THUNDER BAY – The Lakehead Thunderwolves have hired Hugo Boisvert to replace Jon Kreiner as coach of the school’s women’s basketball team.
Boisvert comes to Thunder Bay from Laval, where he was an assistant with the women’s basketball team from 2020 to 2022. Prior to that he was the head coach and program co-ordinator at College Laval for five years.
He’ll take over the reins on June 1.
“I’m looking forward to getting started at Lakehead,” Boisvert said, in a release issued by the school’s athletic department.
“It was really clear to me when I visited that the community is very involved with the Thunderwolves—it was obvious walking around and meeting locals that they’re in tune with their sports teams, and you can tell there’s a tremendous amount of care. It’s a very appealing community.”
Tiffany Reynolds, the team’s on- and off-court leader, said she supports the decision, adding Boisvert said all the right things when put to the test by Thunderwolves players.
“He knew everyone’s names right off the bat. We came up with a bunch of questions as a team and went in there and fired away, and one thing that stuck with me was that he values the person before the athlete,” Reynolds said.
‘He said ‘my goal isn’t only to make you a better basketball player, my goal is to make you a better person, so when you leave you will have grown emotionally, mentally, physically—if I can help you grow in all the areas of your life, you’ll become a better basketball player too.’ I’m hopeful that he’s a strong start to the new future of the women’s basketball program.”
The school has yet to say why it parted ways with Kreiner, who is allegedly under an internal investigation for his treatment of players and other off-court improprieties. Lakehead has refused to confirm the investigation, and repeatedly provided no comment when asked.
Kreiner joined the team in 2003 and was removed from coaching duties in 2022.
Boisvert said he wants to bring winning ways back to the Thunderdome. The team is 1-12 on the season under interim coach Dave McCallum.
“The big thing for me will be growth—self-improvement will be at the centre of what we do—making sure we’re challenging our student-athletes, supporting them, and calling them up to high standards,” Boisvert said.
“That’s going to be the centrepiece, and that will be true for us not only in basketball, but as people off the court as well.”
The Thunderwolves are on the road this weekend for a pair against the York Lions.
