Texas Tech University Athletics
Kristy Curry Introduced As Head Women's Basketball Coach
March 30, 2006 | Women's Basketball
March 30, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech athletics director Gerald Myers announced today the hiring of Kristy Curry as head women's basketball coach. Curry takes over the Lady Raider basketball program after serving the last seven years as the head coach at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
Curry becomes just the fifth head coach in the history of women's basketball at Texas Tech. She takes over for Marsha Sharp who announced her resignation earlier this year.
In her seven years at the helm of the Boilermakers, Curry became one of the most successful coaches in Purdue history. During her time on the Purdue sidelines, she compiled a career record of 179-51 (.778) and was 86-26 (.768) in Big Ten Conference games. Curry's teams won two Big Ten regular-season and three Big Ten Tournament championships. She also guided her teams to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including the Final Four and championship game in 2001. Curry became just the second coach in NCAA history to guide her team to the NCAA championship contest in her second year as a head coach.
Not only has Curry had successful teams, but she has also coached some very successful student-athletes in her time in West Lafayette. Under Curry's leadership at Purdue, Katie Douglas became only the third player in Big Ten history and the first Purdue player to earn two Kodak All-America honors (2000, 2001). Douglas was the 2000 and 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year, and was named the 2001 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year. A two-time All-Big Ten pick, Douglas is one of six Purdue players under Curry to earn first team all-conference honors.
The on-court success of her teams has carried over into the classroom as well. Twenty-four times her student-athletes received Academic All-Big Ten distinction since 2000. Every Boilermaker who has finished her playing career at Purdue during Curry's tenure has graduated.
Off the court, Curry has been very involved in the Greater Lafayette community, especially with Tippecanoe County Family Services, a United Way Agency, for which she has served as a spokeswoman. In association with Family Services, Curry has recorded public service announcements and made personal appearances for fundraising events. Curry has also given her time to the Girl Scouts and Habitat for Humanity.
Curry began her coaching profession in her home state of Louisiana as she started at the prep level 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). Curry then spent a year at Stephen F. Austin (1993-94) before moving on to Texas A&M for the next two years (1994-96). She then returned to the state of Louisiana to be an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech for Hall of Famer Leon Barnmore for three seasons (1996-99).
A native of Olla, La., Curry graduated from LaSalle High School and then went on to earn her bachelor of science degree in health and physical education at Northeast Louisiana in 1988, and her master of science in kinesiology at Stephen F. Austin in 1994.
She and her husband, Kelly, have two daughters, Kelsey (5) and Kendall (2).
Noteables
Head Coach - Purdue University (1999-2006)
- Career record - 179-51 (.778)
- Big Ten record - 86-23 (.768)
- NCAA Tournament record - 15-7 (.682)
- 1999-00 - 23-8 record, Big Ten Tournament champions, NCAA Tournament
- 2000-01 - 31-7 record, Big Ten regular-season champions, NCAA Final Four and championship game appearance
- 2001-02 - 24-6 record, Big Ten regular-season champions, NCAA Tournament
- 2002-03 - 29-6 record, Big Ten Tournament champions, NCAA Elite Eight
- Feb. 23, 2003 - Won 100th game in a 74-48 victory over Indiana
- 2003-04 - 29-4 record, Big Ten Tournament champions, NCAA Sweet 16
- 2004-05 - 17-13 record, NCAA Tournament
- 2005-06 - 26-7 record, NCAA Sweet 16
Texas Tech Press Conference
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Kristy Curry Named Head Women's Basketball Coach
Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers
Opening Statement:
"It's a little more fun to have paparazzi here on our familiar territory. It is kind of fun to see that kind of interest. When we came to the airport those guys were standing on car hoods and truck hoods, filming. They had someone staked out at the hotel. I think it was 24 hours a day with someone at the arena. But I think it just showed Kristy (Curry) and Kelly (Curry) how much and how important Lady Raider basketball really is here. I think she was impressed with that. I want to apologize for the area of where we are having our meeting today. We have a concert in the arena or I think we would have probably had several thousand people there. Then we had the club area up in the stadium was leased for a conference some time ago. Since we didn't know we were having this press conference until last night we didn't make too many other plans. But we are glad to see all of you here and this is a real special day for us. First thing I want to do is thank our fans, the Lady Raider fans, because it was apparent going through this process to see how many people throughout the country had such high regard for Lady Raider basketball. We have always said here locally that this is one of the top three programs in the country and we believe that. But it was good to see that and see the commentators. One news report had all the open women's basketball jobs and when it came to Texas Tech they said `This is a big one'. That was pretty neat. I think the support of the Lady Raider Nation and all of our fans made it possible for us to get a really special person and coach for our job. I was asked why we chose Coach Curry. Well, the reasons are too numerous to name. But the first time I talked to her over the phone, before I met her, I was thinking this is the person we want for this job. To be honest with you, we didn't go too much further. She had the best win-loss percentage in the Big Ten over the last seven years with over 76 percent wins. Her teams won five, either conference or Big Ten Tournament championships out of seven years. Her teams have been in the NCAA Tournament every year that she has been up there. Most importantly, all of the players that have finished eligibility at Purdue have graduated with a degree. That was as important as all of the wins and losses."
Gerald Myers' Introduction of Kristy Curry:
"It is a real special time and it is a real special person that I am going to introduce to you as your coach. I don't think we could have drawn up a blue print for someone that fit our situation. We wanted to hire a coach that all of our fans, alumni, students and everybody can be proud of and get behind her and support this program. And one who will continue the success that the Lady Raider program has had."
Lady Raider Head Coach Kristy Curry
Opening Statement:
"Thank you very, very much. I want to thank Dr. Whitmore, I want to thank Coach Myers, I want to thank Carol (Myers) and Judi Henry and Liz Parke and the entire administration and the entire faculty reps for having the faith and confidence in an old country girl. I just look forward to being part of the Lady Raider Nation. I would like to introduce my family. I feel like we are family. I have two little girls and 15 big girls and they are my pride and joy. I can promise you with everything in me that I will make sure they graduate and that we have a lot of fun and win a whole bunch of basketball games. We are beyond words to express how incredibly proud we are to be a part of the Texas Tech University family and the community, and I am so proud of this bunch of young ladies over here. I had a chance to visit with them earlier and we look forward carrying on the tradition. I want to make sure you understand that I want to thank Marsha Sharp for believing in me, for having the faith and confidence in me to carry on the torch and I will do everything in my power to continue to make her proud and keep her involved. We are just going to pick up where she left off and continue to grow and become better and better. But if it was not for what she has done, and believe me I am not Coach Sharp, I will be Kristy Curry and I pray that that will be good enough. But I can not tell you how much she means to me and for so many years, I am not that young anymore, but for so many of us she paved the way and has done so much for women's basketball. I am extremely honored and very, very proud to carry on the class and integrity that she has always stood for. Again, we will do everything we can to continue the tradition. To the Lady Raider Nation, I look forward to getting to know every single one of you and I am so proud to be a part and to look forward to many great years to come and thank you so much. It is great to be here today and it is an extreme honor. Again, we are extremely proud. So, thank you for the opportunity. Now, ya'll have been chasing us for a couple of days so you got to have some questions."
On this being the best kept secret:
"You know, I just have so much respect for how Coach (Gerald) Myers and the entire administration handled the situation with respect for our season and for my young ladies at Purdue. We didn't visit until after our season was over and that was a heartbreaking loss. I guess it was well kept there. But again, I just respect, so much, the class and integrity, and how they handled the situation."
Why you chose Tech:
"Well, seven years ago, and I do want to thank the Purdue family for giving me the opportunity as a young assistant and I had a chance to go away and grow. But I think as Gerald (Myers) said, you grow up and have a chance to watch Marsha Sharp and you know that Texas Tech is one of the premier programs in the country and you feel like God opens the door for you and it is great. It is great and it is incredible. I can't express to you how happy we are to be back in Texas and to a part of the country that we love. There would be very few places that we felt like we could leave Purdue because of our love and how much we cared there. But we know that place will continue to be special, but again this is very unique. This is one of the very few places that we would leave and come back. Again, it is about family, it is about our belief in faith and our confidence in Texas Tech and we are just extremely proud to have the opportunity so it is absolutely a dream come true. Again, we are very honored and humbled and excited."
Have you had any interaction with Marsha Sharp:
"I remember about a year ago we were in the same gym over in the Dallas area and anytime you see her out recruiting or at the meetings or same functions, rather it be with Nike or with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, she always takes the time. I remember as a young assistant, there wasn't a time that Marsha Sharp didn't take the time to go out of her way with class and integrity to speak and be humbled. She is certainly someone you know you have so much respect for how outgoing and how humble she is and to take time for every single person. She has been such a huge influence and I hope I can touch as many lives as she has, the way that she has. We had a chance to visit a couple of days ago, when we were on campus, for a long time and I know we look forward to catching up this weekend in Boston and having breakfast or lunch. I've asked her to please, please be a part and I know that she wants to step back and let us be ourselves and yet we'll find a happy medium because we want her to stay involved and continue to be a part of what we're trying to do. She is willing to do that and that means so much to me. I wouldn't be here if she didn't feel that way."
What is your coaching style:
"I think a lot of it depends on your personality and that is the joy of coaching. Every year it is a new team. It is a new challenge. But I am high energy and I told them that I am going to love on them and I am not a yeller, and a kicker and screamer unless we need to be. But I like to have fun. It just comes with a lot of energy and I do get a little excited every once in a while, but I try to behave. But again, I just believe working hard and you practice like you play. We are just going to have fun with it."
What have you learned about the team you are inheriting:
"Well, I have tried to learn an awful lot and I believe Coach (Marsha) Sharp and Gerald (Myers) and Judi (Henry) have helped me so much. Actually, I know all of their names because we are so familiar with Texas and we obviously recruited in this area. I think Brooke (Baughman) came to camp when she was in sixth grade at Louisiana Tech and I talked to Erin (Myrick) a time or two. I just have so much respect for all of them. Definitely, I told them I had a chance to watch the Missouri game and I remember that shot that Alesha hit against Coach (Kim) Mulkey (Robertson) at Baylor. It just so happens that when you are flipping around on the weekends you are watching basketball so I look forward to getting to know them and spending time with them as people. It is people first with me. I want to get to know them as people. It is the person that makes the player. And we are going to have a big time."
What are your plans for assistant coaches:
"We are going to take our time with that. We have to go through the process of posting and we definitely have folks in mind. We are just looking forward to getting settled a little bit and that will be the next step."
What are you going to do with recruiting:
"I have already made a couple of calls this morning. Not to recruits, but the folks in Texas know I am back and they have called me. The thing about it is recruiting is an ongoing process, a daily process, and we will get busy. We look forward to being out. We will be out April 15-16. That is the next period. I look forward to wearing that Texas Tech shirt out. So, we will get busy. Recruiting is the life, blood of any program, but it is people first and making sure that they are a total student-athlete and that they will represent this program in a way that it deserves to be represented."
When you first came here a few days ago, did you know you would take the job:
"No. I can tell you from the minute that I was here the first day and had a chance to visit with Dr. Whitmore and Gerald (Myers). I think it hit me when we were driving through campus. It just felt right. This is us. I love Lubbock. It is a perfect fit for us as a family and I just feel like it is a great place to raise a family. I am just not a big city girl, so I think this is a good fit."
What do you say to the fans back at Purdue about hiring a coach:
"Morgan (Burke), Purdue's athletic director, and I had a meeting yesterday and he asked some input on some things. I have all of the faith and total confidence in those folks that they will find someone and carry on the tradition and will make a great decision. I told those young ladies that there will be another Kristy Curry and will love them just the same and I will continue to be there for those young ladies 10 or 15 years down the road. He is going to make a great decision and the administration is wonderful. We had a chance to visit a little bit and I told him that I was there to help in any way I can."
Could you see yourself finish your career in Lubbock:
"This is it. I hope this will be it for us. There is no question. This is where we want to raise our family. This is where we want to put our roots down. As long as ya'll will have us we will love to be here, and we hope that is a long, long time."
