Plymouth State University alumnus Curtis Arsenault ’17 will take the reins as the next head coach of the women’s basketball program, Director of Athletics Kim Bownes announced on Thursday.
Arsenault, a 1,000-point scorer for the men’s program who played from 2013-17, replaces Leah Swanson, who resigned following the season after four years at the helm.
Arsenault spent the last two years as the assistant coach for the men’s program after serving as the women’s assistant coach from 2017-19.
“I am excited for Curtis to have the opportunity to lead our women’s basketball program,” said Bownes. “Curtis was an outstanding player for us, and his determination and passion have always been his signature traits. They will serve him well in his new role.”
Arsenault helped lead the men to a 15-12 record and a semifinal appearance in the Little East Conference (LEC) Tournament during the 2021-22 season. He was instrumental in navigating the team to a six-game winning streak late in the season that included a 75-74 win over #25 UMass Dartmouth to help secure a first round home game. Arsenault filled in as head coach during a weeklong stretch highlighted by an important 93-82 win over Rhode Island College. His mentorship helped junior Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) earn back-to-back All-LEC recognition.
Prior to that, Arsenault aided the women’s team to its most successful campaign in nearly a decade during the 2018-19 season as PSU won 10 games for the first time since 2009-10. Plymouth State went 4-12 in the Little East, narrowly missing out on a postseason spot. The Panthers opened the year with five straight wins to match the best start since 2009-10, posting an average margin of victory of nearly 12 points. The highlight of the season was an 89-87, double overtime win against regular season champion UMass Dartmouth in the final week of the season. Under his watch, alumna Jess Conant claimed a pair of All-LEC Second Team honors.
After leaving the women’s program, Arsenault also spent two seasons as an assistant with the Laconia High School boys’ program from 2019-21.
“I want to thank Athletic Director Kim Bownes and the rest of the hiring committee for giving me the opportunity to oversee the Plymouth State women’s basketball program,” said Arsenault. “As a Plymouth State alum and former basketball player, getting this opportunity means everything to me. Over the past ten years I have so many special memories as a player and coach in Foley Gym, and I can’t wait to create more. I am excited to start working with this group of returning players and building the foundation of a successful program with a family culture.”
Known for his late-game heroics as a player, Arsenault finished his career with 1,236 points to rank tenth on the Panthers’ all-time scoring list. He averaged nearly 16 points and five rebounds a game as a junior, shooting .457 from the field. Arsenault played a key role in the Panthers’ upset win over #22 Eastern Connecticut in Jan. 2015, snapping the Warriors 27-game LEC regular season winning streak that spanned more than two full years, nailed game-winning three-pointers at the buzzer against UMaine-Presque Isle in Dec. 2015 and Rhode Island College in Dec. 2016, and swished a baseline jumper in the final seconds to beat Thomas College two games later.
Arsenault begins with the program immediately.
The Panthers went 5-18 last winter. Freshman Sophie George (Meredith, N.H.) claimed LEC Rookie of the Year honors after scoring 332 points on the year, the most in a season since the 2018-19 campaign.
