John Dobson Lawther (September 19, 1899 – September 21, 1996) was an American football and basketball coach and professor. He was the head basketball coach of Westminster College from 1925 to 1930 and again from 1931 to 1936 and Pennsylvania State University from 1936 to 1949. Lawther guided Penn State to an appearance in the 1942 NCAA basketball tournament. After leaving coaching, Lawther became a professor and athletic administrator at Penn State and became a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Lawther was an alumnus of Westminster College and earned a master's degree from Columbia University.

Head coaching record

Football

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Westminster Titans (Tri-State Conference) (1931–1933)
1931Westminster3–60–35th
1932Westminster4–62–23rd
1933Westminster2–61–24th
Westminster:9–183–7
Total:9–18

Basketball

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Westminster Titans (Independent) (1925–1930)
1925–26Westminster1–100–0
1926–27Westminster12–5
1927–28Westminster17–3
1928–29Westminster15–2
1929–30Westminster19–2
Westminster Titans (Independent) (1931–1936)
1931–32Westminster19–2
1932–33Westminster19–6
1933–34Westminster22–4
1934–35Westminster19–3
1934–35Westminster20–6
Westminster:163–43 (.791)
Penn State Nittany Lions (Eastern Intercollegiate Conference) (1936–1939)
1936–37Penn State10–76–43rd
1937–38Penn State13–56–42nd
1938–39Penn State13–105–5T–3rd
Penn State Nittany Lions (Independent) (1939–1949)
1939–40Penn State15–8
1940–41Penn State15–5
1941–42Penn State18–3NCAA Regional Third Place
1942–43Penn State15–4
1943–44Penn State8–7
1944–45Penn State10–7
1945–46Penn State7–9
1946–47Penn State10–8
1947–48Penn State9–10
1948–49Penn State7–10
Penn State:150–93 (.617)17–13 (.567)
Total:313–136 (.697)

Notes