Youngstown State head women’s basketball coach John Barnes is excited to announce that Courtney Davidson, a Youngstown native and a former member of his staff, is returning to YSU as an assistant women’s basketball coach.
Davidson returns home after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Radford University. An Ursuline graduate, she was YSU’s Director of Operations in Barnes’ first season as a Penguin in 2013-14.
“I’m very excited to welcome Courtney back home and to our staff,” Barnes said. “She did an outstanding job as our Director of Operations four years ago, and she gained some great experience when she was away from YSU. Being from Youngstown, her ties to the community and area high school coaches will greatly benefit our program.”
Davidson replaces previous assistant Sam Hoyt, who left to take a position closer to her hometown. At YSU, Davidson will be in charge of the development of the Penguins’ point guards, and she will assist in opponent scouting, recruiting and practice planning.
“As a Youngstown State University alumna, I am thrilled to be returning home to join Coach Barnes and his staff once again,” Davidson said. “President Tressel has made an incredible impact on Youngstown State, and it is truly a special time to be a part of Youngstown State Athletics and the Penguin Family.”
Radford had a historic run during Davidson’s two seasons on the bench. Last season, the Highlanders finished 24-9 and earned the Big South’s automatic bid to the Women’s NIT. Radford won its first regular season conference title in 25 years and was one win shy of tying a program record for most wins in a season. The Highlanders were 18-13 and tied for third in the Big South in 2015-16. The 18 wins were the most by the program in eight years.
Davidson was recognized as one of the top young coaches in the country after her first season at the Division I program in Virginia. In 2016, she was selected as one of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s inaugural Thirty Under 30 class.
Davidson spent the 2014-15 season as the Director of Operations at the College of Charleston.
Davidson is one of the top high school players in the Mahoning Valley in recent memory and served as the varsity head coach at her alma mater, Ursuline, in the two years prior to her first stint at Youngstown State.
Davidson led Ursuline to the Division III district finals her first year as head coach in 2012, and the Irish advanced to the district finals in each of her three seasons as an assistant coach from 2008-11. Ursuline won the district title in both 2010 and 2011 and advanced to the regional final in 2011.
Davidson worked as an event instructor and coach for the Ohio Girls Basketball Report for four straight years.
Outside of basketball, Davidson worked at Eastern Gateway Community College as an academic advisor and educational advisor during the 2012-13 academic year.
Davidson was a three-year letterwinner at Michigan State during a four-year stretch of national prominence for the Spartans. Michigan State was the national runner-up her freshman year, advanced to the Elite Eight her sophomore year and appeared in the Sweet 16 her junior year. The Spartans then advanced to the finals of the WNIT her senior year in 2008. Davidson was the recipient of the Sixth Man of the Year Award as both a sophomore and junior.
As a player at Ursuline, Davidson was ranked as the No. 43 player in the country in 2004 by the All-Star Girls Report. A three-time first-team all-state selection, she finished her career ranking 28th in Ohio history with 2,076 career points.
Davidson graduated in 2008 from Michigan State with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication. She earned her master’s in school counseling from Youngstown State in 2011.
http://www.ysusports.com/sports/wbkb/2016-17/releases/davidson-announcement-0616
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