Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
| Previous Experience | |
| 2025-present | Southern Miss - Assistant Coach |
| 2024-25 | ULM - Director of Player Development |
| Hometown | |
| Southaven, Miss. | |
| Education | |
| B.S. (Sport & Fitness Administration/Management) The University of Southern Mississippi, 2021 | |
| M.S. (Sport & Fitness Administration/Management) The University of Southern Mississippi, 2022 | |
| Ph.D. (International Development) The University of Southern Mississippi, 2025 | |
| Playing Career | |
| 2018-19 | North Florida |
| 2019-23 | Southern Miss |
| 2023-24 | ULM |
Lauren Gross, a former three-year letterwinner and soon-to-be three-time graduate of Southern Miss, returns to her alma mater as Missy Bilderback’s assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. Gross rejoins Bilderback after completing her career at ULM in 2023-24 and working last season as the Warhawks’ director of player development.
A native of Southaven, Miss., Gross first arrived in Hattiesburg ahead of the 2019-20 season after transferring from North Florida. After sitting out and taking a redshirt in her sophomore campaign due to NCAA transfer rules, she debuted in the Black & Gold in the 2020-21 season, playing 13.1 minutes per game.
Her contributions increased in 2021-22 where she played in 23 games and made four starts for the Lady Eagles. She was named as the team’s captain for the 2022-23 season where she started in all 31 games for the Sun Belt Conference regular season champions. During this stretch, Gross completed her bachelor’s degree in sport and fitness administration/management in 2021, her master’s degree in sport and fitness administration/management in 2022 and played the 2022-23 campaign while working on her doctorate, just one of two players in NCAA Division I to do so.
While with Southern Miss, she twice earned the Conference USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and was named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll once.
She transferred to ULM for the 2023-24 season, again starting in every game for the Warhawks and playing an instrumental role on and off the court for Coach Bilderback’s first ULM squad. Her efforts helped the Warhawks to a Great Eight finish in the Postseason WNIT, marking the program’s best postseason performance in nearly 20 years.
Before her successful collegiate career, Gross prepped at Northpoint Christian School in Southaven. She helped her teams to a 113-15 mark across her career while recording 1,654 points, 738 points, 394 assists and 313 steals as a starter. She led the school to two state titles and four consecutive final fours with two nods on the State All-Tournament Team. She also earned the Commercial Appeals’ Best of Preps award three times.
Gross resides in Hattiesburg and is the daughter of Stephen and Chelle Gross of Southaven, Miss. The Gross family is well-represented across college athletics in Mississippi. Lauren’s brother, Michael, currently serves as the Voice of the Statesman at Delta State while her sister, Maycee, is a member of the beach volleyball team at William Carey.
