After three years at the helm, Northwest College women’s basketball coach Lauren Davis is moving on. Earlier this week she accepted a position as head coach at Fort Lewis College, an NCAA Division II school in Durango, Colorado.

“I’m sad, I love Northwest,” Davis said. “I wasn’t even looking for a job, it just kind of fell into my lap. I had the chance to get an on campus interview and fell in love with the athletic director and the campus.”

In her tenure at Northwest, Davis led the Trappers to a record of 50-38, along with two postseason berths at the Region IX tournament but did not progress past the quarterfinals.

The head coaching position at Northwest was Davis’ first collegiate head coaching position, and she was grateful to the school and her players for helping her get to this point.

“I never in a million years would have gotten this opportunity if [Athletic Director] Brian [Erickson] hadn’t taken a chance on me,” Davis said. “I also wouldn’t have gotten this opportunity without the players that helped me have winning seasons. Without Northwest this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Making the move to the next level was not an easy decision for Davis, who said the support around Powell and Northwest had been incredible over her three seasons in charge.

“The community support alone is something I’m going to miss,” Davis said. “I’m going to miss Brian, coach [Andy] Ward and the community that supports our games.”

She said that moving to Colorado will be a fast transition, but that she will make the trip back to Powell to watch the women play and catch up with coach Ward.

“I get a chance to level up in my career,” Davis said. “I’m more than grateful for the opportunity.”

She will be taking over a program that went 12-16 this past season and plays in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

“Me as the athletic director, I think our administration, we couldn’t be more proud or happier for her,” Erickson said. “It’s sad for us, but couldn’t be more happy for her. She’s got a bright future and we are going to keep moving forward with our women’s basketball program and we will find somebody else to take over. It’s in a good place at this point.”

NEXT MOVE FOR NORTHWEST

The departure of Davis will bring about a time of transition for Northwest as well, with Erickson not entirely shocked she was hired to take the next step.

“Someone with coach Davis’ ability, how she coaches and how she can change student athletes’ lives, it’s not surprising because the impact she’s had here and the culture she’s built, she’s going to keep moving up,” Erickson said. “Years and years down the road we are going to be watching her on TV.”

Erickson and Davis have already been in contact with players on campus and potential signings for Northwest this upcoming year. Erickson said they will continue to communicate to ensure each athlete has a good transition whether that be with Northwest or at another institution.

“We will make sure they are still getting workouts and getting in the weight room and preparing them for next year. If any of them want to move on, coach Davis and I can help in those areas,” Erickson said. “She has met with the team and contacted all possible recruits or future Trappers and let them know, so over the next couple of weeks we will figure things out.”

He said Northwest will then need to decide if they will open up the position fully, or will seek out an interim coach for next season so that the program can begin recruiting as quickly as possible.

“This is the key time to be recruiting for women’s basketball,” Erickson said. “We need to find somebody as quick as we can.”

He said they are hoping to get as much done as they can in the next week.