Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Receives a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching Grant from the Women’s Sports Foundation®
9/10/2026 11:41:00 AM | Women's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh University Athletics announced today it received a Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching grant from the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF®). Grants were awarded to institutions to support collegiate women coaches on the rise, assisting with living expenses, professional development and mentorship. Lehigh is among this year's grant recipients, which are designated for women coaching fellows in a wide variety of sports.
"We are proud to be a member of this year's class of the Women's Sports Foundation VanDerveer Fund recipients," said Sue Troyan, Deputy Director of Athletics at Lehigh.
"We recognize the critical importance of closing the gender gap in the coaching ranks, and seeing more women in these influential roles helps inspire our women student athletes. This grant will allow us to add a staff member that will help meet the elevated needs of our women's wrestling program."
Lehigh's WSF VanDerveer Fellow is Assistant Women's Wrestling Coach Kaylynn Albrecht, who was a U.S. National team member in 2025-26. Albrecht graduated from McKendree University in December 2025 and has been training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She is a three-time U.S. Open place winner who owns third and fourth place finishes at the World Team Trials.
Internationally, Albrecht owns four gold medals, winning twice at the Henri Delagne Grand Prix of France, and once at both the Poland Open and Spanish Grand Prix. She owns a pair of bronze medals at the Bill Farrell Memorial International.
Albrecht won a NAIA Championship in 2023 and was runner-up at the 2022 NAIA National Invitational and the 2025 NCWWC Nationals.
At USA Wrestling's age-group levels, Albrecht won a U23 national championship in 2023, finished third at U23 Nationals in 2022, and won a Junior Girls Folkstyle Nationals title in 2019.
Since Title IX's passage, the representation of women in collegiate coaching roles has drastically declined. During the 1970-71 academic year, women served as head coaches for 90% of women's college teams. Fast forward to the 2024-25 academic year, women held only 41% of head coaching positions in women's NCAA sports. The disparity is even more pronounced among BIPOC women, who made up only 8% of head coaches in women's NCAA sports. In the same year, only 29% of all NCAA assistant coaches were women, with only 7% of all assistant coaches for men's and women's teams being BIPOC women.
Furthermore, WSF's research report, "Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women's Leadership," revealed that there are still barriers to sport participation, including a lack of women role models and access to quality coaches. The data shows the lack of representation in coaching positions throughout the country is evident, and WSF is taking steps to address it by expanding the pipeline for aspiring women coaches at the collegiate level through the Tara VanDerveer Fund.
Inspired by the trailblazing coach, the WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching honors her legacy while investing in the future of collegiate sports. At the center of the program is the VanDerveer Fellow experience. Fellows participate in monthly connection and development sessions, engage with mentor coaches, and learn from inspirational guest speakers who are leaders in sport and beyond. The experience also includes a trip to New York City for WSF's Annual Salute to Women in Sports® and related events. Together, these opportunities foster a strong, supportive community where Fellows learn from experts and each other, while applying new insights to their teams and careers.
This cohort continues the work of the Fund, which has now provided more than $1.6 million to 58 colleges and universities, supporting 68 VanDerveer Fellows across 17 sports. WSF looks forward to seeing where this group takes their coaching careers.
"For more than 50 years, the Women's Sports Foundation has worked to expand opportunities for women to lead in sport, and coaching is a critical part of that work," said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. "Women coaches bring invaluable perspectives, leadership and lived experience to athletes and the broader sports ecosystem. Through the Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching, we are helping ensure more women have the opportunity to build careers and shape the future of sport. When young athletes see women coaching and leading, they see what is possible for themselves, and that is a legacy we are proud to continue building."
To learn more about the VanDerveer Fund and meet the 2026 grant recipients, please visit:
WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching
About Lehigh Athletics
Lehigh University sponsors 26 varsity sports, competing at the NCAA Division I level (Football competes in the Football Championship Subdivision). Lehigh's varsity teams compete in the Patriot League and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. The Lehigh Athletics Department's mission is to advance learning, to develop leadership, and to foster personal growth through comprehensive athletics programming. To learn more about Lehigh University Athletics, visit LehighSports.com.
About the Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow's leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women's sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.
"We are proud to be a member of this year's class of the Women's Sports Foundation VanDerveer Fund recipients," said Sue Troyan, Deputy Director of Athletics at Lehigh.
"We recognize the critical importance of closing the gender gap in the coaching ranks, and seeing more women in these influential roles helps inspire our women student athletes. This grant will allow us to add a staff member that will help meet the elevated needs of our women's wrestling program."
Lehigh's WSF VanDerveer Fellow is Assistant Women's Wrestling Coach Kaylynn Albrecht, who was a U.S. National team member in 2025-26. Albrecht graduated from McKendree University in December 2025 and has been training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. She is a three-time U.S. Open place winner who owns third and fourth place finishes at the World Team Trials.
Internationally, Albrecht owns four gold medals, winning twice at the Henri Delagne Grand Prix of France, and once at both the Poland Open and Spanish Grand Prix. She owns a pair of bronze medals at the Bill Farrell Memorial International.
Albrecht won a NAIA Championship in 2023 and was runner-up at the 2022 NAIA National Invitational and the 2025 NCWWC Nationals.
At USA Wrestling's age-group levels, Albrecht won a U23 national championship in 2023, finished third at U23 Nationals in 2022, and won a Junior Girls Folkstyle Nationals title in 2019.
Since Title IX's passage, the representation of women in collegiate coaching roles has drastically declined. During the 1970-71 academic year, women served as head coaches for 90% of women's college teams. Fast forward to the 2024-25 academic year, women held only 41% of head coaching positions in women's NCAA sports. The disparity is even more pronounced among BIPOC women, who made up only 8% of head coaches in women's NCAA sports. In the same year, only 29% of all NCAA assistant coaches were women, with only 7% of all assistant coaches for men's and women's teams being BIPOC women.
Furthermore, WSF's research report, "Play to Lead: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women's Leadership," revealed that there are still barriers to sport participation, including a lack of women role models and access to quality coaches. The data shows the lack of representation in coaching positions throughout the country is evident, and WSF is taking steps to address it by expanding the pipeline for aspiring women coaches at the collegiate level through the Tara VanDerveer Fund.
Inspired by the trailblazing coach, the WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching honors her legacy while investing in the future of collegiate sports. At the center of the program is the VanDerveer Fellow experience. Fellows participate in monthly connection and development sessions, engage with mentor coaches, and learn from inspirational guest speakers who are leaders in sport and beyond. The experience also includes a trip to New York City for WSF's Annual Salute to Women in Sports® and related events. Together, these opportunities foster a strong, supportive community where Fellows learn from experts and each other, while applying new insights to their teams and careers.
This cohort continues the work of the Fund, which has now provided more than $1.6 million to 58 colleges and universities, supporting 68 VanDerveer Fellows across 17 sports. WSF looks forward to seeing where this group takes their coaching careers.
"For more than 50 years, the Women's Sports Foundation has worked to expand opportunities for women to lead in sport, and coaching is a critical part of that work," said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. "Women coaches bring invaluable perspectives, leadership and lived experience to athletes and the broader sports ecosystem. Through the Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching, we are helping ensure more women have the opportunity to build careers and shape the future of sport. When young athletes see women coaching and leading, they see what is possible for themselves, and that is a legacy we are proud to continue building."
To learn more about the VanDerveer Fund and meet the 2026 grant recipients, please visit:
WSF Tara VanDerveer Fund for the Advancement of Women in Coaching
About Lehigh Athletics
Lehigh University sponsors 26 varsity sports, competing at the NCAA Division I level (Football competes in the Football Championship Subdivision). Lehigh's varsity teams compete in the Patriot League and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. The Lehigh Athletics Department's mission is to advance learning, to develop leadership, and to foster personal growth through comprehensive athletics programming. To learn more about Lehigh University Athletics, visit LehighSports.com.
About the Women's Sports Foundation
The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. We are an ally, an advocate, and a catalyst for tomorrow's leaders. Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, we are one of the first organizations to recognize the powerful connection between sport access, equity, and society. For over 50 years, WSF has been changing the game through its research, advocacy, and community programming, investing over $115 million to help girls and women play, compete, and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers. A leader and champion of the entire women's sports ecosystem, WSF amplifies the vital societal and cultural impact that is made when girls and women play sports. When girls play, they lead, and we all win!® To learn more about the Women's Sports Foundation, please visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.
Friday, April 10
Thursday, February 19
Thursday, December 11
Thursday, October 30
