View source for Joe Curl

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}{{Infobox college coach
| image = 
| birth_date = December 1, 1954
| birth_place = [[Sioux City, Iowa]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and given age|2014|4|14|59}}
| death_place = [[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
| alma_mater = 
| player_sport1 = Basketball
| player_years2 = 1975–1978
| player_team2 = [[Wayne State Wildcats|Wayne State (NE)]]
| coach_sport1 = Basketball
| coach_years2 = 1979–1981
| coach_team2 = [[South Sioux City, Nebraska|South Sioux City HS]] (boys' asst.)
| coach_years3 = 1981–1982
| coach_team3 = South Sioux City HS (girls')
| coach_years4 = 1982–1984
| coach_team4 = South Sioux City HS (boys')
| coach_years5 = 1984–1986
| coach_team5 = [[Newman University, Wichita|Kansas Newman]] (men's asst.)
| coach_years6 = 1986–1987
| coach_team6 = [[Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School|Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic HS]] (boys')
| coach_years7 = 1987–1989
| coach_team7 = [[Central Oklahoma Bronchos|Central State (OK)]] (men's and women's asst.)
| coach_years8 = 1990–1993
| coach_team8 = [[Trinity Valley Community College|Trinity Valley CC]]
| coach_years9 = 1993–1994
| coach_team9 = [[Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball|Stephen F. Austin]] 
| coach_years10 = 1994–1996
| coach_team10 = [[Blinn College|Blinn]]
| coach_years11 = 1996–1998
| coach_team11 = Blinn (men's)
| coach_years12 = 1998–2010
| coach_team12 = [[Houston Cougars women's basketball|Houston]]
| coach_sport13 = Volleyball
| coach_years14 = 1987–1989
| coach_team14 = [[Central Oklahoma Bronchos women's volleyball|Central State (OK)]]
| overall_record = {{winpct|216|174|record=y}} (NCAA)<br />{{winpct|97|51|record=y}} (NJCAA women)<br />{{winpct|18|42|record=y}} (NJCAA men)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 1–3 ([[NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|NCAA]])<br />4–2 ([[Women's National Invitation Tournament|WNIT]])
| championships =
* [[Conference USA|C-USA]] regular season (2004)
* [[Conference USA women's basketball tournament|C-USA Tournament]] (2004)
| awards = 
* [[USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year]] (2004)
* [[Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year|AP Women's Coach of the Year]] (2004)
| coaching_records = 
}}

'''Joseph Allen Curl''' (December 1, 1954 – April 14, 2014) was an American women's basketball coach at the [[Houston Cougars women's basketball|University of Houston]]. He coached at Houston for twelve years, during which time he compiled a 193–167 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 331–252 (.554) record.

==Early life and education==
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.<ref name="UH">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101171933/http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/curl_joe00.html|archivedate=January 1, 2011|title=Joe Curl|publisher=University of Houston|url=http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/curl_joe00.html|accessdate=December 3, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Coaching career==

===High school and junior college (1981–1993)===
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 3–17 in the 1981–82 season. From 1982 to 1984 as boys' head coach, Curl went a cumulative 7–29.<ref name="SCJ">{{Cite web|url=http://siouxcityjournal.com/sports/basketball/college/former-south-sioux-coach-curl-dies-at/article_cb6325ad-e1a2-580d-9f1f-50b049240b50.html|title=Former South Sioux coach Curl dies at 59|author=Hersom, Terry|work=Sioux City Journal|date=April 16, 2014|accessdate=December 3, 2017}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Catholic Advance">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/179055934/|title=Joe Curl Named Head Boys' Basketball Coach at K-MC|date=June 12, 1986|work=The Catholic Advance|accessdate=December 3, 2017}}</ref> Curl became head boys' basketball coach at [[Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School]], also in Wichita, in June 1986.<ref name="Catholic Advance"/> After a 6–14 record in the 1986–87 season, Curl resigned in June 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1643395/|title=Kapaun hires Trinity cage coach|work=The Salina Journal|date=June 17, 1987|accessdate=December 3, 2017}}</ref>

Curl entered graduate school at the [[University of Central Oklahoma]] in 1987 and earned his master's degree in 1990.<ref name="UCO">{{Citation|url=https://sites.uco.edu/uc/files/OldNorthFALL2014.pdf|title=In Memory: Faculty/Staff|work=Old North|publisher=University of Central Oklahoma|date=Fall 2014|page=48}}</ref><ref name="UH 2007">{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/08-wbb65-78.pdf|title=Joe Curl|publisher=University of Houston|work=2007–08 Houston Women's Basketball|year=2007|pages=66–67|access-date=2017-12-04|archive-date=2017-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204222914/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/08-wbb65-78.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="UCO"/>

From 1990 to 1993, Curl was head women's basketball coach at [[Trinity Valley Community College]] in [[Athens, Texas]] and went 56–23 in his three seasons as head coach, including a 26–4 record and number-one national ranking in the 1992–93 season.<ref name="UH"/><ref name="UH 2007"/>

===Stephen F. Austin and Blinn (1993–1998)===
Curl had his first NCAA-level position in the 1993–94 as head women's basketball coach at [[Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball|Stephen F. Austin State University]], during which he helped the Ladyjacks to the [[Southland Conference women's basketball tournament]] title and [[1994 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]] appearance.<ref name="UH"/>

Curl was head women's basketball at [[Blinn College]] from 1994 to 1996, with a 31–28 overall record. From 1996 to 1998, Curl coached men's basketball at Blinn, going 18–42.<ref name="UH 2007"/>

===Houston (1998–2010)===
Curl became head coach at the [[Houston Cougars women's basketball|University of Houston]] in 1998. After two losing seasons, Curl led the Houston Cougars to a 19–13 record and WNIT first round appearance in the 2000–01 season. In 2001–02, Curl led Houston to a 26–8 record and to the WNIT final.<ref name="UH 2007"/>

In the 2003–2004 campaign, the Cougars went 28–4, 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 [[Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year|AP College Basketball Coach of the Year]]<ref name="USBWA">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/women/index.html|title=USBWA WOMEN'S HONORS|publisher=USBWA|accessdate=8 May 2010|archive-date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219093034/http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/women/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Chronicle obituary">{{Cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/cougars/article/Former-UH-women-s-basketball-coach-Joe-Curl-dies-5400668.php|author=Duarte, Joseph|title=Former UH women's basketball coach Joe Curl dies at 59|website=Houston Chronicle|date=2014-04-14|access-date=2016-04-20}}</ref><ref name="AP COY">{{cite web|title=A reward for job well done; Curl earns AP coaching honor after leading UH to 28–4 mark|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/college-basketball-women/article/Curl-earns-AP-coaching-honor-after-leading-UH-to-1504686.php|work=Houston Chronicle|author=Stickney, W.H. Jr.|date=April 4, 2004|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040406083306/http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2485027|archivedate=April 6, 2004|accessdate=December 3, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Chronicle obituary"/>

==Head coaching record==
===Women's basketball===
The following table lists Curl's record as an NCAA head coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/southland.org/documents/2017/7/25/WBasketball_2017_18.pdf|title=2016–17 Southland Conference Women's Basketball|publisher=Southland Conference|pages=98, 101, 107}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/media-almanac-101011.pdf|title=University of Houston Media Almanac: 2011–12 Cougar Women's Basketball|pages=67–72|publisher=University of Houston|year=2011|access-date=2017-12-04|archive-date=2016-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314055917/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/media-almanac-101011.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{CBB yearly record start | type = coach | conference = | postseason= }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball|Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks]]
 | conference=[[Southland Conference]]
 | startyear =1993
 | endyear   =1994
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = confboth
| season       = 1993–94
| name         = Stephen F. Austin
| overall      = 23–7
| conference   = 16–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason   = [[1994 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|NCAA first round]]
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name       = Stephen F. Austin
| overall    = {{winpct|23|7|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|16|2|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Houston Cougars women's basketball|Houston Cougars]]
 | conference=[[Conference USA]]
 | startyear =1998
 | endyear   =2010
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 1998–99
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 5–22
| conference   = 1–15
| confstanding = 12th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 1999–2000
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 7–21
| conference   = 3–13
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2000–01
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 19–13
| conference   = 10–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason   = WNIT First Round
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2001–02
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 26–8
| conference   = 11–3
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason   = WNIT Runner-up
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2002–03
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 15–13
| conference   = 6–8
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = confboth
| season       = 2003–04
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 28–4
| conference   = 13–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason   = [[2004 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|NCAA second round]]
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2004–05
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 21–9
| conference   = 10–4
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason   = [[2005 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament|NCAA first round]]
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2005–06
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 12–17
| conference   = 8–8
| confstanding = T–6th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2006–07
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 9–19
| conference   = 5–11
| confstanding = T–9th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2007–08
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 15–16
| conference   = 9–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 2008–09
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 19–10
| conference   = 11–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = [[2009–10 NCAA Division I women's basketball season|2009–10]]
| name         = Houston
| overall      = 17–15
| conference   = 10–6
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason   = [[2010 Women's National Invitation Tournament|WNIT First Round]]
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name       = Houston
| overall    = {{winpct|193|167|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|97|87|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = {{winpct|216|174|record=y}}
}}

===Women's volleyball===
{{CBB yearly record start | type = coach | conference = | postseason= }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      =[[Central Oklahoma Bronchos women's volleyball|Central State Bronchos]]
 | conference=[[NAIA independent schools|NAIA Independent]]
 | startyear =1987
 | endyear   =single
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 1987
| name         = Central State (OK)
| overall      = 3–24
| conference   = 
| confstanding = 
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      =[[Central Oklahoma Bronchos women's volleyball|Central State Bronchos]]
 | conference=[[Lone Star Conference]]
 | startyear =1988
 | endyear   =1989
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 1988
| name         = Central State (OK)
| overall      = 3–25
| conference   = 1–13
| confstanding = 
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| season       = 1989
| name         = Central State (OK)
| overall      = 23–21
| conference   = 5–11
| confstanding = 
| postseason   = 
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name       = Central State (OK)
| overall    = {{winpct|29|70|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|6|24|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = {{winpct|29|70|record=y}}
}}
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bronchosports.com/documents/2022/8/24/22VBmediaguide.pdf|title=2022 UCO Volleyball Media Guide|publisher=University of Central Oklahoma|date=2022|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/curl_joe00.html Houston profile]

{{Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball coach navbox}}{{Houston Cougars women's basketball coach navbox}}{{Southland Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}{{Conference USA Women's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}{{USBWA National Coach of the Year}}
{{Associated Press Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curl, Joe}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Houston Cougars women's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Wayne State College alumni]]
[[Category:Wayne State Wildcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:University of Central Oklahoma alumni]]
[[Category:Junior college women's basketball coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball coaches]]
[[Category:American women's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Junior college men's basketball coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:People from South Sioux City, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Nebraska]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Nebraska]]
[[Category:High school basketball coaches in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Newman Jets men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Central Oklahoma Bronchos men's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Central Oklahoma Bronchos women's basketball coaches]]
[[Category:Central Oklahoma Bronchos women's volleyball coaches]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:High school basketball coaches in Kansas]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]