Lauren Kahn enters her seventh year at the head coach of the Gaels in 2025-2026 after being named Iona’s third ever head coach in 2019.
During Kahn’s time, the Gaels have broken more than 20 program records, in her fifth year with the Gaels they set new program records for total wins and MAAC wins. Named the MAAC Co-Midfield Player of the Year in 2023 and in 2024 and the 2025 Midfield of the Year, the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2022. With 100+ student athletes have been named to the MAAC All-Academic team.
In 2025 Kahn led the Gaels to the third post-season berth since 2016, the other being in 2024 when the Gaels hosted Mount St. Mary's, the season did not end their as they kept writing the history book, Gaels went on to win their first even postseason game at home over Rider. Gaels continued their post season run with a nail biting win 11-10 over the number one seed Mount St. Mary's clinching their first ever berth in to the MAAC Championship, where the Gaels would fall to Fairfield 12-7. The 2025 season also saw the third Gael in program history to record 200+ points. Kira Varada finished her career with 218 (second most).
The 2023 season was marked by the program’s first-ever win over Canisius on Senior Day with a score of 19-14. It was followed up later that season with a program-breaking number of goals in a 24-17 win over Marist to wrap up the end of the regular season. Kahn’s team posted another record-tying number of wins with 9 and the most MAAC wins yet under her leadership.
Kahn’s 2023 squad boasted the Co-Midfielder of the Year and First-Team All-MAAC, sophomore Kira Varada ’26 who led the team and the MAAC in caused turnovers per game and draw controls per game. Varada also led the team in goals and ground balls and was ranked in the Top-10 in the nation for caused turnovers and groundballs per game. Second-Team All-MAAC junior Micaela FitzPatrick ’24 led the team and the MAAC in total points, points per game, total assists, and assists-per game. FitzPatrick joined Varada in the national Top-20 rankings for assists per game. Kahn’s team also named senior Emily Stewart ’23 to the All-MAAC Second Team and three freshmen to the All-MAAC Rookie Team.
The historic 2023 season comes right off of an equally impressive 2022 campaign where Kahn led to her team to 13 program record including total wins and a seven-game win streak. The Gaels set team records in total goals, total points, and draw controls. Kira Varada ’24 broke the record for draw controls in a season with 79. Three Gaels were nominated to the All-MAAC team: Varada ’24 and Carly Young ’22 were both named to the second team and Varada ’24 and Carly Linthicum ’24 were both named to the All-Rookie Team.
Both of Kahn’s first two years in New Rochelle were impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic – cutting her first season short in 2020 and restricting the 2021 season to limited competition. In 2021, Kahn’s team earned a spot in the MAAC conference tournament for the first time in three years and the first time under her leadership.
Prior to Iona, Kahn was a tenured assistant at Columbia University running the team’s defense and transition game. While in place with the Lions, Kahn helped the team earn a spot in the Ivy League Championship for the first time in program history. That same year, Kahn coached Lindsey Ewerston to break two program records in draws: single-season total of 78 and single-game of 15.
As a player, Kahn competed with both the United Women’s Lacrosse League as a member of the Boston Storm and the WPLL with the Philadelphia Fire. In the summer of 2021, Kahn was a coach with the inaugural season of women’s lacrosse in the Athletes Unlimited league.
A graduate of the University of Connecticut in 2014, Kahn was a two-time Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-America and All-Big East First Team honoree. She was voted the Big East Midfielder of the Year in 2012. Kahn carried UConn's offense in 2012 and 2013, leading the Huskies in points in back-to-back seasons.
She was named to the 2014 Tewaaraton Award preseason watch list. The award is given annually to the most outstanding American college lacrosse men's and women's lacrosse players. The Nanuet, New York native finished her collegiate career at UConn ranked No. 2 all-time in points (216), No. 3 in assists (73) and No. 4 in goals (143).
Kahn is a member of Nanuet High School Hall of Fame, inducted in the fall of 2021.
A 2022 graduate of LaPenta School of Business, Kahn holds an MBA from Iona University. She also holds a BA in Communications with a Minor in English from the University of Connecticut. Kahn is certified as a personal trainer with ACE.
