Kayla Ard

Last updated
Kayla Ard
Biographical details
Born (1984-02-10) February 10, 1984 (age 40)
Hammond, Louisiana, U.S.
Playing career
2003–2004 Chipola
2004–2005 Southeastern Louisiana
Position(s)Guard/forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2005–2006 Hammond HS
2010–2012 Pensacola State (asst.)
2012–2013 Troy (asst.)
2013–2015 Clemson (asst.)
2015–2017 Dayton (asst.)
2017–2020 Denver (asst.)
2020–2024 Utah State
Head coaching record
Overall24–90 (.211)

Kayla Laine Ard (born February 10, 1984) [1] is an American college basketball coach who was formerly the women's basketball head coach at Utah State.

Contents

Early life and education

Born in Hammond, Louisiana, Ard grew up in nearby Loranger and graduated from Loranger High School in 2002. [2] [3] She played basketball for one season at Chipola College, then transferred to Southeastern Louisiana University, where she played three games in the 2004–05 season, averaging 3.0 points per game. [4] [5] She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in general studies, and later earned a master's degree in psychology from the University of Phoenix in 2013. [4]

Coaching career

Ard started her coaching career as assistant coach of the AAU Domino's Basketball program in New Orleans, Louisiana from 2003 to 2005, followed by one season as a coach at Hammond High School (2005-06 season), and head coach of the Hammond Tornadoes AAU organization in 2007. [2] After coaching at Hammond, Ard was cast in the lead role of a Gatorade commercial, which aired from 2008 to 2009. [6]

Ard was then a recruiter and assistant coach at Pensacola State College in Florida during the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, then spent a year at Troy University, working under Chanda Rigby and athletic director John Hartwell. [7] [6] From 2013 to 2015, Ard was an assistant coach at Clemson University, then served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Dayton from 2015 to 2017. [7]

From 2017 to 2020, she was the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, and offensive coordinator at the University of Denver, including 11 games in the 2019 season as the interim head coach. [8]

On March 23, 2020, it was announced that she had been hired as the head coach for the Utah State University's basketball program. After a 4-win season and last place conference finish in Ard's debut season, the team improved to 11-19, and finished 9th of 11 teams in the conference. [7] Following the 2021-22 season, 10 players departed the program, transferring to other programs. Following the roster overhaul, Utah State declined to 4–26 in 2022–23, including a 1–17 record in Mountain West Conference games. [9]

Ard was dismissed from her position as head coach of the team following the 2024 season, where Utah State finished 5-25 and 2-16 (last place) in conference play. During her tenure, her teams finished last in the conference in three out of four seasons.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Utah State Aggies (Mountain West Conference)(2020–2024)
2020–21 Utah State 4–202–1610th
2021–22 Utah State 11–195–139th
2022–23 Utah State 4–261–1711th
2023–24 Utah State 5–252–1611th
Utah State:24–90 (.211)10–62 (.139)
Total:24–90 (.211)

Related Research Articles

Crystal LaTresa Robinson is an American basketball coach and former player. She grew up in Atoka, Oklahoma, and first garnered national recognition during her collegiate career at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Professionally, Robinson played for the Colorado Xplosion of the ABL before playing in the WNBA for the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics.

Mickie Faye DeMoss is a former American college basketball coach and player. She was the women's head coach at the University of Florida and the University of Kentucky. She was also an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech University, University of Tennessee, University of Texas, Auburn University, Memphis State University, and the WNBA's Indiana Fever. DeMoss was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018 as a Contributor - Assistant Coach. She retired after 45 years of coaching basketball in some capacity in July 2022, while chief of staff for Georgia Tech women's basketball.

Darrell Ray Dickey is an American football coach

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball</span> College basketball team

The Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I college basketball. The Aggies compete in the Southeastern Conference. Since 1998, the teams has played its home games at Reed Arena, a 12,989-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University. Texas A&M has appeared in the NCAA tournament 16 times, most recently in 2024. The Aggies are currently coached by Buzz Williams who was hired on April 3, 2019, prior to the start of the 2019–2020 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Kennedy (basketball)</span> American basketball coach

William Joseph Kennedy Jr. is an American basketball coach who last served as an assistant coach for Wichita State University men's basketball team. Previously, Kennedy was the head coach of the Texas A&M University men's basketball team. He took over the position vacated by Mark Turgeon in May 2011. Prior to this, he held the same position at Murray State University for five seasons. Kennedy previously held the same position at Centenary and Southeastern Louisiana. He has served 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach and 13 as an assistant.

Donald D. Maestri Jr. is an American college basketball coach who was the head men's basketball coach at Troy University from 1982 to 2013. Prior to accepting this position, Maestri was an assistant coach at Mississippi State University from 1979 to 1980 and at the University of Alabama from 1980 to 1982. Maestri coached the Trojans to a record of 500–404, one NCAA basketball tournament, five regular season conference titles, and one conference tournament title over the course of 26 seasons at Troy. He has been named coach of the year in the East Coast Conference (1994), the Summit League, Atlantic Sun Conference and the Sun Belt Conference (2009)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Aggies</span> Sports program of Utah State University

The Utah State Aggies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Utah State University, located in Logan. The school fields 16 sports teams – seven men and nine women – and compete in the Mountain West Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Aggies men's basketball</span> Mens college basketball team

The Utah State Aggies are a Division I men's college basketball team that plays in the Mountain West Conference, representing Utah State University. In the 17 years that former coach Stew Morrill was at the helm, Utah State had the 4th highest winning percentage in the nation at home, behind only Duke, Kansas, and Gonzaga. As of the end of the 2023–24 regular season, the Aggies have an all-time record of 1,719 wins and 1,168 losses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike White (basketball)</span> American basketball coach (born 1977)

Michael Emerson White is an American college basketball coach and former player. He is the head coach of the University of Georgia men's basketball team. Prior to accepting the job at Georgia, White was the head coach of the Florida Gators from 2015 to 2022 and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs from 2011 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Wells (American football coach)</span> American football player and coach (born 1973)

Matthew Scribner Wells is an American football coach and former quarterback who currently serves as Associate Head Coach, Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Kansas State. Wells previously served as the offensive coordinator and then head coach at Utah State University, where he was named Mountain West conference coach of the year in 2013 and again in 2018. He was named head coach of Texas Tech on November 29, 2018, and led the team until his firing midway through the 2021 season. He also served as an offensive analyst for Oklahoma under Head Coach Brent Venables during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Trojans women's basketball</span> College basketball team

The Troy Trojans women's basketball program is the intercollegiate women's basketball of Troy University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I and the team competes in the Sun Belt Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 New Mexico State Aggies football team</span> American college football season

The 2016 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by fourth–year head coach Doug Martin. Tyler Rogers was the team's quarterback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Aggies women's basketball</span> Womens college basketball team

The Utah State Aggies are a Division I women's college basketball team that plays in the Mountain West Conference, representing Utah State University. They play their home games at the Smith Spectrum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zenarae Antoine</span> American college basketball coach (born 1975)

Zenarae Tshui Chu Antoine is an American college basketball coach who is the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New Mexico State Aggies football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 New Mexico State Aggies football team represented New Mexico State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by fifth–year head coach Doug Martin. The Aggies finished the season 6–6 and 4–4 in Sun Belt play to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place. The Aggies received a bowl bid for the first time in 57 years where they beat Utah State in the Arizona Bowl. This season would both be the Aggies last season with a winning record and last time they received a bowl invitation until the 2022 season.

Ronald "Chin" Coleman is an American basketball coach who is currently an associate head coach at the University of Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017–18 Utah State Aggies men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2017–18 Utah State Aggies men's basketball team represented Utah State University in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Aggies, led by third-year head coach Tim Duryea, played their home games at the Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah as members of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the season 17–17 overall and 8–10 in conference play, finishing tied for 7th. In the Mountain West Conference tournament, they defeated Colorado State in the first round and Boise State in the quarterfinals before losing to New Mexico in the semi-finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Utah State Aggies football team</span> American college football season

The 2020 Utah State Aggies football team represented Utah State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Aggies played their home games at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah as members of the Mountain West Conference. Head coach Gary Andersen, who was in his second year back at Utah State, coached the first three games before he was fired after going 0–3. Co-defensive coordinator Frank Maile was named interim head coach. In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Aggies finished the conference-only season 1–5 to finish in 11th place in Mountain West play.

Kelly Rae Finley is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Florida Gators women's basketball team. An assistant coach for the Gators from 2017 to 2021, she served as the interim head coach of the Gators for the 2021-22 season and was hired as the 11th head coach of the program following the regular season. Prior to her tenure at the University of Florida, she was an assistant coach with Harvard, Colorado, and Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023–24 Utah State Aggies women's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2023–24 Utah State Aggies women's basketball team represented Utah State University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Aggies, who were led by fourth-year head coach Kayla Ard, played their home games at the Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah, as members of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the season 5–25, 2–16 in Mountain West play to finish in a tie for tenth (last) place. They were defeated by Boise State in the first round of the Mountain West tournament. Following the loss, the school announced that head coach Kayla Ard would be relieved of her duties.

References

  1. @USUWBasketball (10 February 2021). "Happy birthday to our fearless leader and head coach, @Kayla_Ard‼️🎉🎂🎈#AggiesAllTheWay" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 Troy University Athletics Roster - Kayla Ard
  3. "Women's basketball: Southeastern inks former Loranger star Ard for 2004-05". Southeastern Louisiana University. November 18, 2003. Archived from the original on December 13, 2003. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Ard named USU's head women's hoops coach". The Herald Journal. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. "2004-05 Southland Women's Basketball - Southeastern la".
  6. 1 2 Troy Women's Basketball adds coaches, WSFA13 News, June 5, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Kayla Ard Named Utah State Head Women's Basketball Coach, Utah State University, March 23, 2020
  8. University of Denver Athletics Roster
  9. "2022-23 Women's Basketball Schedule". Utah State University. Retrieved October 11, 2023.