Crystal Lanning was named the director of athletics on April 1, 2018 after serving as the interim athletic director since 2016.
Lanning returned to UW-River Falls after serving as the assistant commissioner for membership services at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NCAA Division II) during the 2015-16 year. As an assistant commissioner, she was responsible for assisting with the internal operations of the conference office and serving as a liaison from the conference office in support of several committees and administrative groups including the senior woman administrators and faculty athletic representatives. She was responsible for assisting with the implementation of the NSIC strategic plan and overseeing the operation of four sport programs (soccer, volleyball, baseball and women’s swimming and diving). Additionally, Lanning served as a member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Central Region Advisory Committee.
Lanning previously worked at UW-River Falls from 2004-2015 serving in a variety of roles. She began at UWRF in 2004 as an assistant athletic trainer and instructor in the Health and Human Performance department. In 2009, Lanning was named the athletic department’s assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator and in 2014 she was promoted to associate athletic director. As the associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, Lanning assisted with the internal and external operations of the athletic department including NCAA and WIAC compliance, budget development, student-athlete success programming, event management and marketing. She also served as the advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and as the department liaison to several university committees. Additionally, Lanning provided leadership in the development and implementation of the Falcon Success Series and the UWRF Athletics strategic plan.
Prior to arriving at UW-River Falls, Lanning was a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Centre College in Danville, Ky.
Lanning earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Winona State University and her master’s degree in Kinesiology and health promotion at the University of Kentucky. She is also a graduate of the Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) Institute for Administrative Advancement and Executive Institute.
Lanning is currently a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA), and Women Leaders in College Sports. She serves as a member of the NCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Committee and the NCAA DIII LGBTQ Working Group. She previously served as chair of the NCAA DIII Women’s Ice Hockey Committee.
Lanning and her husband, Shane, reside in Hastings, Minn. They have two children, Addison and Marshall.
