Kristy Curry exits Alabama, takes South Florida job as coaching search begins
kristy curry is leaving Alabama women’s basketball and will take over at South Florida, a move the school announced Tuesday. The decision sends Alabama into an immediate head-coaching search after a season that ended one point short of the Sweet 16. South Florida, meanwhile, fills a vacancy created when its previous head coach moved to the WNBA.
What was announced Tuesday, and why the opening existed
South Florida announced Tuesday that it has hired Kristy Curry as its next women’s basketball head coach, pulling the veteran coach away from Alabama, where she has led the Crimson Tide since 2013.
The South Florida job opened after head coach Jose Fernando took a job in the WNBA coaching the Dallas Wings. After that departure, South Florida had selected an interim head coach, Michele Woods-Baxter, for the 2025-26 season, but the program ultimately chose an outside hire and landed Curry.
issued as part of the announcement, Curry thanked Rob Higgins for the opportunity and pointed to the program’s base and ambitions. “A strong foundation is in place, and I look forward to building on it as we pursue conference championships and NCAA Tournament success, ” Kristy Curry said. She added that the university’s “commitment to competing at the highest level” and “clear vision and alignment at USF” stood out, and said she is eager to meet “Bulls Nation” and experience a “rocking Yuengling Center. ”
Alabama’s recent results under kristy curry
Alabama finished 24-11 (7-9 SEC) this past season under kristy curry, earning a six-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide beat 11-seed Rhode Island in the opening round before falling to three-seed Louisville by one point on the road in the Round of 32.
During her tenure at Alabama, Curry did not advance beyond the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The program made the second round in each of the past three seasons and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in five of the past six seasons.
The tournament path Alabama faced also saw a coaching ripple elsewhere: Rhode Island head coach Tammi Reiss has since taken the head coaching job at Florida.
Immediate reactions and verified statements
The clearest immediate reaction Tuesday came directly from Curry in her prepared statement, where she publicly credited South Florida Athletic Director Rob Higgins and emphasized goals tied to championships and NCAA Tournament success.
South Florida’s move also closes the loop on a coaching chain that began with Jose Fernando’s departure to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, a shift that created the vacancy Curry is now set to fill.
Quick context
Before Alabama, Curry was the head coach at Texas Tech from 2006-13, making two NCAA Tournament appearances before taking the Alabama job. Earlier, she coached Purdue from 1999-2006, leading the Boilermakers to two Elite Eight runs, including a national runner-up finish in 2001.
What’s next
As of Tuesday (ET), Alabama is now positioned to begin the process of replacing its head coach after Kristy Curry’s departure, while South Florida turns from interim planning to integrating a new full-time leader. The next major milestones will be Alabama’s hiring decision and South Florida’s first program moves under Curry, with both programs now operating on accelerated timelines set in motion by this coaching change.
