Students, athletes, coaches, and members of the community gathered together to celebrate Courtney Boyd as the new head coach of the Valparaiso University (VU) Women’s Basketball team. The university held an introductory press conference for Boyd in the VU Athletics-Recreation Center (ARC) on Monday, April 14.
Boyd has been coaching collegiate basketball since 2009. She has experience coaching at Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University), Iowa Wesleyan University, Grand View University, Augusta University, AIB College of Business, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Clarke University, and Quincy University.
Throughout her career, Boyd has reached impressive heights with nearly every program she’s coached. With a 190-68 overall record – 118-48 conference record – Boyd has led her team to qualification for the NAIA Tournament five times, including winning the National Championship and winning NAIA National Coach of the Year with Clarke University in the 2022-2023 season.
Last season, she led Quincy University to a 25-8 record, which was a 15-win improvement from the season before. She won the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Coach of the Year and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Under Boyd, Quincy University won its first GLVC tournament title since 2005, had its best regular season finish since 2011, and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
Valparaiso University President Jose Padilla believes that, while there will certainly be hurdles in Boyd’s first season, the foundation for the future of both the team and this university improves immediately with her presence.
“She’s a player’s coach,” Padilla said. “We’re here to create student athletes and, ideally, scholar athletes who understand the connection. We have 400 Division I athletes here at this university because they’re competitors and leaders. That’s the kind of experience that I want to coach, to encourage, and to create for those athletes. What’s most important is the cultivation and growth of the students, and Boyd’s the kind of person that would do that.”
Laurel Hosmer, director of athletics, can’t wait to see how this transforms the women’s basketball program. It didn’t take long for Hosmer to realize how much Boyd will be able to push the players both on and off the court.
“Nothing is more critical than finding the right person,” Hosmer said. “We had a conversation the day I reached out to her, and I knew quickly she was a strong candidate. She's been a national champion, an NAIA National Coach of the Year, two-time conference Coach of the Year, was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30, and has quickly turned programs around with sustained success.”
Boyd has a mutual respect and appreciation for Hosmer taking a chance on her. While Boyd hasn’t had a lot of time to get acclimated to VU, she believes this is exactly where she’s supposed to be.
“After day one of the conversations, there was no question of what we were going to do,” Boyd said. “I truly feel fortunate to be here. Hosmer’s taking a chance on me to get this program in the right direction. Her vision for the women’s basketball program is exciting, and I’m up for the challenge.”
Boyd is a very team-oriented coach. She takes pride in building relationships with the players, whether it’s between the lines or not. One of the experiences she’s most excited for is getting to know the players on a personal level.
“Hands down, it’s my favorite part,” Boyd said. “Our staff has to know how I operate because they have to fit that mold. I want to know about the players. I want to know whether they have a dog, a fish, or a cat. I want to know how many symptoms they have. If I don’t know those things on the days that my passion comes out a little more aggressively, then they’re going to be questioning where that’s coming from. If I do know those things, then when I ask them to go at a higher pace or give me a little bit more, they’re not going to question it. They’re going to know that it’s going to set aside the most positive situations.”
One of the first people Boyd got a chance to meet upon her arrival was VU Men’s Basketball Coach Roger Powell Jr. While she’s only had a brief discussion with him, she’s looking forward to having more conversations with him that help create prosperity for both programs.
“We have had one conversation and I was able to meet with staff,” Boyd said. “From the energy that he brings, the things he felt were missing between the departments, and what we would need to do, I think we’re going to make a pretty darn good team.”
Although Boyd has only been in Valparaiso for a couple of days, she was able to recognize in an instant that this community is one that she’s looking forward to associating herself with.
“You can already feel that this community is different for all the right reasons,” Boyd said. “This is exactly where we want to raise our family and the people we want to surround ourselves with. We are very excited to be a part of this community and embed ourselves in it.”
Brandon Vickrey, associate athletic director for strategic communications, introduced the speakers for the press conference. He’s happy for the unique opportunity this presents for both Boyd and Valparaiso University.
“A lot of people have an interest in coaching,” Vickrey said. “A more select group achieves the dream of becoming the head coach at a Division I institution. All of us can only dream of the possibilities of women’s basketball under her leadership.”
Boyd will become the ninth head coach of the VU Women’s Basketball program next season. Through building relationships throughout the community and bringing out the best in her players, she wants to create a culture at VU where cheering for championships will become a tradition.
For more information on Valparaiso University, you can visit its website.