Laura Litchfield is in her first year as a full-time assistant coach for the Otterbein women's basketball program in 2023-24 after being hired over the summer.
Litchfield came to Otterbein after one year as head coach at Parkland College, a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) school located in Champaign, Ill. She led the Cobras to a 23-5 campaign during her lone season, where the team spent extended time in the national rankings and ended in the Central District Semifinal.
Prior to taking over, Litchfield spent two and a half seasons as an assistant coach on staff for Parkland. The team went 62-20 in that stretch, featuring a Region 24 District Championship and third-place finish at the NJCAA DII National Tournament.
"I am beyond grateful for the experience I had at Parkland," Litchfield began. "They provided me immense growth and experience in a short amount of time, to which I am so thankful for. With that said, I'm extremely excited to now become part of the Otterbein family under Diana. It means a lot to be part of this program and her leadership. I look forward to contributing my knowledge and perspective to help further the winning culture."
Litchfield enjoyed a stellar playing career with multiple stops, beginning at Southwestern Illinois College where she started 28 games as a true freshman. She then enjoyed a stellar year for Parkland in 2014-15, earning first team All-American honors after leading the Cobras to a 35-2 record and national runner-up finish. The dynamic point guard averaged 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals per game.
From there, Litchfield continued her career by signing to play at NCAA Division I University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). She appeared in 30 games as a senior for the Flames, scoring double figures twice before graduating in 2017.
