LG HONORS COACHES FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY WITH SECOND ANNUAL LIFE'S GOOD COACHES AWARD

Minnesota State University and Southern Methodist University Coaches Honored for their Commitment to Mental Health Support for Student-Athletes

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Dec. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics USA, an official NCAA corporate partner, announced the recipients of its second annual LG Life's Good Coaches Award. The recipients were nominated by student-athletes who recognized NCAA coaches for creating supportive team environments and fostering mental health awareness. 

Luke Strand, head men's ice hockey coach at Minnesota State University and Samantha "Sam" Erger, head women's volleyball coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU) were honored in a segment, which aired during halftime of Duke-Arkansas men's college basketball game at the 2025 CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic on Thursday, November 27. The LG Life's Good Coaches Award recognizes NCAA collegiate coaches who help break down the stigma around mental health issues, empower student-athletes through personal growth and foster environments that support mental well-being. For many student-athletes, a coach is the first person they confide in, and this award celebrates coaches who play a pivotal role in fostering a safe and positive environment.

"At LG, we believe in the profound ability of sports to unite people and inspire hope," said Jeannie Lee, director of corporate marketing at LG US. "This is an unprecedented time at the intersection of mental health and sports. The LG Life's Good Coaches Award reflects that by honoring coaches and organizations who are using their platforms not just to compete, but to serve and to lead with purpose. This initiative continues to be a cornerstone of our commitment to student-athlete mental health, and we are proud to celebrate coaches who provide student-athletes with supportive spaces that cultivate open dialogue around mental health challenges."

NCAA student-athletes were invited to nominate coaches which were then reviewed by a panel including representatives from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the 2024 LG Coaches Award Recipients. This year's program had more than 130 nominations from 18 unique sports across all three NCAA divisions.

"Student-athletes do their best when they are part of a culture that supports their mental health and gives them space to grow as people," said Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO of NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness. "Coach Strand and Coach Erger model the kind of care and intention that helps young people feel understood and supported, creating teams where trust, compassion, and open conversation are part of everyday life. NAMI appreciates LG for celebrating coaches who help reduce stigma and make mental health a priority for the young people they serve."

"Coaches play an important role in creating team environments that support student-athlete mental health and promote help-seeking behavior," said Dr. Deena Casiero, NCAA chief medical officer. "The NCAA Sport Science Institute is grateful to LG for efforts to recognize and celebrate coaches who are doing the important work of promoting student-athlete mental health and well-being."

Both coaches will be honored during in-game recognitions at their respective universities:

• Minnesota State University Mavericks will host a special pregame ceremony honoring Coach Strand during the home game against Ferris State University on Friday, December 5 at 7:07 pm CT.
• SMU Mustangs will honor Coach Erger during the men's baseball game vs. Virginia Tech Hokies on Jan. 14, 2026.

In addition to the award and recognition for Strand and Erger, LG has pledged to donate cash and products to support their on-campus initiatives at their respective universities.

About Luke Strand
Luke Strand was named Minnesota State's head coach on April 10, 2023. In his three years on the Maverick bench Minnesota State has played to a 53-26-10 (as of 11/19/25) record, winning both the historic MacNaughton Cup as CCHA regular season champions and the Mason Cup as the league's post season champion in 2025. Last year, the Mavericks advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time under Strand, falling to the eventual national champions, Western Michigan, 2-1 in double overtime. Strand was named the CCHA's Coach of the Year last season as was a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award for National Coach of the Year.

About Samantha Erger
Samantha "Sam" Erger was named Head Volleyball Coach at SMU in February 2022 and has quickly established the program among the nation's elite. In just her third season, she was named AVCA Southwest Region Coach of the Year after guiding SMU through its first season in the Power 4 conferences. The Mustangs finished 25-8 overall, earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and hosted opening-round matches for the first time in school history—marking the first DFW team to do so since 1991. Under Erger's leadership, SMU has earned three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple wins over top-ranked programs (including No. 1 Pitt and No. 2 Nebraska, No. 4 Louisville, No. 5 Stanford and No. 8 Texas A&M), and record-breaking team and player milestones. Her players have earned numerous All-Conference, All-Region, and All-America honors, while six have gone on to be drafted into the Pro Volleyball Federation. In 2023, she was named Coach of the Year in the American Conference after leading the Mustangs to a 26-7 record, an American Conference Championship, and a program-best conference winning percentage (.947).

To learn more about LG's partnership with the NCAA visit www.lg.com/ncaa.

About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $60-billion-plus global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. LG is an 11-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. www.LG.com.

Media Contacts:

Laura Barbieri
LG Electronics USA
[email protected]
631-848-9818

LG Electronics USA
Chris De Maria
[email protected]
908-548-4515

Kristi Hubert
Burson Global
[email protected]
630-995-5444

Correction: An earlier version of this release has a misspelling of "McNaughton" in Luke Strand's bio.

SOURCE LG Electronics USA