St. Thomas University Director of Athletics Laura Courtley-Todd has been named The Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year for the 2017-18 season. Courtley-Todd was selected based on a vote by the conference's Athletic Directors at The Sun Conference's annual summer meetings held this week.
It marked the second time Courtley-Todd has been named Sun Conference AD of the Year, having also won the award in 2011-12.
Courtley-Todd has been at St. Thomas University Athletics since 1996. She stepped into her current role of Director of Athletics in 2000 after serving as the Bobcats' Sports Information Director for four years. Honored as the 1999-2000 Sun Conference Female Administrator of the year as well as the 1999-2000 Region XIV Athletic Director of the Year by the NAIA, Courtley-Todd has made her mark by showing a commitment to make St. Thomas University a learning laboratory for student athletes in a character-driven environment.
In 2017-18, under the direction of Courtley-Todd, the Bobcats achieved a high level of success both athletically and academically.
Three teams (Men's Soccer, Men's Basketball and Baseball) won regular-season conference championships, while the Bobcats advanced to five NAIA National Championships (Men's Soccer, Women's Cross Country, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball and Baseball). Additionally, Courtley-Todd oversaw the addition of STU's Track and Field program which successfully completed its inaugural season.
As a result, St. Thomas finished second in the 2017-18 Sun Conference Commissioner's Cup standings, the highest finish in school history.
In the classroom, Bobcat student athletes excelled as well with 12 of STU's 14 varsity teams achieving GPA's of 3.00 or higher.
As The Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year, Courtley-Todd will now be nominated for consideration for the national NAIA Athletic Director of the Year award.