WATCH: Oregon HC Dan Lanning creates special compilation of memorable moments on wife Sauphia's birthday
Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning loves to share pictures of his wife, Sauphia Lanning and their three children on various social media platforms.
The couple met in 2005 while she was a student at the Northwest Missouri State University and he was a server at an Outback Steakhouse. They started dating and got married in 2009.
Most recently, the influential Oregon coach posted a compilation on Instagram of himself and his wife's special moments and shared them on her birthday.
He captioned it:
"Happy Birthday to my Queen @sauphialanning."
Dan Lanning and his wife share a storied history
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has always heralded the close bond that he shares with his wife. In the past, he has publicly acknowledged the important role that she has played in his and his family's lives.
During his introduction press conference as coach of the Oregon Ducks in 2021, the outspoken Lanning finished his unveiling speech with a heartfelt message for his wife.
"Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank my wife Sophia, my rock," Lanning said. "It’s hard for you to realize the sacrifices that your family deal with in the coaching world. And Sophia has been our head coach at home for so long, and she’s worn so many hats.
"She’s done so many important things for our family to show her support, and it’s crazy to think that our journey together started about 16 years ago at Outback Steakhouse. I was a server, and she was a to-go girl. And next thing you know, we’re sitting here at Oregon. But I love you, I admire your strength and I thank you."
In 2016, Sauphia was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma which is a rare type of cancer. As a result, Sauphia who is a registered nurse started serving on the board of Sarcoma Alliance and was declared cancer-free in 2017.
In 2022, Lanning talked about his wife's diagnosis and how it had reshaped his way of looking at life.
"Once I got to Memphis, my wife was diagnosed with cancer, and it really reshaped my entire ‘why'," Lanning said. "Now, I want to be a guy that helps people. We are not here just to have championship football players, we are here to create championship fathers, championship husbands."
Dan Lanning and his wife Sauphia have three sons, Caden, Kniles and Titan and the Oregon coach even has a tattoo of his wife and children on his chest which he got last year.