Courtney Peay named new Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Defiance College

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College announced the hiring of new women's basketball coach Courtney Peay on Wednesday, making her the program's 14th head coach.

Peay comes to Defiance after spending the previous three years at NAIA Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. With seven years of college coaching experience, Peay was elevated to TIU's head coaching position for the 2022-23 campaign after spending two seasons as an assistant for the Trojans. Her candidacy was fueled by TIU's move to online-only learning and the end of the athletic department's operations following the spring 2023 semester.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Peay achieved her bachelor's degree from Nyack College in New York in 2013 in youth and family studies. Peay played basketball for the Warriors, a Division II program, and was part of the 2009-10 team that won the Central Atlantic Athletic Conference to become the first Nyack team in school history to qualify for an NCAA Tournament.  She later served as an assistant women's basketball coach at Nyack from 2014-18 while completing her master's of divinity in leadership development.

Peay takes over after Rod Hersha guides the team for a one-year term as an interim after the departure of Allan King following the 2021-22 season. The Yellow Jacket women finished 2022-23 with a record of 6-19 that included three wins over their last six games and their final two contests of the year.

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