Spurgeon College

In 2024, Lauren Allaway coached her first season as the head women’s volleyball coach at Spurgeon College. Her first season coaching for the Knights she coached her team into setting groundbreaking records all around from individual statistics to most wins in a single season. Not only this but under her coaching the team was ranked nationally in the top 15 for the first time in Knights volleyball history.
Before Allaway’s time at Spurgeon, she served as a graduate assistant for NAIA Ohio Christian University. Lauren was also the first-ever head JV volleyball coach for Ohio Christian, as she led her team to an 11-2 record in her second season. She graduated with her MBA from Ohio Christian in December 2023 with honor.

Allaway played five years of collegiate volleyball at NCAA DII Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH where she was also a five year member of the Cedarville track and field team. During her time as a yellow jacket, she was a five-time all conference player in volleyball, three-time NCCAA DI All American, five-time All NCCAA region team, two-time NCCAA regional player of the year, AVCA DII All American Honorable Mention, and D2 CCA All midwest region second team. Lauren finished her career with 1,199 career kills and 439 blocks. She is in the top 10 statistical leaders for both hitting and blocking for the yellow jackets. Allaway found success also on the track as she was a 7-time NCCAA DI All American athlete (3 of the honors being a National champion in the high jump and Distance Medley Relay) for indoor track and field. She was a 2-time all conference (G-MAC) honoree in the high jump. She graduated from Cedarville University, with honors, with degrees in Special Education and Early Childhood Education and minors in Bible, Women’s Ministry, and Biblical Care and Counseling.
Lauren is excited to be at Spurgeon College where she can use volleyball as a platform for ministry and discipleship. Coach Willow’s coaching philosophy is influenced by her strong faith and commitment to servant leadership, drawing inspiration from Philippians 2:1-11. “My role as a coach extends beyond the court,” she explained. “It’s about preparing these young women for life, instilling in them a strong foundation in Christ and personal growth.”Her approach to coaching is one that sees volleyball not just as a sport, but as a platform for worship and life lessons, all through a biblical worldview. “I aim to help each player develop not just as an athlete, but for them to grow in their relationship with Jesus,” she added.

She and her husband, Riley, reside in Kansas City, MO.