Tiaerra McLaurin enters her first year with the Bethune-Cookman Department of Athletics serving as an academic coordinator within the Office of Student-Athlete Support.
McLaurin arrived at Bethune-Cookman from Lindenwood University in St. Louis, Missouri, where she worked as an assistant track & field coach and academic liaison for student-athletes from December 2022 until August 2024. With the Lions program, McLaurin also helped as recruiting coordinator for track & field.
Prior to her time at Lindenwood, she worked at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, as an assistant track & field and cross country coach.
In the high school ranks, she has served at several schools in and around the Jacksonville, Florida, area as both a teacher and coach.
In her first year as a teacher (2014-15), McLaurin worked at Ed White High School in Jacksonville, Florida, working there from August 2014 through August 2016. She would also hold a position as Girls' JV head basketball coach at Ed White High, as well as providing leadership in the classroom for students as she taught Biology, Marine Science and Environmental Science. She served in the same capacity within the classroom with Westside High (2020-21) as well.
At Ed White, McLaurin was a nominee for the 2014-15 Teacher of the Year – eventually finishing second in the voting.
McLaurin was the head coach for track & field with Mandarin High (2019-20) in Jacksonville, in addition to serving as the school's weightlifting coach. In the classroom, she was responsible for teaching Biology at Mandarin.
One of McLaurin's most memorable moments has been serving as Girls Dean of Students at Highland Middle School (2018-19), a feat for which she has great pride.
Tiaerra McLaurin graduated from LSU in 2010 with a degree in Kinesiology, and a concentration in Physical Therapy. She was a track & field standout at Northwestern High School, helping power them to the school’s first-ever track & field championship in both 2003 and 2004. That accomplishment would allow her to earn a track & field scholarship to LSU.
