Karen Mayson Bahnsen (born October 11, 1960) is a former college golf coach and player from the United States.

Bahnsen was the first women's golfer to receive an athletic scholarship to attend LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she played for the Lady Tigers golf team from 1980 to 1983.

[3] The Lady Tigers placed third of twelve teams in the SEC Tournament, and Ernst placed ninth in the individual standings.

[4] On May 25, 2018, it was announced that Bahnsen was stepping down as LSU women's golf coach and was taking a position in the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

[5] She is married to David "Bo" Bahnsen, a senior associate athletic director at LSU.