LACEY PRUITT
IFBB PRO | 3X CANCER SURVIVOR
BODY BUILDING & LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH
A Fighter, A Champion, A Coach.
Lacey Pruitt’s journey began on the soccer field, where she played as a forward in high school. The thrill of sprinting down the field, the rush of scoring a goal, and the pride of teamwork shaped her early years. Her dedication and talent earned her a scholarship to LSU Alexandria — a moment of triumph that seemed to promise a bright future. But life had other plans. Just half a semester later, a family member fell ill, and Lacey returned home to be by their side. In that moment, her soccer career ended, and her college journey paused — yet her relentless spirit refused to fade.
It wasn’t long before she found herself inside a gym, uncertain but determined. At 128 pounds, she stepped through those doors, unaware that her life was about to change. A chance encounter with a bodybuilding competitor piqued her curiosity, sparking a fire inside her. Determined to learn more, she asked questions, hired her first coach at 20, and embarked on a grueling 12-week contest prep fueled by sheer willpower. Her hard work paid off. In July 2014, she stepped on stage at the NPC Louisiana State Championships, earning 5th place in Open Bikini — an impressive feat for her very first show.
Backstage at that show, she spotted a Women’s Physique competitor — sculpted, powerful, commanding. She turned to her coach and declared, "Give me two years, and I’m going to look like that."
And she did.
By 2016, Lacey had transformed. She competed twice that year, stepping on stage at the NPC Greater Gulf States in Women’s Physique, placing 1st in Novice Women's Physique and 3rd in Open Women's Physique. Not long after, she returned to the NPC Louisiana State Championships, winning 1st Place in Open Women’s Physique, 1st in Novice Women’s Physique, and clinching the Overall Women’s Physique title. Her dream of stepping into Women’s Bodybuilding was finally within reach — until life blindsided her.
In April 2016, sharp pain and severe bleeding forced her to seek answers. After a series of tests, doctors delivered news that shook her world: a gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor in her colon — colon cancer. Surgery followed, along with a round of oral chemotherapy. Fear consumed her. The physical toll was exhausting, but it was the mental weight — the isolation and uncertainty — that nearly broke her. She kept her pain hidden, unwilling to let others see her struggle. Depression followed, suffocating her spirit. Yet somehow, through it all, she clung to hope. By December 2016, she was cancer-free. But her battle wasn’t over.
Determined to reclaim her strength, Lacey returned to the stage in 2017. The road back was brutal — every rep, every step, felt heavier than before — but she pushed through. At the 2017 NPC Greater Gulf States, she placed 3rd in Open Women's Physique. Later that year, at the NPC Louisiana State Championships, she claimed 3rd place once again. Then, just months later, her worst fear became reality — the cancer was back.
This time, the battle was even fiercer. Eight grueling rounds of chemotherapy drained her body, stripping away her strength, her hair, her hard-earned muscle — nearly everything she had fought to build. Yet even as her body withered, her spirit refused to surrender. Each morning, she forced herself out of bed. Each night, she held on to the belief that she could survive. On February 7, 2018, after months of suffering, she heard the words she had fought so desperately to hear: cancer-free.
Two months later, she returned to the gym. It wasn’t easy — her body ached, her energy was low — but Lacey knew she couldn’t give up. She told her doctor she was going to compete again. The doctor hesitated but agreed, as long as she kept up with her bloodwork. That same day, she called her coach and declared, “I’m stepping on stage before the year’s over.” Her coach doubted her — but Lacey refused to listen. She trained with relentless determination, preparing for the NPC Southern Muscle. On November 10th, she stood victorious — 1st place and Overall Winner. One week later, she competed at NPC Nationals, earning 2nd Overall, 1st in her class, and her IFBB Pro Card.
She had made it — her resilience had carried her to the professional stage.
Lacey aimed to make her pro debut in 2020 at the Puerto Rico Pro, but fate intervened once again. Doctors discovered lingering cancer cells, forcing her to undergo another resection surgery and chemotherapy. The heartbreak was crushing. A week after her diagnosis, she still stepped on stage to guest-pose in July 2020 — her final time in the spotlight. Despite her frail body, she stood proud, refusing to let cancer steal her spirit.
Knowing her days as a competitor were over, Lacey turned to coaching — her new purpose. She studied relentlessly, learned from mentors, and began coaching athletes in 2021. At first, she refused to charge a dime, vowing to prove herself by leading her clients to victory. Her efforts paid off. By early 2022, she took a bold leap, leaving her job as a therapist for children with autism to fully dedicate herself to coaching.
Then came yet another life-altering decision. Doctors found severe inflammation in her colon and advised her to undergo permanent ostomy surgery — a procedure that would change her body forever. On July 7, 2022, Lacey underwent the surgery that saved her life but closed the door on her competitive career for good. The loss devastated her, but true to form, Lacey refused to let it define her.
Coaching became her new stage, and she poured her heart into building champions. The victories began to stack up — over 43 Overall Titles across all divisions with 93 clients and counting. She earned the Louisiana Coaching Award in 2022, 2023, and 2024, along with the Mississippi Coaching Award in 2024. Her influence rippled across the industry, and her mission became clear — to build champions and lead her athletes to the Olympia stage.
And now? She’s taking LaceyStrong Coaching as far as it can go — one champion at a time.
Oh, and when she’s not building future pros? She’s racing cars. Because speed, strength, and competition will always be in her blood.
This is Lacey Pruitt. A fighter. A champion. A coach.
