Stephani Schmidt

Stephani Schmidt, a longtime Nike Camp director and the former head coach at Denison University, begins her sixth season as the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach at Otterbein University.

The Cardinals quickly began to improve under Schmidt, moving from five wins in 2012, to eight wins in 2013 before a 12-5 campaign in 2014. She was voted by her peers as the inaugural Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Coach of the Year in 2014.

Schmidt, 42, came to Otterbein from Denison University where she served as head women’s lacrosse coach and associate professor since 2001. She guided the Big Red to North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championships and into the NCAA Division III tournament in 2001 and 2006.

In 2006, she was named West region coach of the year by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association and was also named coach of the year in the NCAC. Her teams finished first in the NCAC in six of 10 seasons, compiling a 49-16 record in conference play over her career at Denison.

Prior to Denison, Schmidt served as the defensive coordinator at her alma mater, The Ohio State University, from 1997 to 2001.

A 1997 graduate of Ohio State, Schmidt earned her bachelor’s degree in education. While an undergraduate, she was a two-year varsity member of the Ohio State women’s lacrosse team, including the team’s inaugural 1996 season. She served as captain her senior season. She also played on three United States Women's Lacrosse Association Great Lakes I national tournament teams, as well as two seasons of club lacrosse at Ohio State.

Schmidt earned her master’s degree in sports and exercise studies from Ohio State in 1999.