A respected head coach with a proven track record of building championship-caliber programs, LeAnn Freeland was hired as the head women’s basketball coach at Florida Atlantic University.
The announcement was made by Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White, who signed Freeland to a five-year contract following an impressive run leading nearby Nova Southeastern University. As NSU’s head coach, she led the Sharks to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including four Elite Eight appearances and one Final Four, in her 13 seasons in Fort Lauderdale.
Freeland will be available to the media during a reception event at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on Thursday at 4 p.m. More details about the event will follow.
As head coach at both NSU (2011-25) and previously University of Indianapolis (2007-11), Freeland has won 70 percent of her career games (363-159) with six conference championships, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 seasons, four Elite Eights and one Final Four (2014). She was named Coach of the Year in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) in 2015, 2016 and 2024.
“LeAnn is a winner in every sense of the word,” said White, “She has won at every stop in her collegiate career whether it be as a head coach, an assistant coach or as a player. I am thrilled to welcome LeAnn and her husband John to Florida Atlantic and excited for the championship mindset she will bring to our women’s basketball program. She built both Nova Southeastern and UIndy to powerful Division II programs, doing so with student-athletes that embodied her gritty, hard-working and tough playing style. I’m confident the future of FAU women’s basketball is incredibly bright under LeAnn’s leadership.”
In 29 seasons as a player, assistant coach and head coach, Freeland has been part of just two below-.500 seasons (just one as a head coach), amassing a combined record of 634-244 (.722), participating in the NCAA Tournament 18 times (seven Elite Eights and twice reaching the national championship game) and combining for 11 conference regular season or tournament titles. As a head coach, she owns a 19-11 (.633) record in the NCAA Tournament.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Freeland to Florida Atlantic,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “She is a proven winner with a history of coaching nationally ranked teams and brings with her a history of success in South Florida. I know she will be a great role model for our student-athletes as they strive for success on and off the court.”
Under Freeland’s leadership, Jasmine Wilkins and Kayla Wright were named back-to-back SSC Players of the Year in 2015 and 2016, while Wilkins earned the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. Monaye Merritt was the DPOY in 2016, with a trio of Sharks (Kira Harvey, Lynn Robinson, Danielle Robinson) sharing the award in 2013. She has boasted the league’s Freshman of the Year three times – Danielle Robinson in 2012, Maria Bardeeva in 2017 and Kailyn Terrell in 2024.
“It’s an exciting day to be an Owl, said Freeland, “I am truly honored and fired up for the opportunity to lead the women’s basketball program at Florida Atlantic. I want to thank President Adam Hasner, Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White and his search committee for believing in my vision for the program. Having lived and coached in this area for quite some time, I’ve seen first-hand the awesome things happening at Florida Atlantic. I know there is tremendous potential for the women’s basketball program to be successful, and we will hit the court and recruiting trails as soon as possible to build a championship program. We will do that with players and coaches willing to work extremely hard to “Win in Paradise!” That search starts today.”
A total of 42 All-SSC honors have come in Freeland’s tenure in Fort Lauderdale, with eight All-America selections, including first-team honorees Meixandra Porter in 2013 and Jasmine Wilkins in 2015.
A highly decorated college player, Freeland was the College Sports Magazine Division II National Player of the Year in 1995 and remains the all-time leading scorer in University of Southern Indiana’s history. She graduated with 2,269 points (ranks first all-time), 961 rebounds (second), 192 blocks (first) and a .612 career field goal percentage (first). Her 50-point scoring effort in a 1995 game remains the program’s single-game standard.
Freeland earned a pair of degrees from USI, and undergraduate degree in education in 1998 and a graduate degree in education in 2000.
She was inducted to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Hall of Fame in 2004 and was one of 10 players nominated for the NCAA Division II 25th Anniversary Team in 2005.
Freeland is married to John Curry and they reside in Plantation, Fla.
LEANN FREELAND QUICK FACTS
College Career: Four-year letterwinner, Southern Indiana, 1993-97
College Degree: B.S., Education, Southern Indiana, 1998; M.S., Education, 2000
Coaching Career: Assistant Coach, Southern Indiana, 1999-2003; Assistant Coach, Florida Gulf Coast, 2003-07; Head Coach, Indianapolis, 2007-11; Head Coach, Nova Southeastern, 2011-25; Head Coach, Florida Atlantic, 2025-present.
Family: Husband, John Curry (married July 2016)
LEANN FREELAND CAREER RECORDS
As a Head Coach (17 seasons): 363-159 (.695)
At Nova Southeastern (13 seasons): 274-124 (.688)
At UIndy (4 seasons): 89-35 (.718)
In NCAA Tournament (11 appearances): 19-11 (.633)
As an Assistant Coach (8 seasons): 180-61 (.747)
As a Player (4 seasons): 91-24 (.791)
https://fausports.com/news/2025/4/1/leann-freeland-curry-named-head-womens-basketball-coach.aspx
Tagged with: American Athletic Conference
