BELTON, Texas – University of Mary Hardin-Baylor alum
Lauren Baker has joined the women's basketball coaching staff as assistant coach, the Cru announced Wednesday.
Baker, a 2024 graduate of UMHB, played two years of collegiate basketball at UMHB. She was a two-time all-American Southwest Conference selection, also earning all-tournament team and all-academic honors. Baker served as team captain for the 2023-24 season and helped the Cru to a regular-season championship, three ASC tournament qualifications and two NCAA tournament qualifications.
"I'm thrilled to be back home," Baker said. "Returning to UMHB is more than just stepping back onto a familiar court—it's stepping into a place that's shaped me both as a player and as a woman of faith. This program has poured so much into me over the years, not only in basketball but in my personal and spiritual growth. I'm deeply thankful to Coach Novak-Lenoir for the opportunity to invest in these young women—helping them grow on the court, in the classroom, and in their walk with Christ. I'm ready to get started and help bring more wins to the Cru!"
Baker opened her collegiate career at Nelson University, playing from 2019-2022. After graduation, Baker played professional basketball in Morocco before returning home to rejoin the Cru as an assistant coach.
