Alabama Names Pauline Love New Women's Basketball Head Coach

Love returns to Tuscaloosa after successful stint as assistant at Oklahoma.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 9:48pm

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The University of Alabama has named Pauline Love as the new head coach of the women's basketball program. Love, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Crimson Tide, is known as one of the top recruiters and talent developers in the country and is tasked with elevating the program to championship contention.

Why it matters

Alabama is looking to build on recent success and take the next step as a women's basketball power in the SEC. Love's strong recruiting pedigree and experience coaching in the conference should provide a boost as the Tide aim to reach the NCAA Tournament consistently and compete for conference titles.

The details

Love spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Alabama after serving in the same role at Arkansas from 2017-2024. She then spent one season as the associate head coach at Oklahoma, helping the Sooners advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 and average a program-best 85.9 points per game in 2025-26. Known as one of the nation's top recruiters, Love has coached numerous all-conference selections, All-Americans and WNBA Draft picks throughout her career.

  • Love was named Alabama's new head coach on April 1, 2026.
  • She will be formally introduced at a press conference on April 2, 2026.

The players

Pauline Love

The new head coach of the Alabama women's basketball program, known as one of the top recruiters and talent developers in the country. She previously served as an assistant coach for the Crimson Tide and at Arkansas, and spent last season as the associate head coach at Oklahoma.

Greg Byrne

The Director of Athletics at the University of Alabama, who announced Love's hiring and praised her vision and preparation to lead the Tide women's basketball program.

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What they’re saying

“We are thrilled to welcome Pauline back to Tuscaloosa. Throughout this process, we spoke with several people, and she quickly rose to the top of that list. Pauline's vision for this program and preparation to lead Alabama women's basketball is incredibly impressive, and we look forward to seeing the Tide continue to rise under her leadership.”

— Greg Byrne, Director of Athletics, University of Alabama

“I'm incredibly honored to lead the Alabama women's basketball program. This is a place with a championship standard, and we're going to build a team that reflects that every day through toughness, togetherness and trust. I'm excited to get to work with our players, connect with this community and build something special in Tuscaloosa. I want to thank Greg Byrne, President Mohler and the Board of Trustees for this opportunity.”

— Pauline Love, New Head Coach, Alabama Women's Basketball

What’s next

Love will begin assembling her coaching staff and recruiting players to Tuscaloosa as she looks to quickly turn the Alabama women's basketball program into a contender in the SEC.

The takeaway

Pauline Love's strong recruiting pedigree and SEC experience make her an ideal choice to lead the Alabama women's basketball program as it aims to reach new heights and compete for championships in the coming years.