Joseph Allen Curl (December 1, 1954 â April 14, 2014) was an American women's basketball coach at the University of Houston. He coached at Houston for twelve years, during which time he compiled a 193âÂÂ167 record. In 2001 and 2002, the Cougars made back-to-back WNIT appearances, and in 2004 and 2005, back-to-back NCAA appearances.
As a junior college and NCAA head coach, he had a career 331âÂÂ252 (.554) record.
Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Curl grew up in nearby South Sioux City, Nebraska and graduated from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska in 1978 with a bachelor's degree and was a basketball player there.
Curl returned to South Sioux City after college to become a teacher at South Sioux City High. In 1979, Curl became an assistant boys' basketball coach at the school. After two years in that position, Curl became girls' basketball head coach and went 3âÂÂ17 in the 1981âÂÂ82 season. From 1982 to 1984 as boys' head coach, Curl went a cumulative 7âÂÂ29.
In 1984, Curl moved to Wichita, Kansas to become an assistant coach for a newly formed men's basketball program at Kansas Newman College (now Newman University, Wichita), in addition to a physical education teacher and athletic director at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School. Curl became head boys' basketball coach at Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, also in Wichita, in June 1986. After a 6âÂÂ14 record in the 1986âÂÂ87 season, Curl resigned in June 1987.
Curl entered graduate school at the University of Central Oklahoma in 1987 and earned his master's degree in 1990. While pursuing graduate studies, Curl was head women's volleyball coach as well as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's basketball teams for the Central Oklahoma Bronchos from 1987 to 1989.
From 1990 to 1993, Curl was head women's basketball coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas and went 56âÂÂ23 in his three seasons as head coach, including a 26âÂÂ4 record and number-one national ranking in the 1992âÂÂ93 season.
Curl had his first NCAA-level position in the 1993âÂÂ94 as head women's basketball coach at Stephen F. Austin State University, during which he helped the Ladyjacks to the Southland Conference women's basketball tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance.
Curl was head women's basketball at Blinn College from 1994 to 1996, with a 31âÂÂ28 overall record. From 1996 to 1998, Curl coached men's basketball at Blinn, going 18âÂÂ42.
Curl became head coach at the University of Houston in 1998. After two losing seasons, Curl led the Houston Cougars to a 19âÂÂ13 record and WNIT first round appearance in the 2000âÂÂ01 season. In 2001âÂÂ02, Curl led Houston to a 26âÂÂ8 record and to the WNIT final.
In the 2003âÂÂ2004 campaign, the Cougars went 28âÂÂ4, establishing school records for wins and winning percentage. The Cougars won both the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles. That qualified them for a number 3 seed in the tournament. For his success, he achieved national coach of the year honors by several media outlets.
Curl was awarded the US Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Coach of the Year award in 2004, as well as the AP College Basketball Coach of the Year
From 2000 to 2005, Curl's staff included Todd Buchanan who would ultimately serve as head coach of Houston upon his retirement.
He died on April 14, 2014, at the age of 59.
The following table lists Curl's record as an NCAA head coach.