JANNA LAFOUNTAINE OBITUARY -- BENSON FUNERAL HOME
SAINT JOSEPH, Minn. -- Former Saint Benedict head women's tennis coach and professor emerita Janna LaFountaine passed away on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, after a battle with cancer; she was 63.
LaFountaine coached the Bennie tennis program for five seasons – from 2001 to 2006 - posting an overall career record of 62-43 – including a 32-20 record in MIAC play. She was named MIAC Coach of the Year following the conclusion of her final season in 2006, which at the time made her just the second CSB tennis coach to earn that honor.
The Bennies finished as runners-up in the MIAC during her final season at the helm, the program's highest finish in nearly three decades. The sixteen wins earned by the 2005-06 squad are tied for the second-highest win total in single-season program history.
LaFountaine coached and mentored numerous Bennie student-athletes in her tenure. In all, she coached 11 all-conference honorees, including the Tiegs sisters (Christin and Megan), who were both CSB Athletes of the Year, NCAA national qualifiers and All-Americans.
After stepping away from the CSB tennis program, LaFountaine devoted her focus full-time to the classroom as a professor in the Exercise Science and Sport Studies department at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. She taught, mentored and served as advisor for countless Bennies and Johnnies pursuing careers in exercise science and coaching.
LaFountaine developed coursework on gender, culture and sport and led short-term study abroad experiences, with a curriculum focus on sport and culture.
Prior to her time at Saint Benedict, LaFountaine coached gymnastics, swimming and softball at St. Cloud Apollo High School, where she was also involved in mentoring new gymnastics judges and advocating for equitable opportunities for girls' sports.
LaFountaine earned her bachelor's degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and later earned a master's degree from St. Cloud State University.
She is survived by her husband Mike, the long-time official scorer for the CSB basketball program, son Joe (Jill), and daughter Bo (Zane). She is preceded in death by her eldest son Dan and her grandparents.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 12 p.m. at Salem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Visitation will be on Tuesday, Aug. 16 from 4 to 8 p.m. and one hour prior to service at church on Wednesday. A private family burial will be at North Star Cemetery, St. Cloud, Minn.
For those wishing to express their love, the family requests memorials in the form of donations rather than flowers, to organizations she strongly believed in -- Hands Across the World, Planned Parenthood, and Habitat for Humanity.
