# Houston Cougars women's basketball

The Houston Cougars women's basketball team represents the University of Houston in NCAA Division I women's basketball. Coached by Ronald Hughey, the team plays their home games at Fertitta Center on-campus at the University of Houston.

## Conference affiliations

* Texas Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (1975–1982)
* Southwest Conference (1982–1996)
* Conference USA (1996–2013)
* American Athletic Conference (2013–2023)
* Big 12 Conference (2023–present)

## Notable former players

| Name | Career at Houston | Notability | Year drafted by WNBA | Reference |
| Chandi Jones | 2000–04 | WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury, Detroit Shock, and Minnesota Lynx | 2004 | |
| Sancho Lyttle | 2001–05 | WNBA player for the Houston Comets | 2005 | |

## Individual awards
### National award winners

Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year
* Joe Curl – 2004
espn.com National Coach of the Year
* Joe Curl – 2004
Basketball TImes Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year Award
* Joe Curl – 2004

### National Player of the Year awards

Women's Basketball News Service National Comeback Player of the Year Award
* Chandi Jones - 2001
Naismith College Player of the Year
* Chandi Jones – Finalist 2004
John R. Wooden Award
* Chandi Jones – Finalist 2004

### All-Americans
#### Key

| AP | Associated Press | USBWA | United States Basketball Writers Association |
| WBCA/Kodak | Women's Basketball Coaches Association | CoSIDA | College Sports Information Directors Association |
| Year | Player | Position | Selector(s) |
| 2002 | Chandi Jones | G | AP (HM), USBWA (2nd) |
| 2003 | Chandi Jones | G | AP (HM) |
| 2004 | Chandi Jones | G | AP (2nd), WBCA/Kodak (1st) |
| 2012 | Roxanna Button | G | CoSIDA Academic (1st) |
Note: HM stands for Honorable Mention.

### Conference Player of the Year

The following Houston players have been named Conference Player of the Year while at UH.
| Season | Player | Position | Conference |
| 1985-86 | Sonya Watkins | F | Southwest |
| 2001-02 | Chandi Jones | G | Conference USA |
| 2002-03 | Chandi Jones | G | Conference USA |
| 2003-04 | Chandi Jones | G | Conference USA |
| 2009-10 | Courtney Taylor | F | The American |
| 2010-11 | Courtney Taylor | F | The American |

### Conference Defensive Player of the Year

The following Houston players have been named Conference Defensive Player of the Year while at UH.
| Season | Player | Position | Conference |
| 2001-02 | Nicole Oliver | G | Conference USA |

### Conference Sixth Player of the Year

The following Houston players have been named Conference Sixth Player of the Year while at UH.
| Season | Player | Position | Conference |
| 2022-23 | Tiara Young | G | The American |

### Conference Newcomer or Freshman of the Year

The following Houston players have been named Conference Newcomer of the Year or Freshman of the Year while at UH.
| Season | Player | Position | Conference |
| 1986-87 | Missy Davis | C | Southwest |
| 1994-95 | Stacey Johnson (Newcomer) | G | Southwest |
| 1994-95 | Jennifer Jones (Freshman) | F | Southwest |
| 1997-98 | ShaRonda Lassiter | F | Conference USA |
| 2000-01 | Chandi Jones | G | Conference USA |

## Year by year results

Conference tournament winners noted with # Source
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll |
| Connie Payne (Independent) (1975–1976) ||||||||
| 1975–76 | Connie Payne | 11–18 | – | | Texas AIAW | | |
| Connie Payne: | Connie Payne: | 11–18 | – | | | | |
| Dot Woodfin (Independent, Southwest) (1976–1985) ||||||||
| 1976–77 | Dot Woodfin | 23–10 | – | | AIAW Southwest Regional | | |
| 1977–78 | Dot Woodfin | 26–15 | – | | AIAW Southwest Regional | | |
| 1978–79 | Dot Woodfin | 17–13 | – | | AIAW Southwest Regional | | |
| 1979–80 | Dot Woodfin | 17–13 | – | | AIAW Southwest Regional | | |
| 1980–81 | Dot Woodfin | 21–10 | – | | AIAW State Tournament | | |
| 1981–82 | Dot Woodfin | 18–11 | – | | | | |
| Southwest Conference ||||||||
| 1982–83 | Dot Woodfin | 17–11 | 5–3 | 4th (Southwest) | | | |
| 1983–84 | Dot Woodfin | 16–12 | 9–7 | T-4th | | | |
| 1984–85 | Dot Woodfin | 22–8 | 11–5 | T-3rd | | | |
| Dot Woodfin: | Dot Woodfin: | 177–103 | 25–15 | | | | |
| Greg Williams (Southwest) (1985–1990) ||||||||
| 1985–86 | Greg Williams | 19–10 | 9–7 | T-4th | | | |
| 1986–87 | Greg Williams | 19–10 | 10–6 | T-3rd | | | |
| 1987–88 | Greg Williams | 22–7 | 12–4 | 2nd | NCAA Second Round (Bye) | 25 | |
| 1988–89 | Greg Williams | 16–12 | 9–7 | T-4th | | | |
| 1989–90 | Greg Williams | 17–12 | 9–7 | 4th | | | |
| Greg Williams: | Greg Williams: | 93–51 | 49–31 | | | | |
| Jessie Kenlaw (Southwest, Conference USA) (1990–1998) ||||||||
| 1990–91 | Jessie Kenlaw | 20–12 | 10–6 | 4th (Southwest) | NWIT Fourth Place | | |
| 1991–92 | Jessie Kenlaw | 22–8 | 10–4 | 3rd | NCAA First Round | | 22 |
| 1992–93 | Jessie Kenlaw | 11–16 | 5–9 | 6th | | | |
| 1993–94 | Jessie Kenlaw | 11–15 | 5–9 | T-5th | | | |
| 1994–95 | Jessie Kenlaw | 14–14 | 7–7 | T-4th | | | |
| 1995–96 | Jessie Kenlaw | 12–16 | 4–10 | 5th | | | |
| Conference USA ||||||||
| 1996–97 | Jessie Kenlaw | 5–24 | 0–14 | 4th (White) (CUSA) | | | |
| 1997–98 | Jessie Kenlaw | 9–18 | 3–13 | 6th (National) | | | |
| Jessie Kenlaw: | Jessie Kenlaw: | 104–123 | 44–72 | | | | |
| Joe Curl (Conference USA) (1998–2007) ||||||||
| 1998–99 | Joe Curl | 5–22 | 1–15 | 6th (National) | | | |
| 1999–2000 | Joe Curl | 7–21 | 3–13 | T-5th (National) | | | |
| 2000–01 | Joe Curl | 19–13 | 10–6 | T-2nd (National) | WNIT First Round | | |
| 2001–02 | Joe Curl | 26–8 | 11–3 | T-2nd | WNIT Finals | | |
| 2002–03 | Joe Curl | 15–13 | 6–8 | T-7th | | | |
| 2003–04 | Joe Curl | 28–4 | 13–1 | 1st# | NCAA Second Round | 16 | 9 |
| 2004–05 | Joe Curl | 21–9 | 10–4 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | | |
| 2005–06 | Joe Curl | 12–17 | 8–8 | T-6th | | | |
| 2006–07 | Joe Curl | 9–19 | 5–11 | T-9th | | | |
| Danny Hughes (Conference USA) (2007–2008) ||||||||
| 2007–08 | Danny Hughes | 15–16 | 9–7 | 4th | | | |
| Danny Hughes: | Danny Hughes: | 15–16 | 9–7 | | | | |
| Joe Curl (Conference USA) (2008–2010) ||||||||
| 2008–09 | Joe Curl | 19–10 | 11–5 | T-2nd | | | |
| 2009–10 | Joe Curl | 17–15 | 10–6 | T-2nd | WNIT First Round | | |
| Joe Curl: | Joe Curl: | 178–151 | 88–80 | | | | |
| Todd Buchanan (Conference USA, American) (2010–2013) ||||||||
| 2010–11 | Todd Buchanan | 26–6 | 16–0 | 1st (CUSA) | NCAA First Round | | 22 |
| 2011–12 | Todd Buchanan | 3–26 | 2–14 | 12th | | | |
| 2012–13 | Todd Buchanan | 13–17 | 7–9 | T-8th | | | |
| American Athletic Conference ||||||||
| 2013–14 (portion) | Todd Buchanan | 4–7 | 0–0 | NA | | | |
| Todd Buchanan: | Todd Buchanan: | 46–56 | 25–23 | | | | |
| Wade Scott (American) (2013–2014) ||||||||
| 2013–14 (portion) | Wade Scott (interim) | 2–18 | 1–17 | 10th | | | |
| Wade Scott: | Wade Scott: | 2–18 | 1–17 | | | | |
| Ronald Hughey (American, Big 12) (2014–2025) ||||||||
| 2014–15 | Ronald Hughey | 6–24 | 1–17 | 11th | | | |
| 2015–16 | Ronald Hughey | 6–24 | 2–16 | 11th | | | |
| 2016–17 | Ronald Hughey | 12–19 | 4–12 | 10th | | | |
| 2017–18 | Ronald Hughey | 20–12 | 9–7 | T-5th | WNIT First Round | | |
| 2018–19 | Ronald Hughey | 15–16 | 9–7 | 4th | WNIT First Round | | |
| 2019–20 | Ronald Hughey | 12–19 | 5–11 | 10th | | | |
| 2020–21 | Ronald Hughey | 17–8 | 12–5 | 3rd | | | |
| 2021–22 | Ronald Hughey | 18–16 | 7–9 | 6th | | | |
| 2022–23 | Ronald Hughey | 15–16 | 10–5 | 4th | | | |
| Big 12 Conference ||||||||
| 2023–24 | Ronald Hughey | 14–16 | 5–13 | T-11th | | | |
| 2024–25 | Ronald Hughey | 5–25 | 1–17 | 16th | | | |
| Ronald Hughey: | Ronald Hughey: | 140–195 | 65–119 | | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 731–707 | | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||||

## NCAA tournament results

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1988 | #6 | Second Round | #3 Ole Miss | L 68–74 |
| 1992 | #8 | First Round | #9 UC Santa Barbara | L 69–80 |
| 2004 | #3 | First Round Second Round | #14 Green Bay #11 UC Santa Barbara | W 62–47 L 52–56 |
| 2005 | #10 | First Round | #7 Boston College | L 43–65 |
| 2011 | #8 | First Round | #9 West Virginia | L 73–78 |