A coach and a mom: VCU women's hoops leader O'Boyle has always dreamed of motherhood.

VCU women's basketball coach Beth O'Boyle on sharing the news of her pregnancy with her team ahead of 2024-25 season

VCU women's hoops coach Beth O'Boyle has always dreamed of being two things -- a successful basketball coach, and a mother.

O'Boyle, who became the 13th head coach in program history on April 29, 2014, has had one of those boxes checked for awhile.

At VCU, she is the winningest coach in program history with a 171-134 career record. She passed former Rams coach Beth Cunningham last season with her 168th victory with the black and gold, and previously had successful stints at Montclair State (2004-07) and Stony Brook (2011-14).

Over the summer, she began the process of realizing that other lifelong dream. O'Boyle, 48, announced to her staff at the end of the summer that she's pregnant.

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"There's two things I've always wanted to do, to be a successful coach and to be a mom," O'Boyle said.

"There's lots of women that coach and have careers and face challenges with the people that support them. I feel really lucky to have my staff and my family. I'm really lucky to be able to do this."

O'Boyle normally travels with her team over the summer. But amid doctors appointments, she took a step back this past summer, and hadn't yet informed her staff and players of her plans to have a child.

So going into a staff lunch at Pizza & Beer of Richmond late in the summer, there was concern that O'Boyle might be sick or have otherwise grave news.

"So when I got up to tell them, I was definitely teary eyed and emotional because I couldn't wait to share it with them," O'Boyle said.

"They were so ecstatic. Then there was a relief that I wasn't sick. It was one of the great moments for me because I really do have an unbelievable staff. They are so committed to our players, they give so much energy and time and love and care for them."

That staff will be instrumental in helping O'Boyle manage her pregnancy throughout the upcoming season, which begins on Wednesday when VCU hosts Maryland Eastern Shore at 6 p.m. at the Siegel Center.

Assistant coach Kirk Crawford, who's been with her for eight years, will take over as the interim head coach when O'Boyle has to step away. The Rams practiced that plan in their last scrimmage.

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O'Boyle said it was hard to sit there and watch, away from the sideline she loves so much.

But between Crawford, assistants Brittany Parker and Candice M. Jackson and the rest of her staff, she knows her program will be in good hands when it comes time for her to take a step back.

Though O'Boyle had long held aspirations of being a mother, the rigors of her professional life made it difficult to find the right time.

The challenges of succeeding at the Division I level never allowed the space and time that her life required to take on the emotional and physical demands of pregnancy.

But O'Boyle and her partner, Meridith Mullins, are "committed to doing it together."

Having the support of Mullins, a former Richmond police officer in the K-9 unit, has enabled O'Boyle to finally realize her dream.

"She's been a really big part of my support system the last couple of years. And then going through this process of IVF (in vitro fertilization) is challenging," O'Boyle said.

"We've gone through our ups and down with it, and now we're very excited for our little girl that's coming in February. Having (Mullins) and her support system.

"It's the underestimated role of wives and partners and husbands of head coaches, or of coaches, of what that lifestyle is like, and all the time and energy that goes into your program.

"It takes a really special, caring person to support you through it, and that was a really big piece of it for me."

For O'Boyle, another big piece of it has been her team. In early October, in a team meeting, all of the Rams shared their baby pictures and teammates guessed which one was which.

Then O'Boyle joked around about forgetting anyone, and pulled an image of her own sonogram up on the screen.

Her players let out a joyous roar, and jumped up to hug their coach.

"When I look at my career and take out what are the most special moments, that was definitely one of them," O'Boyle said, adding that her team has started suggesting names for the child, and volunteering to babysit.

"It was really special, it's something I'll always carry with me. It's been a lot of fun to share that with them."

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A host of former players have also reached out to congratulate O'Boyle, who was in October named to the Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Watch List.

"We've got 15 great role models for our little girl that's coming soon," she said.

(L-R) VCU's Chloe Bloom, Sarah Te-Biasu, Elze Motekaityte and Rain Green look at their A-10 championship rings they received before the opener against Middle Tennessee Friday, November 12, 2021.