Erik Williams
Staff Writer
Exactly three weeks after Clyde Drexler was announced as the new men's basketball head coach, another coaching vacancy was filled Wednesday as Joe Curl was hired as the new UH women's basketball head coach.
Curl, a 19-year coaching veteran and a three-time coach of the year across NCAA and junior college tenures, replaces Jessie Kenlaw, who resigned on March 3.
Curl, who was ushered in at a press conference at the UH Athletics/Alumni Building, expressed his general eagerness at becoming the new coach.
"It's absolutely amazing; the opportunity to coach here has taken my breath away many times," he said. "I can't explain in words the feeling that I have by joining this family. But, I know that we have a lot of work at hand."
UH Athletics Director Chet Gladchuk said that Curl's hiring completed an extensive search which included nearly 100 applicants.
"When searching for our new coach, we really did our homework. We were counseled by an advisory group comprised of administrators and students, and we called several of the top coaches in Texas. And, almost to the person, Joe Curl's name kept coming up. His qualifications are just impeccable, and he has an outstanding rapport with people."
Curl also stated that his first priority is the players, both the present players and potential new ones. The three 1997 fall signees for UH are Rosalind Carter, a 6-2 forward from Clinton, Miss.; Kathy Williams, a 5-9 guard from Detroit, Mich.; and Janique Williams, a 5-8 guard from Willowridge High School in Missouri City, Texas.
Sharonda Lasseter, the Conference USA Freshman of the Year, expressed her enthusiasm about Curl's hiring.
"He has a lot of good credentials, and he has had success on three different levels, so I look forward to working with him next year."
But while Curl's primary focus is on the Lady Cougars and making them contenders in one of the nation's tougher conferences, he feels they need to create stronger community ties in order to bring back crowds.
"People will come back if we're playing hard, so that's our first goal. Maybe we'll have a Coke night or a blanket night to help out the local foundations. If we give back to the community then people will fill the seats."
Curl takes over as the Lady Cougars' head coach after two years as head coach at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, where he coached four players to all-conference honors. He has also coached at Stephen F. Austin and Trinity Valley Junior College.
While at SFA, Curl won the Southland Conference Coach of the Year along with an NCAA berth in 1994 and two conference championships. Curl also coached five junior college players to All-American honors and a No. 1 ranking during the 1992-93 season with SFA; furhtermore, 14 players received All-Conference selections while picking up two conference coach of the year awards at Trinity Valley.
Curl is also an accomplished motivational speaker who has directed summer camps and has served as a state director of Hoop Challenge USA, a youth basketball shooting competition.