EVANSTON, Ill. – Lauren Ebstein has joined the Northwestern Softball staff as the Wildcats’ pitching coach, head coach Kate Drohan announced on Monday.
Ebstein arrives at Northwestern after serving as head coach at her alma mater, Tufts University, where she compiled a 228-72 record and a .780 winning percentage that ranked ninth among all active Division III softball coaches. Across her time at Tufts, she helped guide the program to five NCAA Division III World Series appearances, including two as head coach, and back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015 as associate head coach.
"Lauren is a proven winner,” Drohan said. “As a mentor, teacher and leader, Ebs has developed champions on and off the field everywhere she has coached. We are thrilled to bring her pitching expertise and championship pedigree to Northwestern."
Ebstein's teams went 86-14 in NESCAC conference play during her time as head coach, earning three conference titles and seven NCAA Tournament appearances in her seven seasons at the helm of Tufts. She was named NFCA Regional Coach of the Year in both 2021 and 2022, also winning the 2021 NESCAC Coach of the Year. While at Tufts, Ebstein coached four different pitchers to NESCAC Pitcher of the Year honors: Allyson Fournier in 2014-15, Kristi Van Meter in 2019, Kristina Haghdan in 2021 and Sophia DiCocco in 2022.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join Northwestern Softball,” Ebstein said. “The program represents everything I value in college athletics — academic achievement, competitive excellence and a commitment to developing outstanding people. I'm so grateful to Kate and Caryl Drohan and the entire Northwestern staff and administration for the opportunity to join the Wildcat family. I look forward to building relationships with the student-athletes, contributing to a championship culture and helping the pitchers develop both on and off the field.”
Ebstein earned the permanent title of head coach at Tufts in 2019 following a successful season as the interim head coach in 2018, during which Tufts won the NESCAC title and ultimately hosted an NCAA Regional, finishing with a 32-10 record.
Ebstein returned to the Tufts coaching staff in 2013 and was promoted to associate head coach for the 2014 season, where she helped lead her alma mater to back-to-back NCAA Division III national championships in 2014 and 2015, capped by a perfect 51-0 season in 2015. Working directly with the pitching staff, she helped shape four-time All-American Allyson Fournier into one of the most decorated pitchers in Division III history.