When Assistant Womens Basketball Coach Elizabeth Curry arrived at Simpson College in the summer of 2009, athletes, coaches, and fans alike were pleased with what they saw.

As a student of the University of Tennessee, Curry impressed people with her skills on and off the court.  She received numerous academic awards and two NCAA Division I National Championships – as a student during the 2006-2007 basketball season and as a graduate assistant in 2008.

Curry is now heating up the Simpson basketball court with her enthusiasm and take-no-prisoners attitude.  Senior basketball player Darrina Bledsoe shared her first impression of Curry.

“(She was) all business,” Bledsoe said. “She made it very clear that she was ready and willing to do all she could for the team to help us improve and achieve our goals of winning a championship.”

Senior Katie Inghram agreed with Bledsoe.

“She (Curry) is extremely dedicated to the team and is always working to make us better players,” Inghram said. “She is a really focused person, and I can really tell that she has a huge passion for what she does, which is great to see in a coach.”

Not only is Curry busy with helping make Simpson’s basketball team a success, she is also improving academics as an academic liaison for the school. Her role consists of working under the CHAMPS/Lifeskills Program, where she holds the position of Coordinator of the CHAMPS/Lifeskills Mentor Program.

“As academic liaison, I strive to bridge the gap between student-athletes, faculty, and coaches,” Curry said. This is accomplished through establishing relationships, monitoring grades, and identifying trouble areas.

Curry continued by explaining the goal of the CHAMPS/Lifeskills program.

“The program helps student-athletes by giving them the tools to succeed. Our angle is to push them towards a successful graduation with lifelong skills that they can use in the world once they graduate.”

Curry also acts as the advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Senior basketball player and CHAMPS mentor, Katie Inghram, noted that she has seen improvements in the program since Curry started.

“Being a CHAMPS mentor since I was a sophomore, I noticed a huge difference when Curry took over the program,” Inghram said. “She really invests a lot of time into the tasks that she takes on, and it doesn’t go unappreciated.”

“The students have been thrilled with what she has done with SAAC,” Head Women’s Basketball Coach Brian Niemuth said. “We are taking what was already good, and she is making it better.”

While Curry has been labeled organized, persistent, and a perfectionist by Niemuth, she still makes time to make sure the women on the basketball team are having fun and are inspired. 

In regard to this coming basketball season, Curry’s spirits are high.

“We will have a strong team this year. We lost some good members, but there is still a lot to be excited for.”