Alabama Women's Basketball Coach Kristy Curry Joins South Florida Kristy Curry, the head coach of the Alabama women's basketball team, has been hired as the new head coach at the University of South Florida, the school announced Tuesday. Curry, who has led Alabama since 2013, will leave Tuscaloosa after 13 seasons to take on the role at USF. Curry, 59, is a native of Louisiana and previously coached at Purdue from 1999 to 2006 before moving to Texas Tech from 2006 to 2013. Her tenure at Alabama saw the program return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999 in 2021, with the team making the tournament in each of the past four seasons. In the 2024-25 season, the Tide advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Louisville in the second round with a 69-68 score. Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne praised Curry's contributions, stating that she led the program to 20-plus wins in each of the last five seasons and guided it back to the NCAA tournament. "We appreciate her contributions and wish her and her family well moving forward," Byrne said in a statement. Curry's coaching record at Alabama stands at 245-173. She signed a contract extension through 2030 last year, which paid her $700,000 annually. Despite the financial commitment, the women's basketball program reported a $4.7 million loss for the 2024-25 fiscal year, the largest deficit among all sports at the university. The program generated $764,000 in revenue, including $110,000 from ticket sales, against $5.4 million in expenses. Attendance at Alabama's home games averaged 2,950 this season, ranking third-lowest in the SEC, behind only Georgia and Florida.#alabama #south_florida #university_of_south_florida #kristy_curry #greg_byrne
Alabama Women’s Basketball Coach Poached by Mid-Major Program Alabama women’s basketball is set to seek a new head coach after Kristy Curry, who led the team since 2013, announced her decision to leave the program. Curry has accepted the head coaching position at South Florida, a mid-major program, following the departure of the Bulls’ previous coach, Jose Fernando, who joined the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. The University of South Florida has opted for an external hire, moving past its interim coach, Michele Woods-Baxter, to bring in Curry for the 2025-26 season. Curry’s tenure at Alabama saw the Crimson Tide compile a 24-11 record (7-9 in the SEC) during the 2024 season. The team earned a six-seed in the NCAA Tournament, defeating 11-seed Rhode Island in the first round. However, Alabama fell to three-seed Louisville in the Round of 32 by a single point. Despite her efforts, Curry was unable to advance beyond the first weekend of the tournament during her time at Alabama. She reached the second round in each of the past three seasons and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in five of the last six years. In a statement, Curry expressed her excitement about joining South Florida, praising the program’s foundation and the university’s commitment to competitive success. “A strong foundation is in place, and I look forward to building on it as we pursue conference championships and NCAA Tournament success,” she said. She also highlighted the alignment between her vision and the university’s goals, adding that she was eager to meet the Bulls’ fanbase and experience the Yuengling Center. Curry’s coaching career prior to Alabama included stints at Texas Tech and Purdue. At Texas Tech from 2006 to 2013, she led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances before joining Alabama.#south_florida #university_of_south_florida #alabama_womens_basketball #kristy_curry #yuengling_center
