Columbia International University

Columbia International University Athletics
7435 Monticello Rd. Columbia, SC 29203

NAIA South Carolina Southeast

Private Very Small Developing team

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Kara Farnsworth Lail

Kara Lail joined CIU in July 2014 as the school's first women's soccer coach. The 2022 season will be the eighth season in program history.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Lail came to CIU after serving as the women's assistant soccer coach at Colorado Christian University (CCU). While at CCU, she helped lead the Cougars to the NCCAA Regional Tournament and played an integral role in developing players who were honored with conference and regional awards in NCAA Division II and the NCCAA. Lail also served as a coach's mentor at Broomfield Soccer Club, helping with coach and player development.

Prior to her two-year stint at CCU, Lail spent her collegiate career at Roberts Wesleyan College. While at Roberts, Lail was named to the All-American Mideast Conference Team all four years in addition to being named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region Team. She was also recognized as the Champion of Character Award Winner in 2011 and served as the team chaplain for two years and team captain for one.

In addition to her soccer career, Lail competed in indoor track and led Roberts' women's lacrosse team during their inaugural season. Lail also served for two summers with the Chicago Eagles, a part of Missionary Athletes International, where she was trained in sports ministry and shared the gospel through soccer camps throughout Chicago and also in Brazil.

Since Lail's first season at CIU in 2015, she has led her team to three NCCAA National Tournaments, four NCCAA South Region tournaments, and CIU's first Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament bid in 2018. Farnsworth was named the 2020 NCCAA South Region Coach of the Year after her team bounced back from a sub .500 year in 2019 to finish 2020 at 7-6-1. CIU's midfielder Mckenzie Miller received NCCAA All-American honors while the Rams continued to excel in the classroom as Lail's squad had a CIU best seven players named NCCAA Scholar-Athletes.

Lail currently holds a 56-63-14 record as the only coach in CIU women's soccer history.

Lail completed her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Colorado Christian University and her B.S. in Elementary and Special Education from Roberts Wesleyan. She currently holds her USSF National D Soccer Coaching License.

Formerly, Kara Farnsworth, Lail married CIU's Head Athletic Trainer Ryan Lail in the summer of 2020, and the two reside in Columbia with their son Austin.