Athletics

Photo of Laura Moliken
Photo of Laura Moliken

Laura Moliken

Laura Moliken was named the Vice President of Campus Life at Ursinus College in January 2023. Moliken recently served as the Vice President of Health and Wellness and prior to that, Director of Athletics. Reporting to the College Provost, Laura now oversees both student affairs and health and wellness which includes athletics, wellness and counseling services, health promotion, residence life, student engagement, campus safety, student success and dining.

Background

In her time as the Athletic Director, Moliken was instrumental in adding new hires to the staff, implementing new policies for all facets of the Athletic Department and improving numerous athletic facilities. The largest such improvement so far, in 2011, she helped oversee the renovation of Patterson Field. The home of Ursinus football, soccer, lacrosse and track & field, the renovation was a $2.2M project that included installation of a synthetic turf field (installed by DeLuxe Athletics), along with the addition of a new press box, as well as resurfacing the outdoor track and creation of a new venue for jumping and field events. Prior to assuming her current position, Moliken served as the head field hockey coach, Senior Woman Administrator, a visiting instructor in the ESS Department and held the endowed position as the Eleanor Frost Snell Chair of Health and Physical Education – a title she still has.

Moliken started at Ursinus in 1999 as the head field hockey coach. She coached the national powerhouse field hockey team for 12 years and shepherded the team as it transitioned to Division III and into the Centennial Conference in 2003. Under Moliken’s leadership, the Bears won seven consecutive Centennial Conference Championships, the 2003 ECAC Mid-Atlantic Region Championship, made five trips to the NCAA Final Four and won the 2006 NCAA National Championship. She compiled a career record of 182-69 (0.725) including a record of 168-29 (0.853) in Division III and 93-2 (0.979) record in CC play. Moliken is a three-time South Region coach of the year, three-time Centennial Conference coach of the year and was the 2006 National Coach of the Year.

A 1993 graduate of Old Dominion University, Moliken played for legendary coach and 1973 Ursinus alum, Beth Anders. In her four years, Moliken’s Old Dominion teams compiled a 98-4-1 record and won three consecutive NCAA Championships. A team captain, she was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team in 1990 and 1992, and was twice named a Second Team All-American. She also played on the U.S. National Team in 1991-92.

Prior to her time at Ursinus, Moliken served as head coach for field hockey and softball while assisting with the sport of basketball at her high school alma mater, William Penn High School in Delaware. Moliken was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2009 and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Hall of Fame in 2013.

Laura and her husband Gabe reside in Collegeville with their three sons, Ryan, Max and William.

Education

  • B.S., Old Dominion University - Health and Physical Education 
  • M.S., West Chester University - Sports and Athletic Administration