General Tim Clodjeaux

Laura Courtley-Todd of St. Thomas Named The Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year

Courtley-Todd takes the honor as she is promoted to full-time Assistant Professor for Sports Management at STU

TAMPA, Fla. - The Sun Conference named former St. Thomas University Athletics Director Laura Courtley-Todd as the 2019-20 Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year. The announcement was made Wednesday by Commissioner Dustin Wilke.

This is the third time that Courtley-Todd has earned The Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year honor, also receiving the award following the 2011-12 and 2017-18 academic years.

In May, Courtley-Todd was promoted to full-time Assistant Professor for Sports Management in STU's Gus Machado College of Business and stepped down from her longtime post as Athletics Director. During her 24-year tenure heading the department at St. Thomas, Courtley-Todd expanded the athletic roster from nine to 24 varsity teams, including the implementation of football, men's and women's swimming and diving, wrestling and women's flag football since 2018. 

Courtley-Todd started with St. Thomas University Athletics in 1996. She stepped into the 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. 

"I am grateful to be named as the Sun Conference Athletic Director of the Year, as the award caps off an incredible end to my time as the AD at St. Thomas University," said Courtley-Todd. "I'm forever thankful for the friendships amongst the ADs, as working together with them is part of what makes The Sun Conference a first-class group."

“Congratulations to Laura on this well-deserved honor,” said Wilke. “She has brought outstanding leadership to our conference for a number of years, and it is great to see Laura’s peers recognize that in selecting her for this award. We will miss her as she moves on to new ventures, but will forever be thankful for Laura’s many contributions to The Sun Conference.”
 
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 which will be announced later this summer.