Director of Athletics Laurel Hosmer has announced that Courtney Boyd has been named the ninth head coach of the Valparaiso University women’s basketball program.
Boyd will be formally introduced at a press conference and welcome reception on Monday, April 14 at 9 a.m. at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The event is free and open to the public and will also be streamed live on ESPN+.
A national championship-winning head coach and player, an NAIA National Coach of the Year, and a two-time conference Coach of the Year, Boyd boasts a 190-68 (.736) record in eight years as a collegiate head coach and has won 20 or more games in seven of her eight seasons. She spent the last two seasons at the helm of the Quincy University program after six seasons as head coach at Clarke University.
“I could not be more thrilled to welcome Courtney and her family to Valpo,” Hosmer said. “She’s a proven builder and winner and will be a game-changing leader for our women’s basketball program. Courtney is a perfect fit for Valpo and our vision for the team. The culture she creates and the results she produces, both on and off the court, speak for themselves. The future is extremely bright for Beacon basketball.”
Boyd was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2024-25 as she led Quincy to a 25-8 record, a 15-win improvement over the prior season. Under her guidance, the Hawks captured their first GLVC tournament title since 2005, had their best GLVC regular season finish since 2011 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be named the head women’s basketball coach at Valparaiso University,” Boyd said. “I would like to thank Director of Athletics Laurel Hosmer and President José Padilla for their trust in me to lead this program. We are going to compete at the highest level on the court and in the classroom. This program will be built on trust, fueled by hard work and passion. We will build strong relationships throughout the community, where cheering for championships will become a tradition.”
Boyd mentored a quartet of All-Conference honorees in her two years guiding the Hawks. Her success at Quincy was especially notable given she inherited a program which had posted a 49-139 (.261) record over the seven seasons prior to her arrival.
Boyd moved to Quincy after a very successful six-year stint as head coach at Clarke, which culminated in the Pride winning the NAIA national title in 2022-23 with a 33-4 record, earning her NAIA National Coach of the Year distinction. She posted a 155-42 record in her six years at the helm of the Pride, winning at least 20 games every season and surpassing the 30-win mark twice as she became the winningest coach in program history.
Boyd’s teams earned bids to the NAIA Tournament five times, advancing to the round of 16 all four years the tournament was played and making three appearances in the national quarterfinals. She coached five players who were recognized as NAIA All-Americans.
Boyd was named Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2021-22 as she led the Pride to HAAC regular season and tournament titles on their way to 31 wins, while her 2020-21 squad also captured the HAAC tournament crown. She had 11 players earn HAAC All-Conference honors as well. Boyd’s Clarke teams also excelled in the classroom, twice being named to the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll.
Boyd arrived at Clarke after two seasons as associate head coach at UW-Parkside. She has also held collegiate coaching positions at AIB College of Business, Augusta, Grand View, Iowa Wesleyan and Dixie State in a coaching career dating back to 2009. Boyd, who was named to the WBCA Thirty Under 30 in 2017, is a five-time WHoopDirt Coach of the Week and earned WeCOACH of the Month honors in April 2023.
Boyd graduated from Dixie State University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in December 2009. She was a two-year starting point guard and team captain for the Dixie State women’s basketball team, helping her team to 33 wins and twice earning All-Conference honors. Prior to Dixie State, Boyd played two seasons at Kirkwood Community College, where she was part of teams which won 67 games, including a national title in 2006-07 and national runner-up in 2005-06.
Boyd went on to earn a master’s of education in educational leadership from Augusta University in May 2014. Boyd and her wife, Ali, have two daughters — Sophie and Zoey.
