BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - First-year Head Women's Basketball Coach Scott Merritt has named Katie Nelson and Lauren Holden to his inaugural coaching staff.
 
Nelson joins Gardner-Webb after one season as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin, where she coached alongside Merritt.
 
Prior to her coaching career, Nelson spent her final season of collegiate eligibility playing for Wisconsin. In 2021-2022, she started all 29 games, averaging 8.3 points, 3.9 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. She led the Big Ten Conference and ranked fifth nationally in minutes played per game (38.3). Nelson also earned Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship award.
 
Prior to Wisconsin, Nelson played four seasons at Boston University where she started all 103 games and was named an All-Patriot League performer in each of her four seasons. She capped her career with a first-team all-conference selection in 2020-2021. In her final season with the Terriers, Nelson averaged a team-best 12.0 points per game, and career highs of 4.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. Nelson also garnered Patriot League Academic Honor Roll recognition three times. She finished her collegiate career with 1,362 career points scored.
 
"Katie has a unique gift to connect with people!" said Merritt. "She is one of the hardest workers I've ever been around and she brings a contagious energy to the gym every day! She has already made a huge impact on the program."
 
Holden joins Gardner-Webb after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Fordham University.
 
During Holden's two years on staff at her alma mater (2021-2023), Fordham boasted a combined record of 37-24, including a 23-7 mark at home, earning a WNIT bid in both seasons.
 
Prior to Fordham, Holden began her coaching career at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and the Director of Basketball Operations (2019-2021). In Holden's first season on staff, FDU won their first Northeast Conference Tournament game since 1992. In her second season at FDU, the Knights posted a 12-6 NEC record, the program's most conference wins since 1993. Due to COVID-19 restrictions that sidelined several players and coaches, Holden served one-game as acting head coach for a conference tournament matchup with Mount St. Mary's University.
 
Holden graduated from Fordham in 2019 as the program's all-time leader in minutes played (4,492). In her senior season, Holden helped lead the Rams to the 2019 Atlantic-10 Championship, while averaging 9.0 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game. A two-time team captain, Holden appeared in 132 career games, second-most all-time, with the program's third-most starts, 117. She finished her four-year college career with 1,141 career points scored.
"Her selflessness and work ethic are unmatched," Merritt said of Holden. "Her experience and expertise made her a perfect fit for our program. Lauren is a huge asset to Gardner-Webb."
 
The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team enters 2023-2024 off of a record-setting campaign. Last season, the Runnin' Bulldogs posted a 29-5 overall mark, setting a Big South Conference and program record for wins in a season. The 'Dawgs stormed through the conference tournament compiling a 21-0 combined record in conference regular-season and postseason games, a record for Big South wins in a season. Gardner-Webb's Big South Championship was the program's first since 2011 and second in its 21-year Division I history. The historic season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, closing the season with an .853 winning percentage, also a new program record.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs finished the regular season ranked No. 9 in College Insider Inc.'s Mid-Major Poll, the highest in-season ranking ever by a Big South Conference basketball team. Gardner-Webb's 21-game winning streak from Dec. 29 – March 5 set a program record for consecutive wins. The Dawgs also finished the year 13-0 at Paul Porter Arena and enter this upcoming season having won 18 consecutive home games.