University of Georgia Athletics
Cross Country
Lauren Hirneisen
- Title:
- Assistant Distance Coach
- Email:
- laurenh@sports.uga.edu
Lauren Hirneisen joined the Georgia program as an assistant coach for distance and the Director of External Operations in July of 2024 after spending a cross country and an indoor season and two outdoor seasons at California Baptist University with current Bulldog cross country coach Adam Tribble. Prior to her last stop, Hirneisen was at North Florida for two years under former Georgia distance coach Jeff Pigg.
In her first season aiding Tribble with the “Distance Dawgs,” Hirneisen helped guide sophomore Ryan Olree to a 19th-place finish (30:34.9) and All-Region honors at the NCAA South Regional. For the women, Tribble and Hirneisen began the development of freshman in-state product Izzy Yonas, who scored at all five meets and was UGA’s top finisher in three of them.
In addition, a pair of underclassmen in Conner Rutherford and Kate Robinson strengthened the case for future optimism in Georgia’s distance program. Rutherford, a sophomore, was the second Bulldog across the line in all four of his meets while Robinson, a freshman, topped her teammates in two races and scored in all five.
In the 2024 outdoor season at CBU, Hirneisen helped the Lancers earn multiple NCAA qualifiers for the second consecutive season with both Valentin Soca and Greta Karinauskaite punching their ticket to Eugene, Ore. Both Soca and Karinauskaite earned All-American status, marking the first time in program history that multiple athletes earned All-American status at National in the same meet. CBU collected five All-WAC nominees as well in 2024, including two Individual champions and four First Team selections.
During the 2023 cross season with the Lancers, CBU put their men and women's teams to Nationals for the first time where they placed 16th and 17th, respectively. The men's team also won its fourth straight WAC Championship and the women brought home their sixth straight top-two finish.
Hirneisen helped coach two runners to the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in program history in Karinauskaite and Yasna Petrova. Karinauskaite collected a silver medal in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase in Austin.
She worked as an assistant coach and the Director of Operations during the 2021-22 cross country and track & field seasons at North Florida. Hirneisen assisted in producing four event winners, as well as 11 All-ASUN placements, highlighted by helping the men's cross country team win the 2021 ASUN Championship. She also aided student-athletes from both teams to multiple records, personal best times and conference award recognitions.
Hirneisen brings a wealth of distance running knowledge and experience from her time as a collegiate runner at Liberty from 2017-21. When she was a team captain during her junior year, Hirneisen was selected Second Team All-Conference in cross country.
She was also selected to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in 2018 and the ASUN Academic Honor Roll in 2019 and 2020.
In her first season aiding Tribble with the “Distance Dawgs,” Hirneisen helped guide sophomore Ryan Olree to a 19th-place finish (30:34.9) and All-Region honors at the NCAA South Regional. For the women, Tribble and Hirneisen began the development of freshman in-state product Izzy Yonas, who scored at all five meets and was UGA’s top finisher in three of them.
In addition, a pair of underclassmen in Conner Rutherford and Kate Robinson strengthened the case for future optimism in Georgia’s distance program. Rutherford, a sophomore, was the second Bulldog across the line in all four of his meets while Robinson, a freshman, topped her teammates in two races and scored in all five.
In the 2024 outdoor season at CBU, Hirneisen helped the Lancers earn multiple NCAA qualifiers for the second consecutive season with both Valentin Soca and Greta Karinauskaite punching their ticket to Eugene, Ore. Both Soca and Karinauskaite earned All-American status, marking the first time in program history that multiple athletes earned All-American status at National in the same meet. CBU collected five All-WAC nominees as well in 2024, including two Individual champions and four First Team selections.
During the 2023 cross season with the Lancers, CBU put their men and women's teams to Nationals for the first time where they placed 16th and 17th, respectively. The men's team also won its fourth straight WAC Championship and the women brought home their sixth straight top-two finish.
Hirneisen helped coach two runners to the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in program history in Karinauskaite and Yasna Petrova. Karinauskaite collected a silver medal in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase in Austin.
She worked as an assistant coach and the Director of Operations during the 2021-22 cross country and track & field seasons at North Florida. Hirneisen assisted in producing four event winners, as well as 11 All-ASUN placements, highlighted by helping the men's cross country team win the 2021 ASUN Championship. She also aided student-athletes from both teams to multiple records, personal best times and conference award recognitions.
Hirneisen brings a wealth of distance running knowledge and experience from her time as a collegiate runner at Liberty from 2017-21. When she was a team captain during her junior year, Hirneisen was selected Second Team All-Conference in cross country.
She was also selected to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in 2018 and the ASUN Academic Honor Roll in 2019 and 2020.
Georgia Cross Country NCAA South Regional Championship Video Recap
Friday, November 10
Georgia Cross Country SEC Championship Video Recap
Friday, October 27
Georgia Cross Country Regionals Highlights
Friday, November 11
Georgia Cross Country SEC Championships Postmeet Recap
Saturday, October 29
