IUP head women’s basketball coach Tom McConnell announced the promotion of Jocelyn Floyd as the program’s full-time assistant coach.
Floyd enters her fifth season on the IUP bench after joining the Crimson Hawks in 2015 and has been an integral part of a coaching staff that has led the most successful stretch in program history.
In the last four seasons, the Crimson Hawks are 205-24 (.895) with four 20-win seasons, four straight NCAA tournament selections, two PSAC tournament championships (2017, 2019), and back-to-back Atlantic Region crowns and Elite Eight appearances in 2018 and 2019.
“I am really excited to have this opportunity to announce Jocelyn as our full-time assistant,” said Coach McConnell. “She has been really loyal, she knows IUP, she knows our system, she knows and loves our players, so I think it will be a really smooth transition.”
“I am grateful and excited for this promotion,” said Floyd. “Being able to achieve this goal is so fulfilling to me personally and professionally. Stepping into this new role with the added responsibility that comes with it is something that I’m looking forward to.
“I am very blessed to remain and IUP and coach these young ladies while I continue my coaching career alongside Coach McConnell.”
Floyd helped the Crimson Hawks to back-to-back Elite Eight national semifinals, as they finished with both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons with an overall record of 30-4. The 30 victories are a program record. IUP won the PSAC Western Division regular season title in 2018 with a 20-2 league record – tying the program record for PSAC wins in a year – and went on to capture the Atlantic Region title with three blowout wins.
IUP followed up its wildly successful 2017-18 season with another historic year. The Crimson Hawks won the PSAC West regular season title, the PSAC tournament championship, and another Atlantic Region crown to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the second consecutive season.
“It’s been really fun and rewarding for me to watch her blossom over the last couple of years,” said McConnell. “She’s on her way to becoming an outstanding, young coach. She’s going to make an impact in recruiting for us, especially in Western Pennsylvania. She has a good feel for the game, she knows the game, she’s a good teacher, and she’s been excellent on the floor for us. She has the respect of our players. I’m looking forward to watching her make a difference.”
Floyd entered coaching in 2015 after a collegiate and professional playing career. She graduated from Duquesne in 2013 as the school’s all-time steals leader with 366. As a senior she led the NCAA and broke her own school record with 149 steals, earning A-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors.
After her collegiate career, she played professionally with New Basket Oberhausen 92 of the Damen-Basketball-Bundesligen League in Germany.
