Of her first six years at Purdue, Coach Kristy Curry's most daunting task may have come last season, when she guided an inexperienced group through the ups and downs of the Big Ten while trying to make yet another appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Even though results weren't always pretty, Curry proved to be up to the challenge. Although its 17-13 final record didn't match the standards set by previous Boilermaker squads, Purdue accomplished much, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The appearance continued an impressive streak for the Boilers, who have been selected to the NCAA Tournament's field in 12 consecutive seasons, the last six of which have come under Curry's guidance.

During her first five years at Purdue, Curry never failed to hang a Big Ten banner, winning two regular-season titles and three conference tournament titles.

Now entering her seventh season at Purdue, Curry's Boilermakers have posted a winning percentage of 78. But special seasons and amazing accomplishments are becoming the norm around West Lafayette as long as Curry is holding court.

On Feb. 27, 2003, Curry won her 100th game as the Boilermakers' coach, becoming Purdue's second all-time winningest head coach. Curry reached the 100-win plateau faster than any coach in school history — needing only 126 games to accomplish the feat. She also earned her century-mark victory faster than some of the game's most accomplished coaches, including Tennessee's Pat Summitt, Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, Stanford's Tara VanDerveer and Texas' Jody Conradt.

In her six years as the head coach at Purdue, Curry has won more games during that stretch than any other Boilermaker coach has in the same span. The Boilermakers have gone 153-44 under Curry, an impressive .777 winning percentage, including a 73-23 (.760) mark in Big Ten play. Additionally, Curry's record in Mackey Arena is mind-boggling, a 77-9 overall record, 43-5 against conference foes.

Curry-coached squads are equally impressive in the post-season, posting a 12-3 Big Ten Tournament record, while boasting a 13-6 mark in the NCAA Tournament.

In 2003-04, Curry guided the Boilers to an .879 winning percentage, the best of her six-year career. The season was the second in a row in which Purdue recorded 25 or more wins in back-to-back seasons, marking a first in the program's history.

Her impressive ledger has not gone unnoticed either, as on Oct. 12, 2004, Curry was awarded a one-year contract extension that keeps her locked up through the 2008-09 season.

"In five short years, Kristy has proven herself as one of the best coaches in the game," athletics director Morgan Burke said in a statement. "Her record of winning games and championships speaks for itself. What sets her apart and makes her an invaluable member of our team is her commitment to develop the players in her program into the finest students, the finest athletes and the finest people."

Perhaps her greatest accomplishment on the hardwood has been guiding Purdue to the 2001 national championship game in just her second year on the job. Despite losing two players to knee injuries that season, Curry's young squad showed the resolve exhibited by its coach by advancing to the program's third Final Four and finishing with a 31-7 record.

"You look at all the great coaches across the country who have never had the opportunity to coach in a Final Four," said Curry a two-time finalist for the Naismith College Coach-of-the-Year Award. "I feel very blessed and am very thankful. I give my staff and the players all the credit."

Curry has guided Purdue to two Big Ten regular-season championships (2001 and 2002) and three Big Ten Tournament titles (2000, 2003 and 2004). In just her first season as a collegiate head coach, Curry led Purdue to a 23-8 record, tying her with Carolyn Peck for the most wins by a first-year coach in the program's history.

Curry's coaching success came despite plenty of pressure, as she was hired April 2, 1999, just days after Peck guided Purdue to the 1999 NCAA national championship. Peck, who left to become head coach and general manager of the WNBA's Orlando Miracle, is now in her fourth year at the University of Florida.

While many young coaches would have succumbed to the high expectations placed on Curry's shoulders, the expectations she had for herself were even greater. But she has been able to deal with the pressures by maintaining a proper perspective and creating an enjoyable work environment.

"I want my players to have fun," Curry said. "I feel like it is my job to make sure that academically and athletically these are the best years of their lives. I want to help each one of these young ladies reach her potential as a player and as a person. I want them to win a lot of basketball games, but I also want to help them win in the game of life."

Curry was blessed by being born into a coaching family. Her grandfather, Major Sims, was a teacher and coach for 41 years. Her father, Blake Sims, coached football in the prep ranks. Her mother, Ann Sims, coached girl's basketball for 26 years.

With that kind of family background, it's little surprise Curry put herself in the position of inheriting the coaching reins of the defending national champions.

"I was practically raised in a gym from the minute I was born, so I am not sure I had any other choice than to coach," Curry said. "I have been very fortunate to learn from two generations of outstanding coaches who taught me about the Xs and Os and the impact you can have on a young person's life.

"I knew as a little girl that one day I wanted to coach at this level. Very few people ever have the chance to see their dreams become reality, so I feel very fortunate."

Curry is the second Boilermaker head coach hired from Louisiana Tech. Nell Fortner, who guided the USA Women's Basketball National Team to a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, was a Louisiana Tech assistant before coaching Purdue in 1997. Fortner is now in her second season at Auburn.

As an assistant for Louisiana Tech, Curry took part in two Final Fours, including a runner-up finish in 1998. During her three years in Ruston, La., the Lady Techsters had a 92-11 record.

Legendary former Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore, who retired prior to this season, is not surprised Curry has been able to continue her success at Purdue.

"Kristy is very knowledgeable of the game and understands what it takes to win," Barmore once said. "She is also a workaholic. She's taken some good things that we've done here and added some things herself. I think she has done an excellent job of coaching at Purdue. She is really outstanding in my opinion."

Curry's duties at Louisiana Tech included recruiting and scouting, in addition to assisting with the coordination of Barmore's summer camps. It was during that time she developed a reputation as an excellent recruiter. She lived up to that notion by signing the nation's No. 1 recruiting class after just a few short months on the job at Purdue. She built on that reputation by signing a five-player incoming class that is ranked eighth in the country.

"I don't think there's any question my experience at Louisiana Tech was beneficial," Curry said. "You can't replace that kind of experience."

Prior to coaching at Louisiana Tech, Curry served as an assistant at Texas A&M from 1994-96. During those two seasons, Curry helped the Aggies compile a 41-21 record, win a Southwest Conference championship and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Curry has also held assistant coaching positions at Tulane (1991-93) and Stephen F. Austin (1993-94), where her duties ranged from recruiting and scouting to scheduling and co-directing summer camps.

Curry began her coaching career at the high school level at Weston High School (1988-90) and Mansfield High School (1990-91) in Louisiana.

A native of Olla, La., she is a 1988 graduate of Northeast Louisiana. She earned her B.S. degree in health and physical education and earned a master's in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1994. Curry played basketball for four years at LaSalle High School in Olla. During that time, she garnered all-state, all-district and all-region honors as a point guard. She also was a four-year letterwinner as a shortstop on the LaSalle softball team.

Curry is married to Kelly Curry, an assistant on the Boilermaker staff. They live in West Lafayette with their daughters, Kelsey and Kendall.