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Bill Courtney, a longtime college basketball coach who was an assistant on the Temple Owls men’s team, has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 55 years old.
Courtney’s cause of death has not been released. Temple described it as a “sudden death” in its announcement.
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Miami Hurricanes interim head coach Bill Courtney watches the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum on January 4, 2025. (Peter Casey/Imagn Images)
“I was shocked and saddened to learn of Coach’s sudden passing,” Temple athletic director Arthur Johnson said in a statement. “In the short time he has been a part of the Temple family, I have seen the impact he has had on our program with the joy that exuded from him on and off the court. He will be missed by his immediate family, his Temple basketball family and the greater basketball community.”
Courtney joined head coach Adam Fisher’s staff in June, bringing with him three decades of basketball knowledge.
Fisher said in a statement that Courtney’s death left him “shocked and heartbroken.”
Then-Miami interim head coach Bill Courtney gestures during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Duke, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in Coral Gables, Florida. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, file)
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“Bill has had a tremendous impact on our program in such a short time,” he added. “He was one of the most respected coaches in the country – thoughtful, prepared and deeply committed to playing the game and winning the right way. Bill improved every program he touched, and his loss is deeply felt by all who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family during this extremely difficult time.”
Courtney was on the benches of American, Bowling Green, George Mason, Providence, Virginia, Virginia Tech and DePaul. He was the head coach at Cornell from 2010 to 2016 and the interim head coach at Miami through the 2024-25 season.
“In more than 30 years as a basketball coach, Courtney has had a profound impact on his colleagues and student-athletes,” said Conference USA Commissioner Tim Pernetti. “He helped Miami reach the Final Four and appear in nine playoff tournaments, but his impact on the lives of the student-athletes and coaches who worked with him will be his ultimate legacy.”
Miami Hurricanes head coach Bill Courtney on the sidelines against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half at McCamish Pavilion on March 4, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
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Courtney has 63 wins as a college basketball head coach.
