The Colorado State University-Pueblo Athletic Department announced the hiring of Curtis Loyd as the new Head Coach of CSU-Pueblo Women’s Basketball Friday. He becomes the 10th head women’s basketball coach in school history.
“I’m so honored and I am still speechless to have an opportunity to continue my coaching career at CSU-Pueblo,” Loyd said. “I am coming to a great university and great fan base that embraces the women’s basketball program.”
Loyd takes over a team that went 28-4 in 2016-17 and won its first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship since 1987-88. The Pack earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Central Regional.
“I’m excited to announce Curtis Loyd will be joining the Pack as the next CSU-Pueblo women’s basketball coach,” said CSU-Pueblo Director of Athletics Joe Folda. “I believe Curtis will continue the success of the program because of his outstanding passion for the game and coaching background. His personality will quickly draw the support of the University and the community, while his commitment to student-athlete success, both on and off the court, is unmatched.”
“Let me personally thank Joe Folda, his staff and the search committee for their diligent work,” Loyd said. “The expectations are through the roof and I’m so glad that Joe chose me because I am willing to except the challenge to maintain and exceed those expectations. Joe and I have similar views about the vision of this women’s basketball program and I will work tirelessly to give them the best college experience, compete at the highest level daily, and most importantly leave this university with their college degrees.”
Building on previous success is nothing new for Loyd. He comes to the Pack from Louisiana State University Shreveport of the NAIA where he led the Pilots to a 22-10 record and a program-record 15 conference wins.
Loyd guided the Pilots to their first Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. For his efforts, Loyd was recognized as RRAC Coach of the Year in his only season behind the bench for the Pilots. In just one season in Shreveport, Loyd mentored three student – athletes to First Team All-RRAC, including RRAC Player of the Year Kourtney Pennywell.
For 20 years prior to his time with the Pilots, Loyd served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at the NCAA D-I level. His most recent experience came at Indiana University where he helped the Hoosiers to a 36-28 record over two seasons. In his second year with the Hoosiers, Loyd helped them to an NCAA Tournament appearance and first round victory over University of Georgia.
Before joining the Hoosiers, Loyd spent four seasons as the Associate Head Basketball Coach at the Big Ten’s University of Minnesota. In four seasons, he took the Golden Gophers from a 13-win team to a 22-win team. Loyd helped recruit All-Americans Rachel Banham and Amanda Zahui to Minnesota.
In one season with University of Akron, Loyd helped the Zips to a seven-win increase, taking an 11-19 team to 18-14. As Associate Head Basketball Coach he was a key contributor to 2010 MAC Coach of the Year Jodi Kest.
As he worked his way up the D-I coaching ladder, Loyd made stops at the University of Virginia, University of Arizona, and Colorado State University. He was an Assistant Coach at all three destinations.
During this time, Loyd worked with five All-Americans, 22 all-conference athletes. His teams went a combined 291-122 (.705). With the Rams, Loyd guided WNBA legend, and current San Antonio Spurs Assistant Coach Becky Hammon to All-American honors and a school points record that has not been approached since.
Loyd began his Colorado connections as a player for Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo. from 1989-91. He then moved to Southern Utah University where he earned two bachelor’s degrees, one in sociology and one in physical education with an athletic coaching emphasis.
After his two seasons with the Hawks, Loyd played professional basketball in Switzerland from 1994-96. He earned another degree in Switzerland in 1995.
Loyd’s tenure with the Pack will begin immediately. He takes over a team that went 54-10 over the past two seasons. All five starters are expected to return for CSU-Pueblo
http://www.kktv.com/content/sports/Curtis-Loyd-Named-Head-Womens-Basketball-Coach-421517103.html
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