Lainie Putt is serving as a graduate intern with the Office of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes in 2025-26. Putt is in her second year of graduate school at Shippensburg; she is pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling.
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At Shippensburg, Putt has also worked as a graduate assistant with the Counseling Department and as a student employee with the Athletics Department.
In 2024-25, Putt was a student assistant coach with the SU Volleyball team. An NCAA Division I recruit, Putt’s collegiate playing career was delayed by the pandemic. She began on the court in 2021 with 29 matches at St. Francis Brooklyn, a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). She totaled more than 100 kills, including three matches with double-digit kills, and was selected to the Rose Hill Classic All-Tournament Team.
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Putt transferred to Christopher Newport for the 2022 season, appearing in 26 matches and finishing fifth on the team with 37 blocks while totaling 97 kills. Injuries prevented her from completing her career on the court, but she remained supportive and was an active member of The Hidden Opponent (THO). She remains a staunch advocate for student-athlete mental health.
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A standout prep athlete at James Wood (Va.) High School, Putt earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region 2, All-Area and All-Conference honors as a junior, a season in which her team won the district championship. A major injury prevented her from competing as a high school senior. She finished as a two-time All-Conference performer for the Colonels. At the club level, Putt played for Paramount Volleyball Club in Herndon, Va.
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Putt is a native of Winchester, Va., Her mother, Emily Budnyk-Putt ’00, is a member of the Shippensburg University Athletics Hall of Fame who finished as a six-time NCAA All-American distance runner for the Raiders and graduated as SU’s record holder at 10,000 meters.
