan coach to earn NCGA Coach of the Year honors after leading UW-Oshkosh to a six All-America performances on the way to a fourth-place finish at the national meet, marking the program’s best finish at the NCGA Championship since winning the 2007 title. UW-Oshkosh, which hosted the NCGA Championship, qualified for nationals by finishing second at the WIAC Championship.

Karnitz helped Tkaczuk claim her second straight NCGA uneven bars title in 2018. Tkaczuk became the second Titan to win consecutive NCGA individual championships and the first since Amy Webb won the floor exercise in 1992 and 1993. UW-Oshkosh capped the season with five gymnasts earning WCGA Scholastic All-America honors.

In 2017, Karnitz tutored Tkaczuk to an NCGA individual title on the uneven bars. The Titans produced a program-record score of 191.250 at Centenary College (La.) and had three All-America performances at the NCGA Championship while garnering nine selections to the NCGA All-Academic Team.

Karnitz helped Walker garner NCGAC West Region Gymnast of the Year honors in 2015.

During the 2014 season, Karnitz was named both the NAGC/Women Division III West Region and WIAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Titans to a fifth-place finish at the NCGA Championship, where UW-Oshkosh scored a then school-record 188.475 points.

In 2008, Karnitz’s first season, Vanessa Virbitsky earned the WIAC’s Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete award. Karnitz has also had nine gymnasts receive NCGA All-Academic Team honors.

Karnitz competed for the Titans from 2003-06. She earned All-WIAC honors in the floor exercise during 2004 and qualified for the floor exercise event finals at the 2006 NCGA Championship. With Karnitz as team captain, UW-Oshkosh placed third at the 2006 NCGA Championship.

Karnitz earned a bachelor’s of science and a master’s of professional counseling from UW-Oshkosh. She resides in Neenah with her husband, Bruce, a former UW-Oshkosh baseball player, and daughters, Quinn and Kendall.

(10/6/23)