FAYETTEVILLE — Pauline Love, who was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Arkansas women’s basketball team since 2017, has been hired to the same position at Alabama.
Love was part of the first staff at Arkansas under coach Mike Neighbors, who is entering his eighth season. She is a native of Luxora and starred at Southern Miss from 2007-10 before playing one season with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun.
Over her seven-year stint coaching the Razorbacks, Love earned a reputation of being one of the nation’s top recruiters. Arkansas signed three McDonald’s All-Americans out of high school during her tenure.
“We are so excited to welcome Pauline to our Alabama family,” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said in a press release. “She is one of the best recruiters in the country! With her background and having played at three levels along with her experience as a coach, she will bring in valuable knowledge and will share her experiences with our student-athletes to really connect to them.”
Curry, who is entering her 12th season with the Crimson Tide, coached at Texas Tech when Love was a player at Southern Miss.
“Coming to Alabama makes me feel like I’m coming home,” Love said in the release. “Kristy has known me since I was a player at Southern Miss, and we’ve always kept in touch. She is one of the hardest workers in the business and I can’t wait to get there and get started.”
Love’s hiring came in the wake of former Alabama assistant coach Roman Tubner leaving for the same job under new Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell.
Love will a join a staff that also includes assistant coach Tennille Adams, who was a member of the Razorbacks’ 1998 Final Four team.