Men’s basketball head coach Chris Mack and women’s basketball head coach Christy Curry were introduced at the Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center as the South Florida Bulls usher in a new era for both programs.

The dual hire reflects a broader shift for USF basketball, as the university looks to build sustained success through a combination of culture, player development and heightened expectations on both sides.

Curry takes over the women’s program after 13 seasons at Alabama, bringing with her a résumé that includes:

• 16 20-win seasons and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances. 
• She has advanced to the second round 11 times
• Reached four Sweet 16s
• Two Elite Eights
• Made both a Final Four and a national championship appearance during her career.

Beyond wins, Curry has emphasized academics and long-term development, maintaining a 100% graduation rate across 27 seasons as a head coach.

“This is one of the greatest honors of my career… I cannot tell you how honored I am to be here today,” Curry said.

Curry said her program will be built on strong relationships and a family-oriented culture.

“We truly, firmly believe in family… I always say I have two daughters at home and 50 at the office. We are a family,” Curry said.

She outlined three pillars that will define her team moving forward.

“Our culture is built on three core principles: grit, love and gratitude,” Curry said.

On the men’s side, Mack takes over a program that has seen recent success, including multiple conference titles and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Mack brings an accomplished coaching background, 

• 300 career wins
• 12 20-win seasons 
• 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.

University leadership emphasized that the hire is part of a larger vision for the program moving forward.

“Look, USF has shown that we can win. We can win at all levels. The question now is this: how high can this thing go?” Jim Lighthall said.

Mack said he is focused on building a team capable of competing for championships immediately.

“Listen, I’m damn excited to be the head coach here at the University of South Florida… Our teams are going to compete for championships each and every year,” Mack said.

He emphasized toughness and resilience as key traits his teams will embody.

“We’re going to teach our players how to be tough… how to be resilient… they’re going to dust themselves off, they’re going to get back up, and they’re going to compete,” Mack said.

Mack ended his remarks with a message directed toward fans.

“You ain’t seen nothing yet. Bulls fans, buckle up. Go Bulls,” Mack said.

With new leadership in place, the Bulls now turn their attention to the upcoming season, looking to translate vision into results on the court.