St. Louis native Lori Lawson officially assumed the position of head coach for the Maryville University women's soccer team beginning January 1, 2018. She was an assistant coach for the Saints from 2013-15 and was named as the head coach-designate in the fall of 2015. Lawson was a member of the United States Women's National Team which won the 2015 World Cup in Canada. She played in the USA's contest against Colombia during the World Cup and scored a goal in an exhibition game versus New Zealand played at Busch Stadium.

In five seasons at the helm, Lawson has led the Saints to a 43-28-15 overall record including a banner year for the program in 2022. Maryville won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on their way to the first NCAA Regional Tournament win in program history with a 1-0 final over Northern Michigan University on Nov. 11, 2022. 

She retired from the game as a player in 2016 and finished with 106 caps with the USWNT. Lawson, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, most recently played as a midfielder with the Chicago Red Stars of the NWSL.

Lawson has previous college coaching experience when she was an assistant women's soccer coach at Washington University in St. Louis from 2010-12. A graduate of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves, Lawson was ranked by Soccer America as the No. 2 player in the nation. She was a two-time Parade Magazine High School All-America and twice earned All-State honors for the Markers.

In college, she went on to a standout career at North Carolina, completing her eligibility in 2006. For the Tar Heels, she was a three-time All-American and helped the team win the 2003 National Championship. A three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection, she scored 30 goals and had 32 assists during her career with the Tar Heels. Lawson earned her degree in sociology from UNC in 2013.

Lawson played two seasons with the St. Louis Athletica of the WPS, served as team captain, and was a WPS All-Star. She also spent two years with the WPS’s Atlanta Beat. Lawson signed with AIK Fotboll Dam and played one season in the Swedish professional league.

In 2002, she was a member of the United States Under-19 World Championship Team and scored nine goals with the U.S. Women’s National Team. She played in four games for the U.S.A. in the 2008 Summer Olympics and scored a goal in a 4-2 victory over Japan in the semifinals.

Lawson is married to Caleb Lawson and they have two daughters.