On June 15th, 2015, Laura Coffman (37-20, three seasons) was named the fifth head coach in Carthage's water polo program history.
Coffman led the Lady Reds to a 15-4, 11-3 CWPA record, and a third-place finish at the CWPA Division III Championship in 2016. She followed that with a 15-5, 11-3 CWPA campaign in 2017, and a 7-11, 3-4 CWPA mark in 2018. The 2017 and 2018 seasons ended with third-place finishes at the CWPA Championship.
Coffman arrived to Carthage with an extensive coaching background, most recently at the Gilman School in Baltimore, Md., from 2008-2011, where Laura became the first female varsity head coach in the all-boys independent school's 117-year history. While at Gilman, she earned the school's first Eastern Prep School Championship in Gilman history.
Prior to Gilman, Coffman spent 2004-2007 at the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club as the senior assistant coach for the boys and girls U16 programs, which has produced four Olympians, 14 NCAA Champions and hundreds of collegiate competitors. From 1992-1999, she served as the girls varsity head coach at York Community High School followed by The Latin School of Chicago head coach from 2000-2003.
In 1996, Coffman joined USA Water Polo serving as the Midwest Zone's head coach and as the United States National Youth Team's assistant coach. Additionally, Coffman served as the head coach of Chicago's Apostles Water Polo Club from 1991-1999, and as an assistant to the boys and girls programs at Stevenson High School during the 1991 season.
A member of the 1999 Illinois Water Polo Hall of Fame class, Coffman competed with the Team USA Women's Senior National Team from 1988-1991, the Team USA Women's Junior National Team from 1984-1986, was a six-time participant with the US Olympic Festival North Team and competed with the University of Illinois men's water polo club from 1984-1990.
A Chicago native, Laura has been married to Nat for 19 years and has a son, Matthew, and a daughter, Claire. A 1988 graduate of the University of Illinois, Coffman earned her bachelor's in Biology, as well as her masters in the Teaching of Biological Sciences in 1991.
