Lauren Karnitz, who guided the Titans to the 2022, 2023, and 2024 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) titles, enters her 18th season as the head women’s gymnastics coach at UW-Oshkosh in 2025.
Karnitz, a two-time national coach of the year, has guided 20 Titans to 55 total All-America awards, including three to seven individual national titles: Emily Buffington (all-around- 2024, uneven bars- 2022 and 2024), Mia Lucero (floor exercise- 2024, vault- 2024), and Baylee Tkaczuk (uneven bars- 2017 and 2018).
Last season, the Titans posted an unblemished 6-0 dual record (5-0) on their way to their fourth consecutive WIAC title and third straight NCGA championship. Buffington won both the all-around and uneven bars during UW-Oshkosh's 192.875 point victory at the WIAC Championship and Karnitz was named co-WIAC Coach of the Year. Six Titans earned 10 All-America laurels and four individual national titles at the NCGA Championship as the team scored a Division III record 194.975 points. Buffington collected two Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association All-America honors, joined by Reanna McGibboney with one while Kaylie Berens became the program's first College Sports Communicators Academic All-American with a third team nod.
During the 2023 campaign, Karnitz led the Titans to the program's second consecutive and sixth overall national team title, scoring a 195.525 at the NCGA Championship in Winona, Minn. The Titans won their third-straight WIAC championship in Kolf Sports Center with a season-high 193.100, becoming the first team to win at least three consecutive league championships since 2009. UW-La Crosse won 13 straight titles from 1997 to 2009 while UW-Oshkosh took home the 1991, 1992, 1993 titles and won the conference crown every year from 1979 to 1987. McGibboney was named the WIAC Newcomer of the Year and Rahdea Jarvis earned the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. They each earned All-WIAC honors and were joined by six fellow Titans. At the national meet, five Titans earned All-America honors, headlined by McGibboney with scores of 9.800 on the floor and 9.750 on the vault.
In 2022, Karnitz and the Titans won the program's fifth overall national team title and first since 2007, scoring 194.100 at the NCGA Championship. UW-Oshkosh also won the WIAC championship, marking the first time since 1989 that the Titans clinched both the conference and national championships in the same season. Karnitz was tabbed the WIAC Coach of the Year for the third time while Buffington earned WIAC Gymnast of the Year and NCGA West Region Gymnast of the Year honors after winning a pair of events at the league meet. The Titans had six All-America performances at the NCGA Championship, including Buffington's individual title in the uneven bars.
In an abbreviated 2021 season due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Karnitz and the Titans produced a 2-2 dual meet record against conference rivals exclusively. The WIAC and NCGA championships were canceled.
During the 2020 season, Karnitz earned her second straight coach of the year honor from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches after leading the Titans to their first WIAC title since 1996. UW-Oshkosh won each of its five conference dual meets and claimed a league triangular title against UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater. The Titans had one WIAC event champion and three All-Americans despite the cancelation of the NCGA Championship due to the coronavirus pandemic. UW-Oshkosh’s Baylee Tkaczuk was named the NGCA Outstanding Senior of the Year and WIAC Gymnastics Scholar Athlete of the Year.
In 2019 Karnitz became the third Titan coach to earn NCGA Coach of the Year honors after leading UW-Oshkosh to a six All-America performances on the way to a fourth-place finish at the national meet, marking the program’s best finish at the NCGA Championship since winning the 2007 title. UW-Oshkosh, which hosted the NCGA Championship, qualified for nationals by finishing second at the WIAC Championship.
Karnitz helped Tkaczuk claim her second straight NCGA uneven bars title in 2018. Tkaczuk became the second Titan to win consecutive NCGA individual championships and the first since Amy Webb won the floor exercise in 1992 and 1993. UW-Oshkosh capped the season with five gymnasts earning WCGA Scholastic All-America honors.
In 2017, Karnitz tutored Tkaczuk to an NCGA individual title on the uneven bars. The Titans produced a program-record score of 191.250 at Centenary College (La.) and had three All-America performances at the NCGA Championship while garnering nine selections to the NCGA All-Academic Team.
Karnitz helped Walker garner NCGAC West Region Gymnast of the Year honors in 2015.
During the 2014 season, Karnitz was named both the NAGC/Women Division III West Region and WIAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Titans to a fifth-place finish at the NCGA Championship, where UW-Oshkosh scored a then school-record 188.475 points.
In 2008, Karnitz’s first season, Vanessa Virbitsky earned the WIAC’s Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete award. Karnitz has also had nine gymnasts receive NCGA All-Academic Team honors.
Karnitz competed for the Titans from 2003-06. She earned All-WIAC honors in the floor exercise during 2004 and qualified for the floor exercise event finals at the 2006 NCGA Championship. With Karnitz as team captain, UW-Oshkosh placed third at the 2006 NCGA Championship.
Karnitz earned a bachelor’s of science and a master’s of professional counseling from UW-Oshkosh. She resides in Neenah with her husband, Bruce, a former UW-Oshkosh baseball player, and daughters, Quinn and Kendall.
(10/10/2024)
