Academy of Art hires LaNay Larson as new Urban Knights head women's basketball coach

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Academy of Art University athletics department is pleased to announce the hiring of Lanay Larson as the new Urban Knights head women's basketball coach.

“I feel the program's coaching prowess has taken a quantum leap forward with the addition of Lanay Larson as our new women's head basketball coach. The last six years of quality work she completed with Angie Kristensen at Dixie State is profound, long lasting and quite relevant in regard to our long term goals. LaNay knows basketball, recruiting and academia at a high level but it's her innate work ethic and fearlessness that I found attractive and appropriate for our unique cause. I am supremely happy that she is now part of the Urban Knight family.” expounds Dr. Jamie Williams, director of athletics.

Larson brings with her a wealth of game knowledge, coaching experience at the Division II level, specifically in the Pacific West Conference. Larson was most recently the assistant women's basketball coach at Dixie State College, helping lead the 2011 team to its first NCAA Division II tournament birth.

Larson's coaching experience began in 2004 when she was the undergrad assistant at Pittsburg State. After coaching there for one season, Larson became the assistant basketball coach at the College of St. Mary for one season. During her time at Dixie, she coached 10 players to all-conference honors with two players earning all-regions accolades. Larson has both Division II and NAIA coaching experience which includes post-season accomplishments.

"I am very honored to accept the head women's basketball job here at Academy of Art University,” Larson said. “I would like to thank Dr. Williams and Dr. Stephens for the opportunity to coach at such an outstanding institution. The athletic department has made incredible strides in its first three years of existence and I am thrilled to be a part of what I believe is a very bright future!”

Lanay played for hall of fame coach Kim Muhl at Kirkwood Community College before finishing her playing career at Pittsburg State where she graduated with a degree in education.

“The program has a great core of talent and experience to build around, and with the addition of some solid recruits, I feel like we have the chance to compete in the PacWest Conference immediately. Our ultimate goal is to make history here, bring home a championship, and make the Urban Knights a force to be reckoned with,” she added.

Larson begins her first head coaching experience at the Academy of Art University effective immediately.