Alabama Hiring Former Assistant as New Women's Basketball Head Coach

Alabama has hired Pauline Love as the new women's basketball head coach, per On3's Talia Goodman.

Love is coming off her first season as Oklahoma's associate head coach, where she helped lead the Sooners to a 26-8 (11-5 SEC) record and a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament under head coach Jennie Baranczyk.

"We are thrilled to welcome Pauline back to Tuscaloosa," Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in a press release. "Throughout this process, we spoke with several people, and she quickly rose to the top of that list. Pauline’s vision for this program and preparation to lead Alabama women’s basketball is incredibly impressive, and we look forward to seeing the Tide continue to rise under her leadership.”

Love, 38, is filling the role of Kristy Curry, who departed from Tuscaloosa after 13 seasons for the same position at USF on March 24.

Curry amassed a 245–173 record during her time at UA. During her tenure, the women's basketball team moved from playing its games in Foster Auditorium, which holds a capacity of 3,800, to Coleman Coliseum, a 15,000-plus venue where the men's team also plays. The program snapped its losing streak to Tennessee, which was over four decades long. She ended up beating the Lady Vols eight times, including in this year's SEC tournament.

Before her time in Norman, Oklahoma, Love was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Alabama women's basketball. Love served as the program’s recruiting coordinator and helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 24-8 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Under her guidance, Alabama landed four top-100 recruits in the 2025 class and produced two WBCA All-Americans in Sarah Ashlee Barker and Aaliyah Nye.

She held the same title at Arkansas for several years after serving as the assistant coach at Southern Miss from 2013-17. Love started her coaching career as an assistant coach at McNeese.

As a player at Southern Miss from 2007-10, Love earned three All-Conference USA First Team selections and remains among the program’s all-time leaders in scoring average, rebounding average, field goals made and minutes played. She began her collegiate career at Jones College before transferring to Southern Miss and later played one season with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.

“I’m incredibly honored to lead the Alabama women’s basketball program," Love said in a press release. "This is a place with a championship standard, and we’re going to build a team that reflects that every day through toughness, togetherness and trust. I’m excited to get to work with our players, connect with this community and build something special in Tuscaloosa. I want to thank Greg Byrne, President Mohler and the Board of Trustees for this opportunity.”

Alabama Women's Basketball Head Coaching History

Stephanie Schleuder, 1974-77, 39-36 (.520)
Ed Nixon, 1977-80, 46-38 (.548)
Ann Cronic, 1980-81, 21-12 (.636)
Ken Weeks, 1981-85, 74-43 (.632)
Lois Myers, 1985-89, 71-44 (.617)
Rick Moody, 1989-2005, 311-176 (.639)
Stephany Smith, 2005-08, 27-61 (.307)
Wendell Hudson, 2008-13, 68-87 (.439)
Kristy Curry, 2013-26, 245-173 (.586)

Pauline Love Coaching History

2025-26: Associate Head Coach, Oklahoma
2024-25: Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Alabama
2017-24: Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Arkansas
2013-17: Assistant Coach, Southern Miss
2012-13: Assistant Coach, McNeese

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