Behind every successful coach is a support system that often goes unnoticed. For Oregon’s Dan Lanning, that foundation is his wife, Sauphia. Their marriage has weathered challenges most couples never face, including a 2017 health crisis that changed everything.
Sauphia’s journey from diagnosis to recovery tells a story bigger than any game. It reveals character, commitment, and the power of partnership when life gets difficult.
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Their romance started at an Outback Steakhouse 16 years ago. Dan was waiting tables while Sauphia studied at Northwest Missouri State University. The Kansas City native, born in 1987, had graduated from North Kansas City High School before pursuing higher education.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations between 2005 and 2009. The couple married that same year and now have three boys: Caden, Kniles, and Titan.
Sauphia’s career path led her to H&R Block in 2014, where she works as a marketing coordinator. Previously, she taught at Park Hill School District. Balancing professional ambitions with the chaos of coaching life requires sacrifice.
Dan reflected on this during a media session. He noted the endless hats his wife wears while essentially serving as the family’s head coach at home.
Also, HUGE congratulations to Sauphia Lanning, who just celebrated EIGHT years cancer free.
Sauphia is as kind and strong as they come.#GoDucks https://t.co/SzWVcyafV7 pic.twitter.com/SI7J2r3L2j
— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) May 7, 2025
Doctors diagnosed Sauphia with osteosarcoma in 2017. This rare bone cancer attacks aggressively and demands brutal treatment. The disease left her physically devastated, confined to a wheelchair during her lowest moments.
The sickness stripped away her hair and weight. Yet Dan’s affection never wavered, she recalled emotionally.
Dan broke down discussing those dark days. His wife fought from the beginning, he said. Some days brought hope. Others delivered crushing setbacks. He made it his mission to bring smiles during the pain.
Recovery came a year after diagnosis. By May 2025, she marked eight years cancer-free. The Lannings now live in Eugene with their sons.
Q1: Who is Sauphia Lanning?
A: She’s Dan Lanning’s wife, a Kansas City native born in 1987. They married in 2009.
Q2: What cancer did Sauphia survive?
A: Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer diagnosed in 2017.
Q3: What’s Sauphia’s professional background?
A: She studied advertising and public relations at Northwest Missouri State University. Since 2014, she’s worked in marketing at H&R Block.
Q4: How many kids do the Lannings have?
A: Three sons named Caden, Kniles, and Titan.
Q5: How did Dan support Sauphia during treatment?
A: He stayed by her side constantly, pushing her wheelchair through hospitals and singing to keep her spirits up during the hardest moments.
