UMass Lowell Athletics

Lynn Coutts was named Director of Athletics at UMass Lowell in July 2024, bringing more than two decades of experience as a collegiate coach and administrator to the Mill City.

Coutts is not only the first woman to serve as Director of Athletics at UMass Lowell, but also becomes UMass Lowell's first AD to join the university's executive cabinet, where she will play a larger role executing university-wide priorities and engaging broad constituencies throughout the regional community.
 
Coutts comes to UMass Lowell after serving as Associate Vice Chancellor, Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Denver. At Denver, she was the sport administrator for the women's volleyball, women's basketball and women's lacrosse teams, in addition to the men's hockey team that won national championships in 2022 and 2024. While there, she oversaw several support pillars for Denver's 380 student-athletes, such as compliance, academic services and equipment operations. Coutts also played a vital role on several committees to help foster the success of the university as a whole, its athletic conferences and the NCAA.

Prior to making the jump to administration, Coutts was the head softball coach at her alma mater, the University of Maine, from 2011-2015, garnering Coach of the Year honors in her final season. She coached many scholar-athletes, as well as all-conference players. After becoming an administrator and stepping into an assistant role on the Black Bears' coaching staffing, Coutts helped the team win the America East Conference Championship in 2016 and earn a berth into the NCAA Regionals.

In addition to her coaching expertise, Coutts developed entrepreneurial expertise running her own sports training business with her husband for nearly 14 years, fostering long-lasting connections within the northeast.

A former two-time captain and Northeast All-American softball pitcher, Coutts was a four-year starter for the Black Bears. Following her career, she was inducted into three Hall of Fames.
 
A graduate of Maine, Coutts has also been a member of the NACDA Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute Workshop and of Women Leaders in College Sports.