Lafayette College Basketball Announces New Head Coach for 2026

The Lafayette department of athletics just announced a major leadership change for its women’s basketball program. After nine seasons, head coach Kia Damon-Olson won’t return.

The search for her replacement is underway. Lafayette wants someone who’ll mentor student-athletes and lead the Leopards to future championships.

Damon-Olson’s time with the team brought a mix of highs and lows. There was a standout season in 2019-20, plus several individual player honors.

But the 2025-26 season ended on a down note, with a rough record and an early tournament exit.

The End of an Era: Kia Damon-Olson’s Tenure

Kia Damon-Olson took charge of Lafayette women’s basketball in May 2017. Over nine seasons, she posted a 92-161 record and went 56-100 in Patriot League games.

Even with plenty of challenges, she helped the team earn some meaningful achievements.

Key Achievements

During her time, Damon-Olson’s teams picked up:

• One Patriot League Player of the Year honor
• Two Defensive Player of the Year awards
• Numerous all-Patriot League selections
• Four all-rookie awards

Her best run came in 2019-20. The team finished 15-14, thanks in large part to Natalie Kucowski, who earned all-Patriot League first-team honors.

The Search for a New Leader

With Damon-Olson gone, Lafayette is looking for a new head coach. Sherryta Freeman, director of athletics, says they want a strong pool of candidates.

They’re hoping to find a mentor who can develop student-athletes and push the program forward.

Expectations for the New Coach

The next head coach will need to:

• Develop student-athletes
• Move the program forward
• Compete for championships

Freeman thanked Damon-Olson for her work and stressed the need for a leader who can build on what’s already in place.

Reflecting on the 2025-26 Season

The 2025-26 season didn’t go as hoped for the Leopards. They finished 11-19 overall and 7-11 in league play.

The year wrapped up with a tournament loss at Army, closing out Damon-Olson’s time at Lafayette.

Season Highlights

Still, there were a few bright spots:

• Teresa Kiewiet earned Scholar-Athlete of the Year
• Young players showed real growth

Looking Ahead

Lafayette’s now focused on finding a head coach who’ll bring fresh energy and ideas. The hope is to build a team that can truly compete in the Patriot League—and maybe even surprise a few folks beyond that.

Future Goals

The new coach will have a lot on their plate:

• Recruiting top talent
• Implementing effective strategies
• Fostering a winning culture

Honestly, it’s an exciting time for Lafayette women’s basketball. There’s a lot of hope in the air right now.

If you want to dig deeper into the coaching change at Lafayette, check out the full article here.