HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point University rowing head coach Jessica Deitrick announced Laurna Atkins as the program's second assistant coach on Monday morning.
"I am delighted to welcome Laurna to the HPU Rowing Family!" Deitrick said. "With her experience as a walk-on rower at West Virginia University, coaching at William & Mary and Drake, I am confident she will be able to come in and enhance our walk-on program and experience here, while also helping build the varsity program. Laurna has a passion for coaching, and I am excited to help her continue to develop that passion and her skills."
Atkins comes to HPU after one season at Drake University as the women's rowing first assistant in 2025-26. She was the primary coach for the novice team, developing and executing practice plans while providing technical skill instruction and constructive feedback on technique, conditioning, and mental preparation during practice, individual sessions, and regattas.
She assisted the head coach in managing all administrative and operational duties, including coordinating team travel, managing regatta entries, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. Atkins directed recruiting operations, including talent evaluation, communication with prospective student-athletes and parents, and planning of official and unofficial visits. She ensured adherence to all NCAA recruiting protocols and program compliance by maintaining meticulous NCAA reporting documentation, including practice logs and recruiting activities.
"First off, I want to thank Coach Deitrick for the opportunity to coach here at HPU," Atkins said. "I am extremely excited and honored that I get to be a part of what is being built here. I can't wait to learn and grow with each student-athlete, while continuing to build a program with a strong culture and a fast team. I can't wait to be a part of the High Point University community, Go Panthers!"
Prior to Drake, Atkins spent a season at William & Mary with primary duties as the men's novice coach in 2024-25. She led notable performances, including a 29th-place finish at the Head of the Hooch and a 12th-place finish at SIRA Championships, while monitoring and evaluating student-athlete progress on and off the water.
During the summers of 2023 and 2024, Atkins was a youth and masters coach at the Williamsburg Boat Club. She coached and instructed more than 50 middle school, high school, and adult rowers in both sculling and sweeping, tailoring instruction to accommodate a wide range of skill levels from beginner to experienced. Atkins designed and executed "Learn to Row" camps, successfully teaching fundamental techniques and teamwork to new rowers.
Atkins was a Division I rower at West Virginia University from 2020 to 2024 as she joined the team as a walk-on and earned an athletic scholarship her final three seasons. She was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 Conference First Team member and an Academic All-Big 12 Conference Rookie Teamer.
She is originally from Williamsburg, Va.