Laurie Byrd
Laurie Byrd
Title: Head Women's Basketball Coach
Phone: 760-757-2121 ext. 6246
Email: lbyrd@miracosta.edu

Coach Laurie Byrd comes to MiraCosta College with an impressive basketball resume that includes 20 years of coaching experience and 11 years as a professional basketball player.  Her time in the WNBA started in 2003 when she joined the Detroit Shock as an assistant coach.  Later that year with the influence of Coach Byrd, the Shock won a WNBA World Championship.  She also coached with the Houston Comets, New York Liberty and Washington Mystics, spending a total of eight years in the WNBA.

After the WNBA Coach Byrd moved to San Diego where she took over the varsity girls basketball program at Santa Fe Christian High School.  She held that position for seven years and had teams ranked as high #3 in San Diego.

Coach Byrd started her coaching career at University of Detroit-Mercy (Division 1) where she was an assistant coach for four years. As an assistant coach she focused on player development, scouting, recruiting and academic support.

Prior to her coaching career Coach Byrd had a long and notable playing career. She played professionally for 11 years in the American Basketball League (ABL), the Women's Basketball Association (WBA) and seven years in Europe including stints Sweden, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. 

Before playing professionally Coach Byrd had a remarkable career at Eastern Michigan University where she was inducted in the Hall of Fame, her number was retired and she held numerous records. 

Other awards that Coach Byrd earned include the following.

1979 Olympic Sports Festival Silver Medalist

1992 Inducted into Eastern Michigan Hall of Fame

1993 Inducted to the AAU Hall of Fame.

2001 Inducted into the Greater Flint Afro American Hall of Fame

2003 Think Detroit Honorary Coach of the Year

2004 Legends of Basketball Award

2011 Eastern Michigan University retired Coach Byrd's number (#4)

2013 Naismith Hall of Fame Nominee