"Lauren Karnitz at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has lead her team to several championships but is definitely not the leader she portrays to be. Do not consider sending your adult daughter to this program & I would never encourage any minority to consider working in her Gymnastics Program. There is inconsistent leadership and communication, along with racially offensive comments. A coach plays a critical role in setting the tone for respect, inclusion, and these standards were not consistently upheld. I encourage others to consider these factors when evaluating the program. . All employees and students should feel respected, supported, and treated equitably. I am bringing this matter forward in the interest of anyone considering employment with UWO to maintain a professional, inclusive, and respectful workplace. "

"When I first got there I received a document that stated what my expectations were. I asked if we could meet and go over those expectations and was told no just read it and sign it. I was left out of the loop about majority of everything when it came to the team and my expectations. I would have to figure out from athletes or the manager. She would only tell the other assistant who was her former student-athlete. This head coach doesn't care about athlete mental or physical wellbeing. With my experience this coach’s emotions frequently get the best of her, which negatively impacted working relationships with staff and athletes. Reactions can be unpredictable and personal, creating tension and undermining trust and collaboration within the team. Another concerning issue was a racially inappropriate comment from the head coach which was directed toward myself, which she stated I quote, "my dad said black people are only helpers." Additionally, I observed the coach speaking negatively about individual athletes on the team in front of other athletes. The coach has also made negative remarks about other collegiate gymnastics coaches and programs in division 1-3 Communication practices are frequently unclear and lack sufficient structure. I was told to ask other coaches or figure it out rather than receiving appropriate onboarding or training. Policy's aren't followed During my time working under my former supervisor, I experienced and observed several incidents that raised serious concerns about professionalism and racial sensitivity in the workplace. Although she stated that she was not racist, there were comments made that I found inappropriate and concerning. For example, she mentioned that her father said “all Black people are helpers,” which I found offensive and troubling. In addition, I personally overheard a meeting in her office where she was yelling and using profanity toward one of the Black athletes on the team. The tone and language used during that interaction was unprofessional and uncomfortable to witness. I also experienced ongoing issues related to my job responsibilities. On multiple occasions, I would come into the office and ask what tasks needed to be completed. I was often told to “just wait,” and there were days when I was not given any assignments. Despite this, I was later criticized and told that I was “useless” and that I was not doing anything, even though I consistently asked for direction and was not provided with clear guidance or responsibilities. When I was informed that my contract had ended, both my supervisor and the Athletic Director stated that the decision was not based on my job performance. No specific explanation was provided beyond that statement. Based on my experience and the pattern of interactions, it appeared that the decision was personal rather than performance-related. From my perspective, the work environment often felt hostile and unpredictable due to emotional outbursts and inconsistent communication from my supervisor. Because of these experiences, I believe it is important for individuals particularly people of color who may consider working under this coach to proceed with caution. I am also aware that I am not the only coach who has experienced similar issues during their time working with her. "

"Swimming for Coach Culp was more frustrating than rewarding. While he was easy to get along with outside of practice and competition, that personality did not translate into competent leadership on the pool deck. Post-race feedback ranged from minimal to nonexistent, leaving most athletes to self-reflect on their own. Workouts prioritized high yardage with little emphasis on stroke refinement, race strategy, or individualized development. Intervals were almost never adjusted according to stroke group or sex, resulting in a one-size-fits-all training method. Year-in and year-out, shoulder injuries run rampant throughout the season. Practices felt repetitive, predictable, and oftentimes seemed to lack any sort of true “objective”. Each season felt focused on grinding through the same sets as the year prior, rather than adjusting each year as the team continued to evolve. There was little evidence of adaptation, creativity, or long-term planning. Athlete retention and recruiting consistently lagged behind the rest of the conference. While other schools further developed standout swimmers, and cultivated strong recruiting classes. UWO remained stagnant, and the conference standings reflected the continually growing gap between the Titans and the rest of the WIAC. Any sort of team culture was built and sustained by the athletes themselves, and it stayed strong in spite of the coaching structure, not because of it. The most frustrating thing was the unwillingness to recognize or address these patterns. As the rest of the WIAC continued to adapt, and seek new methods to develop their team in pursuit of higher conference standing, we were always told “not to worry” about what the rest of the conference was doing Without significant changes in philosophy, structure, and accountability, it is hard for me to imagine the men’s program making any significant strides towards future success."

"As a parent of a former UWO gymnast, I will say that this experience was very disappointing. If you are seeking an inspiring and engaging training environment, then look elsewhere. This head coach creates a toxic environment filled with unnecessary drama. She gossips and talks about athletes behind their backs. She does not take accountability for her actions and manipulates situations to place blame on others. This environment is fueled by threats, fear and intimidation. She uses corporal punishment tactics like making the entire team run an excessive amount of stairs. All get punished vs only reprimanding the ones that made poor decisions. There is little to no team building and no team retreat. This coach plays favorites and those athletes receive preferential treatment and aren’t held to the same expectations as others. She does not genuinely care about her athletes - only concerned about herself and her image. Athletes are treated as commodities not human beings. She expects respect but does not treat her athletes with dignity and respect. There is little to no concern about athletes’ well being and she lacks compassion and empathy. Athletes are expected to defer surgery and continue training on injuries otherwise they are deemed as quitters. And if an athlete struggles to bounce back, she will push them to the side and ignore them. The lack of concern for physical and mental well being is disheartening. Athletes are dispensable to her and she’s more focused on acquiring new talent vs investing in current talent. Communication and feedback is limited unless you are one of her favorites. Not approachable and temperamental - athletes know to stay clear. Positive reinforcement or words of encouragement are limited, but passive aggressive comments are readily available. She doesn’t make an effort to connect with or get to know most of her athletes. She is very cold and uncaring - nothing nurturing about this environment. If you’re interested in this program, proceed with extreme caution. Don’t be fooled when visiting as she will play on whatever is important to you to lure you in. Once there, her demeanor changes. She plays mind games and is dishonest and deceptive. And now she is in the business of cutting athletes who she deems as “dead weight”. Just because you were good enough to get recruited doesn’t mean she’ll keep you around. This culture does not empower women, but rather forces them to be fearful and submissive to her rule. There is a price to pay for success in this program - a lack of leadership and a lot of ridiculous nonsense that takes away from the essence of DIII athletics and love of the sport. "

"I had this coach for 5 years, he has grown to be a great friend to. He is driven for the success of all his athletes on the track and in the classroom. He’s very compassionate while being very honest and direct about each of his athletes."

"My daughter was recruited to play for Erin. Erin definitely knows the game, as she has years of experience, however, her coaching style was horrendous. She is a bully. Constantly demeaning, degrading or flat out ignoring her athletes. She does not coach at all. She yells, degrades and sits players without ever explaining to them what they did wrong, or working with them to correct it. She does not talk to players about their performance, only punishes and ignores. She is a woman coach, coaching women athletes with 2 daughters of her own and she is so hyper focused on weight, and body shaming, it’s sickening. She killed my daughter’s self esteem. After playing soccer as a starter on elite teams her whole life, she quit soccer in her junior year of college and transferred colleges. Several athletes before her left and wrote letters to administration about her barbaric coaching style, yet she continues to hold this position. My daughter was very close to her team, and knows that even Erin’s favorites, who got to play regularly, do not like her. Do not expose your daughter to this toxic “coach” D3 soccer is supposed to be competitive and fun. It was neither. "

"Easy to get along with, forms great relationships, loves what she’s doing "

"Worst possible basketball coach anyone could have. Has favorites and doesn't treat his players fairly, do not listen to his bs when getting recruited. Knows nothing about the sport and relies heavily on assistant coach. Should be a best a high school coach."