Lauren leaves the Ducks.

UO SOCCER

Ducks part ways with assistant
Oregon decides not to renew Lauren Hanson’s contract by “mutual agreement”

Published: (Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 05:00AM) Today

The Oregon women’s soccer team is in the market for a new assistant coach after Lauren Hanson’s contract was not renewed at the end of last year, according to UO head coach Tara Erickson.

Hanson, who spent three years with the Ducks, came to Eugene in 2009 after nine years as a player and assistant coach at the University of Portland.

Erickson said the parting of ways was via “mutual agreement.”

“(Lauren) did a ton for our program in the time she was here,” said Erickson, the all-time winningest coach at Oregon with a seven-year mark of 62-61-16.

“But what I need for the future is different from what Lauren is able to offer where she is right now.”

Three-year UO assistant coach Mac Wilson will shift his duties from primarily focusing on goalkeepers to working with field players, assuming the role of recruiting coordinator, and taking care of scheduling.

Erickson said she’s looking for a new goalkeeper coach to assist in the development of returning starter Abby Steele, who will be a sophomore in the fall, and back-up Casey Wilhelm, who will be a redshirt junior.

Oregon is also likely to add a goalkeeper when its recruiting class is announced in February.

The Ducks are scheduled to open the 2012 season in the new, but still unnamed soccer/lacrosse facility east of Autzen Stadium on Aug. 19 against UAB.

ejjqb wrote:While this is sad, the wording used by Erickson leaves you wondering what was wrong. Sounds like a major difference of opinion on direction. As I remember when she left the Pilots, some thought that she was looking for a chance to become the head coach, which looked like a ways off at Portland. Maybe the poorer than expected results for the Ducks in 2011 created some tensions and finger pointing.