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Dr. Joyce Mae Curtis, 87, pioneering women’s intercollegiate athletics coach at Abilene Christian University, died Sept. 1, 2024, in Abilene, Texas.

Visitation will be 4:30-5:30 p.m. Sept. 5 in the chapel at Hillcrest Church of Christ, immediately followed by a memorial service. Private burial will be in the Garden of Restful Oaks at Greenwood Memorial Park.

Curtis was born Aug. 27, 1937, in Cleburne, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation (1959) and a master’s in physical education (1960), both from the University of North Texas. Her Doctor of Physical Education degree was completed in 1970 at Indiana University, where she helped organize and coach the first women’s tennis teams (1968-70, prior to them starting competition in the Big Ten Conference in 1974).

Among the longest-tenured ACU faculty or staff at 45 years, Curtis taught in ACU’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition from 1959-2004, retiring as professor emerita of exercise science and health. She coached ACU badminton club teams in intercollegiate and open competition from 1960-62, served as founding head coach in women’s basketball (1971-76) and women’s volleyball (1971-79), and was the first assistant athletics director for women (1979-80).

Her ACU teams qualified for Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) state and regional tournaments while competing against universities such as Texas, Baylor and Houston, and her volleyball team in 1979 finished fourth in the state.

In 1984 she authored Pickle-Ball for Player and Teacher, the sport’s first textbook. She helped grow interest across Texas schools through presentations at annual state teachers’ conventions, where ACU students demonstrated the game.

Dr. Joyce M. Curtis Center Court for pickleball, east of the university’s Royce and Pam Money Student Wellness and Recreation Center, was dedicated in August.

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Curtis received a Pathfinder Award from the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) in 2008 and American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD, now Shape America) in 2009. 

She was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

“My Hall of Fame friend, master teacher and coach left her mark at ACU in so many ways,” said Deonna (Moore ’86) Shake, instructor of kinesiology and nutrition, and former Wildcat basketball standout and assistant coach. “Joyce championed the first women’s volleyball and basketball teams, mentored hundreds of educators, and introduced pickleball to her classes and to a wider audience around the world. I am honored to continue to grow that sport on our campus and live out her legacy.”

Kathy (Williams ’79) Moore was a standout player for Curtis and succeeded her as ACU’s second head volleyball coach and as coordinator for women’s athletics.

“When I took over as head coach of the volleyball team I knew I had big shoes to fill. I was honored that she trusted me to carry on the legacy she had built. I was young and inexperienced but Joyce believed in me and was always there to offer advice and encouragement,” said Moore, who coached the Wildcats for seven seasons including a 34-18 mark in 1981. “She was proud of the role she played in bringing competitive women’s sports to ACU. There is no way to ever measure the impact of her visionary leadership on generations of student-athletes.”

The Joyce Curtis Award went to the outstanding Wildcat women’s basketball player each year from 1997-2007. 

ACU head coach Julie Goodenough said her student-athletes have met Curtis and been amazed by her stories of the lean early days of women’s athletics, when she sewed her team’s first uniforms​, packed sandwiches for road trips​ and drove vehicles to shuttle players to and from games. 

“When I see her picture in our locker room, it has and will continue to inspire me to lead this program with high standards of excellence,” Goodenough said. “Her perspectives on the importance of sport, exercise and education for women are applicable today. She was a campus leader who created a legacy of service, work ethic and faithfulness in which we will revere her as a cornerstone of our program.”

Curtis served in numerous leadership roles in the Texas AIAW, and was a member of AAHPERD, TAHPERD, Delta Psi Kappa, Phi Lambda Theta, the United States Badminton Association, the Women’s International Bowling Congress, Abilene Women’s Bowling Association, and Abilene Women’s Golf Association.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Maudie Curtis; and her brother, Bob Curtis. She is survived by a niece, DeeAnne (Curtis) Myers, and a great nephew, Samuel Blackard.

— Ron Hadfield
Sept. 4, 2024