BELTON — A familiar face is returning to help lead the UMHB women’s basketball program.
On Wednesday, the athletics department announced that Lauren Baker, an All-ASC honoree for the program in 2023-24, has rejoined head coach Katie Novak-Lenoir’s program as UMHB’S assistant coach. She comes back to Belton after playing professionally in Morocco this past winter.
“I’m thrilled to be back home,” Baker said in a statement from UMHB. “Returning to UMHB is more than just stepping back onto a familiar court—it’s stepping into a place that’s shaped me both as a player and as a woman of faith.
“This program has poured so much into me over the years, not only in basketball but in my personal and spiritual growth. I’m deeply thankful to Coach Novak-Lenoir for the opportunity to invest in these young women—helping them grow on the court, in the classroom, and in their walk with Christ. I’m ready to get started and help bring more wins to the Cru!”
Baker is a strong hire considering her innate knowledge of the program, having played in all 28 games with 14 starts during Novak-Lenoir’s first season at the helm in 2023-24. The Grand Prairie product was a key contributor in the backcourt, dishing out 2.7 assists per game, as well as being one of just two players on the roster to average double figures in scoring (11.0 PPG) on a team that went 21-7 and reached the NCAA Tournament.
During a career with The Cru that spanned two full seasons, plus the second half of 2021-22, Baker played in two NCAA Tournaments and earned a pair of All-ASC honors. She graduated in 2024 after leading the team as a captain during her senior year.
As a UMHB alum, she brings first-hand experience to the table when on the recruiting trail, able to speak passionately with deep knowledge of the institution and program she gave so much to as a player from 2022-2024. Having played for Novak-Lenoir, she is already familiar with the schemes and style of play currently run by The Cru, and because of her continued involvement around the team over the last few seasons, she has connections with many of the current players on the roster. In fact, Baker played alongside rising seniors Josie Bruder and Katelen Brooks during her senior year in 2023-24.
All of those factors provide for a perfect fit as Baker begins her first full-time collegiate coaching position. It also marks the second time Novak-Lenoir has hired one of her former players as the program’s assistant, with Abby Spurgin, who spent the last two seasons on staff, having played for Novak-Lenoir at Hawaii Pacific in 2022-23.
For UMHB’s full press release on Baker’s hiring, click here.
Awesome; congratulations!