A respected head coach with a proven track record of building championship-caliber programs, LeAnn Freeland was hired Tuesday as the head women’s basketball coach at Florida Atlantic University. Freeland, a former Wayne County resident and Wayne City High School Alumni is married to John Curry and they reside in Plantation, Fla.
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.
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.
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.
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