Coaches

Head Varsity Coach Erin Laney

The 2024-2025 season is Coach Laney’s sixth season as the Varsity Coach at Lower Merion. The 2023-2024 campaign saw the most wins in over a decade for the Aces. Coach Laney also teaches 12th Grade US Government at Lower Merion High School. Prior to arriving at LM, Laney served as the JV and Assistant Varsity Coach at Southern Lehigh High School in Center Valley, PA. During her four seasons at SL, the Spartans were 4x Colonial League and District XI Champions and made it to the PIAA 5A State Semifinals in 2018 and 2019. Coach Laney played basketball at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, where she was a four-year letter winner, an All-League player, a two-time Centennial Conference Champion, a member of the soon-to-be Hall of Fame 2011 Team that made it to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen, and one of ten players to be recognized on Muhlenberg’s 2010-2020 All-Decade Team. Coach Laney grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut where she was an three-time All-League player for Greenwich High School.

Assistant Varsity Coach Brian Placek

Coach Brian enters his second season as the Varsity Assistant Coach at Lower Merion High School in 2024-2025 after spending five years as an Assistant Coach at Harriton High School. A native of Illinois, Brian comes with 17+ years coaching experience in youth and adolescent sports with student athletes ranging in age from 5- to 18- years-old. Following a successful high school career as a point guard for his dad’s championship-caliber teams, Coach Brian enjoyed a short stint at Cornell College (Iowa) before moving on to Southern Illinois University. As a member of SIU’s basketball program, Coach Brian was mentored by Rich Herrin (former SIU head coach, Illinois Hall of Fame), Rodney Watson (former SIU assistant and Southern Indiana University head coach), Bruce Weber (former head coach at Kansas State University and SIU), and Matt Painter (current head coach at Purdue University and former head coach at SIU). Coach Brian is a proud “girl dad” with his wife of 15 years to three daughters (8th grade, 5th grade, and 4th grade).

Assistant Varsity Coach Blair Fox

Coach Blair played at the University of Kansas from 2001-2005 where she made the Academic All-Big 12 team her sophomore through senior seasons and was the recipient of Shebra Legrant Newcomer Award, Adrian Mitchell Sportsmanship Award and the Sheila Ullman Coaches Award during her career. Blair also played professional beach volleyball from 2008-2010 on the AVP Tour, Manhattan Beach, CA being her home beach throughout professional volleyball career. During high school in Overland Park, KS, Blair earned 12 varsity letters and was recruited by D1 schools in volleyball, basketball and softball. She was named the Kansas City Sports Commission Athlete of the Year, won two state titles in basketball and made the Kansas All-State teams in volleyball and basketball her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

Head Junior Varsity Grade Coach Ashley Craig

The 2024-2025 season is Coach Craig’s second year with the Lower Merion Girls Basketball Program. Growing up in Chester County, Coach Craig played basketball at an elite level in high school and AAU. Though her collegiate career was stopped short due to injuries, her love for the game and desire to share it with youth never wavered. She has eight years of experience coaching basketball with youth ages 5 through 18 in middle school athletics, recreational leagues and the AAU circuit. Coach Craig has built a career working with and empowering youth in and out of the classroom. Now in her 12th year teaching in Lower Merion School District, she has created, facilitated, & mentored clubs, activities, & organizations, to help youth have positive self-esteem and a desire to leave a powerful impact on the world around them.

Head 9th Grade Coach Lamika Sample

Coach Lamika “Meek” Sample is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She graduated from Penn Wood High School in 2012. Coach Meek was a part of Penn Wood Girls’ Basketball Team and received an opportunity to play at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford but decided to pursue an Engineering Degree from Temple University. After graduating from Temple, Coach Meek decided to get involved in youth basketball. She has taught basketball for youth programs, AAU, and local community recreation programs. Coach Meek has been a member of the Lower Merion Girls Basketball program for seven seasons at the helm of the JV and 9th grade teams.

Assistant 9th Grade Coach Pete Dawson

Coach Dawson or “Coach Pete” has been a teacher at Lower Merion High School for over 25 years and now teaches 9th grade Social Studies. During the 2015-16 season, Coach Dawson served as the 9th Grade Coach and ran the JV program from 2016-2020. Coach Dawson has since returned to his 9th Grade Team and also serves as a Varsity Scout. Coach Dawson has years of experience coaching girls basketball from youth, CYO, and the Narberth Summer League. Coach Dawson has coached other sports at LM, including golf and ultimate frisbee.