Kristy Curry - Women's Basketball Coach

Kristy Curry

Title:
Head Coach
Phone:
205-348-7077

Personal Information

Hometown: Olla, Louisiana
Education: Stephen F. Austin, 1994; Northeast Louisiana, 1988
Spouse: Kelly
Children: Kelsey, Kendall
Birthday: October 30

Coaching Experience

2013-present: Alabama, Head Coach
2006-2013: Texas Tech, Head Coach
1999-06: Purdue, Head Coach
1996-99: Louisiana Tech, Assistant Coach
1994-96: Texas A&M, Assistant Coach
1993-94: Stephen F. Austin, Assistant Coach
1991-93: Tulane, Assistant Coach
1990-91: Mansfield High School, Head Coach
1988-90: Weston High School, Head Coach

Kristy Curry was named head women's basketball coach at the University of Alabama on May 16, 2013, after a quick search by Director of Athletics Bill Battle, who was set on bringing Curry to Tuscaloosa. Curry begins her 27th year of coaching and 13th season at The Capstone in 2025-26.

Alabama (2013-Present)

Coached Alabama to a 24-9 overall record during the 2024-25 season, marking the fourth consecutive 20-win season
Led UA to its first Associated Press preseason ranking (No.24) since 1999, as the team would remain in the top 25 rankings throughout the season except for two weeks
- Alabama received its highest AP ranking at No. 18 twice
Guided the Crimson Tide to its fourth NCAA tournament appearance in the last five years
Coached the 2024-25 squad to becoming the fastest team to earn 20 wins (Feb. 9, 2025 at Mississippi State)
In just the third game of the season, Curry collected her 200th win at The Capstone on Nov. 10, 2024 after the Tide defeated Troy, 94-71, inside Coleman Coliseum
Under Curry's watch, three Alabama student-athletes were selected during the 2025 WNBA Draft - marking the first time in program history
- Sarah Ashlee Barker was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks, followed by Aaliyah Nye who was the first pick of the second round, No. 13 overall, by the Las Vegas Aces
- Zaay Green was drafted by the Washington Mystics with the 32ndoverall selection (third round)
Barker (1,642 pts), Green (1,796 pts) and Nye (1,739 pts) all joined the 1,500 career-point club during their last collegiate season
Barker, who was named to the Southeastern Conference first-team for the second consecutive year, became the fifth player in UA history to surpass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 250 assists while at The Capstone
Green surpassed 500 career assists, averaging 4.5 assist per game during the 2024-25 season, while leading Alabama in total points (519)
Nye, who was named All-SEC Second Team, holds the program record in the following categories: career three-point field goals made (293, 2022-25); career three-point field goal percentage (43.9, 2022-25); single season three-point field goals made (111, 2024-25); single season three-point field goal percentage (45.5, 2024-25); three-point field goals made in a single game (9, at Florida, Feb. 6, 2025)
The Tide collected a 10-6 SEC record, marking the fourth time in program history that UA has collected at least 10 conference wins and for the second consecutive season
Led UA to its best start to a season in program history after earning a 13-1 non-conference record
Collected 500th career win on Feb. 5 during the 2023-24 season
Guided Alabama to a 24-10 record and to the program's 13th NCAA Tournament berth and second consecutive appearance
The Crimson Tide made the tournament three in the last four years, while Curry made her 12th trip to the tournament
Led Alabama to a No. 4 seed and double-bye in the Southeastern Conference Tournament after finishing the regular season with a 23-8 record - the most regular season wins for the Tide since 1991-92
UA collected a 10-6 record during SEC play, marking the third time in program history that the Tide has collected at least 10 conference wins
Helped guide Alabama to five 20-plus win seasons (Latest, 2023-24)
Assisted in the development of two All-SEC players in Sarah Ashlee Barker (first team) and Aaliyah Nye (second team) and an SEC All-Freshman honoree Essence Cody
Served as a mentor for the WBCA Coach-to-Coach Mentoring Program
Led Alabama to a 20-11 record and its third NCAA Tournament appearance in four years during the 2022-23 season
Helped guide Alabama to four 20-plus win seasons
Under Curry's watch, Brittany Davis was selected by the Las Vegas Aces during the 2023 WNBA draft - the eighth player in program history and second in the last three years to be selected
Davis, a two-time All-SEC honoree, broke records during her time at Alabama, including a three-decade-old, single-season school record for three-point field goals made (93) in 2021-22
Four individual players - Davis, Hannah Barber, Karly Weathers and Ryan Cobbins - earned high honors throughout the season
During the 2021-22 season, Curry guided the Crimson Tide to a 20-14 record, a Southeastern Conference quarterfinals appearance and a Women's National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals appearance
Under Curry's watch, Megan Abrams reached the 1,000-point club and was also named to the SEC Community Service Team, while Davis was named an SEC Player of the Week and an All-SEC Second Team selection
Led Alabama to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in more than two decades (1999) in 2020-21
Under Curry's watch, Jasmine Walker was selected by the Las Angeles Sparks during the 2021 WNBA draft - the program's second first round pick in school history and the first player to be drafted since 2005
Walker, who was named to the 2020 All-SEC Second Team, holds a top-10 program record in the following categories: three-point field goals made (No. 9), three-point field goal percentage (No. 8), three-point field goals made in a single game (No. 7) and three-point field goal percentage in a single game (No. 10)
The seventh-seeded Crimson Tide defeated 10th-seeded North Carolina (80-71) in the first round, paced by Jordan Lewis' 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists
Despite operating within the confines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabama put together a 17-10 record in 2020-21, posting its fewest losses since going 24-10 in 1997-98
Alabama got off to a hot start in league action after winning five of its first seven SEC games for the first time since 1997-98, including a ranked triumph at No. 14 Mississippi State on Jan. 14 (86-78)
UA concluded the season ranked first in the league in free-throw percentage (75.4) and second in the league in 3-pointers (224) and 3-pointers per game (8.3)
Both Lewis and Jasmine Walker earned 2021 All-SEC Honors, the first time that the Tide has placed at least two on the All-SEC First and-or Second Teams in the same season since 1998.
Lewis (Second Team) ended the season second in the conference in assists (72), while Walker (First Team) ended the season as the only player ranked in the top six in the conference in both scoring (19.1) and rebounding (9.4)
Walker was selected as the seventh overall pick of the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, becoming the first Alabama player to be drafted since 2005
Led the Tide to an 18-12 record in 2019-20, the most wins for Alabama since 1997-98
The Crimson Tide also swept the season series against in-state rival Auburn for the first time since 2002. Its 75-48 dismantling of the Tigers on Jan. 12 was the biggest margin of victory for Alabama in Auburn
The Tide was in the mix for its first NCAA Tournament bid in 21 years before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the basketball season short
Curry became only the 10th coach ever to lead three different NCAA women's basketball programs to 100 wins after picking up her 100th victory at Alabama on Nov. 17 against Mercer
Lewis was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the first time in program history for her excellent performance on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
Earned her 400th career victory after the Crimson Tide defeated Northwestern State 87-73 on Dec. 16, 2018
Led Alabama to a 86-65 victory of No. 20 Tennessee on Jan. 17, 2019, becoming the eighth program in history to win five or more consecutive games against the Lady Vols
In 2017-18, UA earned its first victory in program history in Knoxville against Tennessee and graduated its winningest senior class in 16 years in Quanetria Bolton, Hannah Cook, Alana da Silva, Coco Knight, Meoshonti Knight and Ashley Williams
In 2016-17, Ashley Knight led the SEC in overall blocks, becoming the first Alabama student-athlete in history to do so, and set the Alabama single-season record with her 90 rejections.
In 2015-16, Curry guided Alabama to a win over women's basketball powerhouse Tennessee, which was the first since 1984, ending a 42-game losing streak to the Lady Volunteers
In 2014-15, Alabama reached double-digit wins in non-conference play for the first time since 2010, which included a victory over then 12th-ranked Nebraska
Curry's inaugural season at the Capstone saw seven Southeastern Conference victories, marking the most since the 2001-02 season
Established a culture of community service within the program.
Received the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award, presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, in 2014

Texas Tech (2006-2013)

Coached Monique Smalls, Casey Morris and Chynna Brown to All-Big 12 Conference team honor in 2012-13
Won 130 games as the head coach at Texas Tech and led the Lady Raiders to three appearances in the WNIT and two NCAA Tournament appearances
Led the Lady Raiders to three consecutive 20-plus win seasons from 2010-13
Picked up her 200th career win in a 78-56 victory over Kennesaw State on Nov. 23, 2007

Purdue (1999-2006)

Became the first women's basketball coach in NCAA history to inherit a national championship-winning team when she was hired at Purdue in 1999
She led her first squad to four straight wins in the 1999-2000 season, extending Purdue's school-record win streak to 34 consecutive games, a mark that ranks sixth in NCAA history
Compiled a record of 179-51 (.778) and was 86-26 (.768) in Big Ten Conference games.
Led the Boilermakers to two Big Ten regular-season (2001, '02) and three Big Ten Tournament (2000, '03, '04) championships
Also guided her teams to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including the Final Four and championship game in 2001, becoming only the second coach in NCAA history to guide her team to the NCAA championship game in her second year as a head coach.
Collected her 100th career coaching win with a 74-48 victory against Indiana on Feb. 27, 2003, needing only 126 games to reach that milestone, getting there faster than any coach in Purdue history
Curry also recorded her 100th victory quicker than coaching icons such as the late Pat Summitt of Tennessee, Geno Auriemma of Connecticut, Tara VanDerveer of Stanford and Jody Conradt of Texas.

Prior to Purdue

Began coaching in her home state of Louisiana, as she started at the prep level as a head coach at Weston (1988-90) and Mansfield (1990-91) high schools. From there, Curry quickly moved to the college ranks as an assistant at Tulane for two seasons (1991-93). She then spent a year at Stephen F. Austin (1993-94) before moving on to Texas A&M for the next two seasons (1994-96).
Worked as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech for Hall of Famer Leon Barmore from 1996-99, leading the Lady Techers to a combined 92-11 record with two trips to the NCAA Final Four

Coaching Highlights

530 career wins
13 NCAA Tournament appearances
One NCAA Final Four
Two NCAA Elite Eights
Four NCAA Sweet 16s
Seven Women's National Invitation Tournament appearances
Two Big Ten regular season titles
1 of 10 coaches in women's basketball history have 100+ wins at three different schools
Taken three different teams to the NCAA Tournament
15 20-win seasons
100% graduation rate

Coaching Tree

Hannah Barber - Samford Assistant Coach
Finlay Clark - George Washington Director of Player Development
Allie Craig Cruce - Young Harris Assistant Coach
Katie Gearlds - Purdue University Head Coach
Lindsey Hicks - Kentucky Associate Head Coach
Bri Hutchen - Delaware Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Kelly Komara - Purdue University Associate Head Coach
Pauline Love - Oklahoma Associate Head Coach
Katrina Merriweather - University of Cincinnati Head Coach
Karyla (Middlebrook) Knight - University of Kansas Assistant Coach
Terry Nooner - Wichita State Head Coach
Alesha Robertson - San Angelo State Head Coach
Brooke Stoehr - Louisiana Tech Head Coach
Colsten Thompson - Indiana Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Roman Tubner - Tennessee Assistant Coach
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton - University of Texas Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Matt Wise - Samford University Head Coach
Kristin Wodrich - Butler University Assistant Coach
Shereka Wright - University of Texas Arlington Head Coach