Kristy Curry

Kristy Curry
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamAlabama
ConferenceSEC
Record197–153 (.563)
Biographical details
Born (1966-10-29) October 29, 1966 (age 58)
Olla, Louisiana
Alma materNortheast Louisiana
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988–1990Weston HS
1990–1991Mansfield HS
1991–1993Tulane (asst.)
1993–1994Stephen F. Austin (asst.)
1994–1996Texas A&M (asst.)
1996–1999Louisiana Tech (asst.)
1999–2006Purdue
2006–2013Texas Tech
2013–presentAlabama
Head coaching record
Overall506–302 (.626)
Tournaments17–12 NCAA
14–7 WNIT
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3x Big Ten tournament (2000, 2003, 2004)
2x Big Ten regular season (2001, 2002)
NCAA Regional—Final Four (2001)
Awards
Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award (2014)

Kristy Lynn Curry (née Sims; born October 30, 1966)[1] is the head coach of the University of Alabama's women's basketball team, the Crimson Tide. She took the job in 2013.

Coaching career

Curry graduated from Northeast Louisiana University in 1988.[2] Her career started with coaching jobs at Weston and Mansfield High Schools in her home state of Louisiana.[2] She held several college assistant coaching jobs, including Tulane, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M, and Louisiana Tech. Immediately prior to taking her position with the Lady Raiders on March 30, 2006, she was the head coach of Purdue's women's basketball team. In addition to two Big Ten championships, she led the Boilermakers to seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, including four appearances in the Sweet Sixteen, two appearances in the Elite Eight, one appearance in the Final Four, and one appearance in the national championship game (2001).[3]

As head coach of the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp, Curry embarked upon a rebuilding program as her tenure began in 2006, facing the challenges of new-era recruiting and the increased talent prevalent in the Big 12 Conference, especially Big 12 South opponents Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M, all of whom were frequently ranked in the Top 25 and contending for the national championship. In her first six years at Texas Tech, Curry led the Lady Raiders to three appearances in the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

In January 2011, the Lady Raiders ascended to #26 in the AP national rankings (#25 in the Coaches' Poll), and on February 19, 2011, in the United Spirit Arena, the Lady Raiders upset the #1-ranked Baylor Bears.[4] In the regular-season finale on March 5, 2011, Texas Tech defeated the #18 Oklahoma Sooners for the Lady Raiders' third victory over a ranked opponent in seventeen days. Texas Tech accepted an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.

In March 2011, Curry signed a five-year contract extension with Texas Tech.[5] Under Curry's leadership, the Lady Raiders began the 2011–12 season with 14 straight victories and were ranked #10 in the AP poll in early January 2012.

On January 9, 2013, Curry reached her 300th career victory, with a win over the Kansas State Wildcats with a score of 59–50 on her home court in Lubbock, Texas, with a career record of 300–141 (.680) at the time.[6] Curry guided the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to the 2013 NCAA Tournament, their second appearance in three years in the tournament.

Curry accepted the same position at The University of Alabama on May 11, 2013, and replaced former Crimson Tide basketball star Wendell Hudson as head coach.[7]

The 2023-24 season would prove to be Curry's best season at Alabama, as the Tide went 23-8 and 10-6 in the SEC and also clinched a 4th seed and double bye in the SEC Tournament. Sarah Ashlee Barker was named to the All-SEC first team and Aaliyah Nye was named to the All-SEC second team. The Tide received an invite to the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Second Round. Additionally, Aaliyah Nye would break the single-season three-pointer record previously held by Brittany Davis during the 2021-22 season.[8]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Conference) (1999–2006)
1999–2000 Purdue 23–8 11–5 T–3rd NCAA Second Round
2000–01 Purdue 31–7 14–2 1st NCAA Runner-Up
2001–02 Purdue 24–6 13–3 1st NCAA Second Round
2002–03 Purdue 29–6 12–4 T–2nd NCAA Elite Eight
2003–04 Purdue 29–4 14–2 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004–05 Purdue 17–13 9–7 5th NCAA Second Round
2005–06 Purdue 26–7 13–3 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Purdue: 179–51 (.778) 86–26 (.768)
Texas Tech Lady Raiders (Big 12 Conference) (2006–2013)
2006–07 Texas Tech 15–16 6–10 T–7th
2007–08 Texas Tech 17–16 4–12 T–10th WNIT Third Round
2008–09 Texas Tech 16–15 6–10 T–7th
2009–10 Texas Tech 18–15 5–11 T–8th WNIT Second Round
2010–11 Texas Tech 22–11 8–8 6th NCAA First Round
2011–12 Texas Tech 21–14 6–12 9th WNIT Third Round
2012–13 Texas Tech 21–11 11–7 T–3rd NCAA First Round
Texas Tech: 130–98 (.570) 46–70 (.397)
Alabama Crimson Tide (Southeastern Conference) (2013–present)
2013–14 Alabama 14–16 7–9 T–6th
2014–15 Alabama 13–19 2–14 14th
2015–16 Alabama 15–16 4–12 12th WNIT First Round
2016–17 Alabama 22–14 5–11 T-11th WNIT Quarterfinals
2017–18 Alabama 20–14 7–9 8th WNIT Quarterfinals
2018–19 Alabama 14–17 5–11 11th
2019–20 Alabama 18–12 8–8 8th
2020–21 Alabama 17–10 8–8 7th NCAA Second Round
2021–22 Alabama 20–14 6–10 T–10th WNIT Quarterfinals
2022–23 Alabama 20–11 9–7 T–5th NCAA First Round
2023–24 Alabama 24–10 10–6 T–4th NCAA Second Round
Alabama: 197–153 (.563) 71–105 (.403)
Total: 506–302 (.626)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Kristy Curry - Women's Basketball Coach". Alabama Athletics. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  3. ^ "2019 Women's Basketball Roster". Texas Tech University Athletics.
  4. ^ "Texas Tech 56-45 Baylor (Feb 19, 2011) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-04-14.[dead link]
  5. ^ "2019 Women's Basketball Roster". Texas Tech University Athletics.
  6. ^ Writer, Staff. "Lady Raider notebook: Curry notches 300th career victory". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  7. ^ Birdsong, Nick (May 16, 2013). "Alabama introduces new women's basketball coach Kristy Curry". AL.com. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  8. ^ Baranovsky, Adam (2024-03-06). "Get to know Aaliyah Nye, 3-point shooting ace for Alabama women's basketball". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2024-11-02.