KENNESAW, Ga. – Director of athletics Vaughn Williams has announced the hiring of AJ Boyd as the head coach of the first-ever Kennesaw State co-ed cheerleading team. 
 
"It is a great honor to be chosen as the head coach of the first co-ed cheerleading team at Kennesaw State University," said Boyd. "This is a chance for me to take the reins of an already great KSU program and take it to the next level. I am elated to join a department of athletics under the unprecedented leadership of director of athletics Vaughn Williams, who is not only successfully leading this university to its first-ever football program, but also taking the department as a whole to new heights. Kennesaw State is a university I love and believe in and I am so blessed to be a part of the growth."
 
Prior to joining the Kennesaw State department of athletics, Boyd served as the program director and head coach of the KSU competitive cheer program for seven years, leading the program to back-to-back Division I National Championships in 2010 and 2011.
 
Along with coaching duties, Boyd managed the program budget, operations and oversaw the student-athlete responsibilities for the club, as well as coordinating events, competitions, camps and training sessions for the squad.
 
"We are really excited to have someone of AJ's caliber as our new head coach," said assistant athletics director for corporate sales and marketing Lauren Katovsky. "We are building our co-ed program to continue supporting our current teams and preparing for football games. AJ has had success at Kennesaw State for the past nine years and we look forward to the future of the program under her tutelage."
 
Before serving as head coach of the competitive cheer program, Boyd was the program coordinator and assistant coach of the program, assisting the head coach with practices, team attire and the financial and operational plans for the program. She also worked with the student-athletes on academic success and scheduled and organized all travel arrangements, appearances and transportation.
 
Boyd has also spent 10 years as the cheer program director and marketing coordinator at World of Cheer in Woodstock, Georgia.
 
Boyd earned her bachelor's degree in communications at Kennesaw State and was a four-year member of the KSU competitive cheer team from 2002 to 2006, earning National Cheerleading Association All-America honors during her time on the team.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State co-ed cheerleading news follow the teams on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSU_Owls_Cheer or by liking Kennesaw State Athletics on Facebook.