MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee head soccer coach Aston Rhoden announced the addition of Lauren Robertson to his staff as an assistant coach beginning with the 2013 season.
Robertson joins the program after spending two years as an assistant at the University of Montana. She replaces Allison Whitworth, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Ohio University.
"Lauren will be a great addition to our staff," noted Rhoden. "She brings a wealth of experience working with goalkeepers, which will be an asset to our team. I'm excited to have her join our staff as she will also help us increase our recruiting base as we transition into Conference USA."
During her time with the Grizzlies, Robertson coached the goalkeepers. In her first year at Montana, Robertson's keepers finished the season with a 1.80 goals against average, .716 save percentage and pair of shutouts. Kristen Hoon was named to the Big Sky Conference All-Tournament team after leading the Griz to the tournament title with a pair of shootout victories.
In 2012, the Grizzlies allowed 24 fewer goals and posted an impressive 0.82 GAA. Under Robertson's tutelage, Montana recorded a .571 shutout percentage, which ranked 11th nationally. Hoon, a primary goalkeeper, was named honorable mention All-Big Sky.
Robertson spent the summer of 2012 playing for the Colorado Rapids of the W-League. She played every minute in goal for a team that went 5-5-4 and finished fourth in the W-League's eight-team Western Division.
She finished the two-month season with six shutouts and a 1.64 goals against average. Her six shutouts tied for second in the 30-team W-League, as did her 101 saves.
"I am incredibly excited to be joining the MT soccer staff, especially at a point in time where we are heading towards new goals and new competition as we join Conference USA," said Robertson. "It is a wonderful opportunity to grow and advance and I am very happy to be working with such an experienced and successful staff in Aston and Chris (Cahill). I look forward to being a part of this program and this University."
Originally from Mission Viejo, Calif., Robertson was a four-year starter at goalkeeper for The Ohio State University. She concluded her record-setting career with the Buckeyes in 2009 and spent the 2010 season at OSU as a student assistant coach.
As a senior she recorded a then school-record 12 shutouts and posted a 0.63 goals against average to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors. Robertson finished her career with 29 shutouts -- at the time the second most in Big Ten Conference history -- and a goals-against-average of 1.03.
As a student assistant coach at Ohio State, her team went 17-5-2, won a share of the Big Ten championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament semifinals, where the Buckeyes dropped a 1-0 decision to eventual national champion Notre Dame.
Robertson was invited to the U.S. national team's U16 training camp in 2004 and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer draft by the Washington Freedom.
She earned a degree from Ohio State in psychology during the spring of 2011.
