Alex Guyton

Alex Guyton enters her fifth season back at her alma mater and fourthas an assistant coach, primarily working with the post players. She previously served two seasons as the Director of Women's Basketball Player Development / Video Coordinator.  Guyton helped Purdue reach the Great 8 of the WNIT in 2023-24. Guyton helped Purdue net its first Big Ten Freshman of the Year since Katie Gearlds won the award in 2003. Caitlyn Harper garnered her first career All-Big Ten honorable mention in her final campaign.  Guyton helped the Boilermakers return to the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23 behind a 19-11 record, the program's best mark since 2018. After a 9-1 record in non-conference play for the best clip since 2003-04, the Boilermakers recorded their first winning record in Big Ten play in five seasons. The campaign was marked by back-to-back wins over No. 22 Illinois and No. 2 Ohio State, the latter being the program's first true road win over an AP top-5 opponent. Purdue's post play was highlighted by transfer Caitlyn Harper. Under Guyton's guidance, the former WAC Player of the Year, averaged 10.4 points per game while shooting 54.7% from the field with 17 3-pointers. Harper was one of 11 players from the Big Ten to average double figures and shoot over 50% on the floor.  In her first season as an assistant coach, Guyton mentored the meteoric growth of Rickie Woltman that saw her points and rebounds per game averages jump up by 6.0 and 4.4, respectively. Guyton also worked closely with Ava Learn to step into a supporting role off the bench when injury hit the roster, and worked with Cassidy Hardin on her post defense later in the season.  Guyton's first two seasons on staff were as the program's director of video and player development. Katie Gearlds promoted her to assistant coach ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.  Guyton returned to West Lafayette after two seasons at Eastern Illinois in a tri-faceted role included duties as an assistant coach, director of basketball operations and video coordinator. She helped the Panthers to an eight-win turnaround in 2018-19, the third largest swing in program history.  Prior to her jump to Division I, Guyton made two stops at Central Indiana high schools. For three seasons, she was an assistant coach at Carmel High School from 2014-17, where she helped the Greyhounds to back-to-back sectional titles, a 61-17 record and mentored 2018 Indiana Miss Basketball Amy Dilk. Her first foray into coaching came at Warren Central High School during the 2013-14 season. As a varsity assistant coach, Guyton managed team operations, video coordination, team conditioning, camps and player development. Guyton is the fourth former Purdue player to return home and join the full-time staff in the Versyp era, following Ukari Figgs (2009-11), Kelly Komara (2014-16) and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (2012-19). Former guard Abby Abel recently made the transition to graduate assistant after four years on the team for the 2019-20 campaign, before Dominique Oden joined the staff in that same position ahead of the 2020-21 season.  From 2008-2012, Guyton played in 124 games for the Boilermakers, which ranks 28th in program history. She averaged 13.4 minutes and 4.5 points per game over her four-year career. The Boilermakers made the postseason four times during Guyton's tenure with three NCAA Tournament appearances and one WNIT bid. Purdue reached the Elite Eight during her freshman campaign in 2008-09. As a senior, she helped lead the Boilermakers to their third Big Ten Tournament Championship in the Versyp era. The Bloomington native still ranks 30th in the team record book with a 44.6% career field goal percentage. She led the team in blocks and steals as a junior in 2010-11. After graduating with a degree in sociology and organizational leadership in 2012, Guyton played professionally in Germany for Tus Bad Abiling. Guyton's basketball roots run deep in the state of Indiana. Growing up, she won the AAU 14 and under national championship alongside future Purdue standout Brittany Rayburn. She was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a senior at Bloomington North High School and scored over 1,000 points for the Cougars in her career.