Temple assistant basketball coach Bill Courtney died at the age of 55, the school announced Tuesday morning.
A cause of death was not revealed.
Courtney brought more than 30 years of college coaching experience to the Owls when he joined the program in June. He spent 2019-25 with Miami, including a stint as interim head coach for the final 19 games of the 2024-25 season following the retirement of Jim Larranaga.
“Bill was my best friend for 30 years. He was instrumental in every success I enjoyed at Bowling Green, George Mason and the University of Miami,” Larranaga told The Miami Herald.
“It is very difficult for me to even talk about this. We were very, very close, spoke almost every day and had very long conversations.”
Courtney recorded a 3-16 mark at Miami before joining head coach Adam Fisher at Temple.
“I am shocked and heartbroken by the tragic news and passing of my close friend Bill Courtney,” Fisher said in a statement. “Bill made such a big impact on our program in such a short time. He was one of the most respected coaches in the country — thoughtful, prepared, and deeply committed to the game and to winning the right way. Bill made every program he touched better, and his loss is felt profoundly by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bill’s family during this extremely difficult time.”
Courtney posted a 60-113 record during six seasons as head coach at Cornell (2010-16).
He is survived by his wife, Gina, and two sons, Billy and Derek.
