Braun is in her third season as an assistant coach with the women's openweight program in 2022-23 after spending her time since she arrived in Madison for the 2017-18 season as the lightweight women's freshmen coach at Porter Boathouse.
She serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator in addition to her on-water coaching duties. Laney Braun spent her time with the lightweights directing the freshman rowers, which includes a 2019 Eastern Sprints victory in the third varsity eight with a crew that helped the program capture the Konrad Ulbrich Trophy as team conference champions.
Before Madison, she spent two years in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee rowing program. She served as a graduate assistant coach for the Volunteers, spending time setting up a mental training program, while also helping coach the novice program and the program's boat maintenance. She was also involved in on-campus recruiting and marketing of the team.
While in Tennessee, Braun competed her masters in kinesiology, focusing on sport psychology and motor behavior.
Prior to Tennessee, Braun spent six months as assistant junior rowing coach at The King's School in Canterbury, United Kingdom, where she organized travel and training camps and organized the school's King's Invitational Match Regatta, in addition to her coaching duties.
The Corvallis, Oregon, native rowed at Oregon State University during her time as an undergraduate from 2009 through 2013, then spent the 2013-14 season as an undergraduate assistant coach for the Beavers, coaching the team's novice eight.
She also coached a year with the Masters Corvallis Rowing Club in 2013-14 and was involved with U.S. junior national team rowing camps in 2016.
Braun Q&A
Why did you choose to become a coach?
I always knew I wanted to teach and coach, I just didn’t know it would be in rowing. Growing up, my passions were basketball and golf - when I found rowing in college, everything changed. I love empowering athletes and teaching athletes new skills. It really gives me excitement and a lot of joy for what I do.
Why the University of Wisconsin?
I visited campus when I was a sophomore in college. My mom, sister, and I were out to catch a football game and visit some family friends. While we were here, I witnessed a football game, walked all over campus, erged at Porter Boathouse and saw the Ironman going on. It was a dreamy summer weekend and I was floored by how cool the campus was. I remember telling myself two things when leaving - one was that I would never do an Ironman cause that was ridiculous to watch (ha!...10 years later…) and two, that if I could do college again, I’d come to Wisconsin - then I told myself…don’t worry, I’ll just go coach there. [My] second year of rowing and I was already thinking about coaching at one of the best rowing universities there is. After that, I looked for every opportunity to join the coaching staff.
What is your favorite part about coaching?
Teaching the confidence and mental side. I love seeing athletes finally believe in themselves. We are stuck in a society that emphasizes anxiety and lack of confidence and I feel most athletes are in a rut with every pressure weighing down on them. I love being able to help athletes break free of those emotions. I get lots of energy teaching on the psychology side of the sport.
What is special about coaching at Wisconsin?
The coaching staff. I can be completely myself and our staff truly loves each other. That much positivity bleeds out to the athletes. We all have each other’s backs and it’s a super-special experience. I hope to foster that environment everywhere I go. Shout out to Bebe for empowering us assistants to speak our minds and challenge us. The other special part is that we love being around our athletes. I don’t ever want the end of the season to come because we love being around each other.
Speak on one of your favorite memories from coaching at Wisconsin.
I think some of my [best] memories are the yearly memories that happen. For instance, every year, I tell some novices to raise their hands while in the boat to set the boat - and they raise their hands but they put them in the air like they are in class. I mean, they’re doing what I say but not what I mean. That always reminds me how special our sport is, that we can take someone that doesn’t know the sport and then make them good enough to race at the D1 level. Other memories [consist of] watching athletes execute race plans on the erg or on the water exactly the way we mapped it. As a coach, I feel like they have complete confidence in what strategy I shared with them and as an athlete, they are confident in their fitness to execute it. It’s one of my favorites and I have many athletes in my mind that have honored themselves (and me) in crushing those pieces.
What do you do outside of coaching?
Outdoors, [I] run, bike, and walk my dog Zoey. I really love doing summer outdoor sports. I am going to try and pick up some winter sports this year to get me outdoors more! Indoors, I love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. My husband and I play a lot of cribbage and we love game nights with some friends from church.
What do you look for in recruits?
Character is the biggest thing. I look for athletes who are looking to build others up, be inclusive and be tough as nails. I’m not interested in athletes who are fast but are mean girls. I don’t care if an athlete is the fastest in the world - if they can’t honor and respect the slowest on the team, they can’t help us. Our team needs to be built on athletes that are locked into being fully committed to each other and committed to being their very best. If we get recruits like that, how will we not be fast?!
