Lees-McRae College Women's Basketball

Lauren Lewis Galvani was announced as the new Head Women's Basketball Coach at Lees-McRae on April 2024 by Lees-McRae College Vice President for Athletics and Club Sports Craig McPhail. In her first season as head coach of the Bobcats, Galvani helped improve the team record to 7-18, doubling wins from the previous two seasons. Lees-McRae improved in every statistical category from the year prior, including finishing top 5 in Conference Carolinas with three-pointers made, FT percentage, steals, and turnover margin. Galvani, a 2015 Lees-McRae graduate, returns to Banner Elk, after guiding the Independence women's basketball program to nine years and a record of 127-95, the largest turnaround in North Carolina during that time. Galvani is the all-time winningest coach at Independence, a three-time Southwestern Conference Coach of the Year and posted a record of 95-28 in the past five seasons. In 2022-23, Galvani held an undefeated conference record (12-0), the first in school history, and ranked as the number one team in various local and state polls during the 2020-21, 2022-23, and 2023-24 seasons. She has coached three Southwestern Conference Player of the Year recipients. She has made six postseason appearances, four conference tournament championship appearances, two Sweet Sixteen appearances, and one Elite Eight appearance at Independence. "In watching her coach over the years, I have been impressed with her sideline presence, the involvement with her student-athletes on and off the court, the accountability and relationships she has built," said McPhail. "I am convinced there will be plenty of young women now look at Lees-McRae as a place to continue their basketball career." Galvani also served as the Assistant Coach of Team Curry Girls Under Armour Association where the team competes in the Under Armour Circuit as a Top 20 nationally ranked team. During her collegiate career, Galvani was a two-sport student-athlete at Catawba College and Lees-McRae (softball and basketball). She garnered all-conference in 2014 while leading the league in three-point percentage, and most three-point field goals made in a season, and finished in the top five of scoring in Conference Carolinas.