Francis Marion University Athletics

Lauren Baufield-Edwards is entering her ninth season as the head coach for the Francis Marion University women's volleyball program.

Her career mark stands at 114-108 after guiding FMU to a 16-13 mark in 2024.  For the ninth time in program history and the fifth time under Baufield-Edwards, the Patriots earned a Team Academic Award presented by INTENT and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Baufield-Edwards earned the school's 2021-22 Frankie Award for Head Coach of the Year after guiding FMU to a 21-11 record, the Conference Carolinas East Division crown, the Conference Carolinas Tournament championship, and a berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.  She was also honored as the conference's Coach of the Year, an honor that arrived only two days after the birth of her second son.

In her first five seasons on the Patriot bench, she compiled 66 wins, including a four-win improvement over the first (2017) season, a five-win improvement over her second (2018) season, and a 16-win improvement between the covid-shortened 2020 season and the 2021 campaign.  In 2019, she guided the Patriots to an 18-14 mark and a fifth-place finish during the Peach Belt Conference regular season.

A native of Plymouth, Minn., Baufield-Edwards earned a B.S. degree (cum laude) in sport and leisure management and a M.A. degree in kinesiology and sport studies both from East Tennessee State University.  She was a four-year letterwinner on the Buccaneers volleyball squad, including being captain for three seasons.  She was a member of the 2010 team that set a school record with 26 victories, was a three-time Atlantic Sun Conference All-Academic Team honoree, and earned the annual Buc Heart Award given to the player that shows the most heart, passion, and determination on three occasions.

Following her playing career, she spent three seasons on the ETSU staff, during which time the team went 60-38, including a 23-13 campaign in 2012 that culminated in an NCAA Tournament bid.  She served as assistant coach for both the indoor and sand volleyball programs at Division II Eckerd College for one year before returning to her alma mater in March of 2015.

During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the Buccaneers posted a 41-20 combined mark that included the 2016 Southern Conference regular-season championship.  The Bucs garnered AVCA Team Academic Awards in both years.

Altogether during her time on the ETSU bench, she coached 13 All-Conference athletes, including two Player of the Year award winners.

Baufield-Edwards has also served as a head coach within the Kingsport and Optimum volleyball clubs.

She was part of the panel as the Peach Belt Conference welcomed over 100 attendees on Jan. 31, 2019, to the 10th-annual Women in Athletics Seminar in Evans, Ga.

She married Latwan Edwards in June of 2020.  She has three sons, Josiah, Elijah, and Ronin, and step-son, Isaiah. 

Baufield-Edwards is the 14th head coach in the 52-year history of the Francis Marion program, which boasts a .547 winning percentage (934-773 all-time record).  She ranks third in wins among the 14 head coaches.

* The 2020 season was delayed until the Spring of 2021 because of the covid-19 pandemic
** NCAA Division II Tournament berth

(8-2025)