Jessup Athletics officially announced Corey Laster as the new Head Coach for the women’s basketball program in the summer of 2021. Laster took over the reigns of a program that has reached the NAIA National Tournament twice in the three years prior to his arrival. Through four seasons with the Warriors, Laster holds a record of 64-52.
On joining the Warriors, Laster stated, "I want to thank the administration, Lance Von Vogt and Brandon Bowling, for the opportunity to come to Jessup and showing their faith and confidence in me," said Laster on joining the Warriors. "I'm excited to not only work with them but also being a part of the larger community as a whole."
YEAR-BY-YEAR RESULTS
- Year one under Laster saw the Warriors finish .500 in the GSAC with a record of 9-9. Jessup started the year winning Laster’s first game, a 61-48 opening day victory over Eastern Oregon. On February 12, the Warriors scored 95 points in a win over OUAZ, the second most in a single-game in the program’s history. Seniors Juliette Caughey and JoeLyn Stirton were named scholar-athletes.
- Laster's second season leading the Warriors saw the program finished .500 in the GSAC at 9-9 for the second season in a row, this time missing the conference tournament by one game. The Warriors won six games in a row in the 2022-23 season, starting on November 25 against Simpson, and ending December 19 with the program's first-ever victory at Southern Oregon in Ashland. Three Warriors were honored as scholar-athletes.
- The Warriors won a program record 22 games in Laster's third season on the bench. The 2023-24 season saw Jessup gain national attention, as the Warriors were receiving votes in four consecutive polls. Jessup returned to the GSAC Tournament in the spring of 2024, and their postseason continued with the program's third trip to the NAIA National Tournament as an at-large in Helena, Mont. Andrea Jovicevic and Makaila Napoleon were named to the All-GSAC team.
- Jessup joined the PacWest Conference and NCA Division II before the 2024-25 season. In their first Division II campaign Laster led the Warriors to a 14-14 season. Jessup won five in a row in the closing stretches of the year, getting Laster to 64 wins with the Warriros to tie him for the most in program history.
PRIOR TO JESSUP
Before taking the job here at Jessup, Laster spent five seasons leading the women's basketball program at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado. The NCAA Division II program competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
While with the Cougars, Laster won 46 games, including a 13-win season during the 2018-19 campaign. The Cougars knocked off two nationally-ranked opponents that season in No. 22 Black Hills State University and No. 19 Colorado Mesa University.
Laster began coaching at his alma mater, Taylor University (NAIA). In three years leading the program, Taylor went 51-31 under Laster. Laster also held assistant coaching positions at Saint Michaels (NCAA DII) and Bucknell (NCAA DI).
From 2005-07, Laster served as the head coach of NCAA Division III school Defiance College in Ohio. He also served as the head coach from 2010-14 at the University of Colorado Springs (NCAA DII). Laster won 60 games during his four-year stint in Colorado Springs.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
11 Scholar-Athletes
2 GSAC Tournament Appearance
2 PacWest Team of the Week
1 GSAC Player of the Week
1 National Tournament Appearance
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
As an athlete, Laster played four seasons of basketball at Taylor University, where he finished his career as one of the school's all-time leaders in scoring and rebounding. Laster was added to the Taylor Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, and he received the school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008.
Athletic Director Lance Von Vogt said of the hiring of Laster, "Corey embodies what we are all about at Jessup, transformational education for the glory of God. He's a fantastic coach on the court, but his impact will be even greater off the court."
