Monte Curtis

Position: Strength and Conditioning Coach Alma Mater: Central Arkansas, 1991

Monte Curtis begins his fourth season as associate head coach/strength and conditioning at Southern Miss, where he assists with the sport of football and oversees the strength and conditioning program for the baseball and softball programs.

He oversaw the strength and conditioning needs of the baseball squad that won the 2010 Conference USA Cahmpionship and reached the College World Series for the first time in the school's history in 2009.

Curtis came to Southern Miss after serving as Director of Sports Performance at Velocity Sports Performance in Houston, Texas, where he coordinated a staff of 12 coaches and conducted training sessions with athletes, including several professional.

Curtis worked seven seasons as the associate director of strength and conditioning at Rice after spending the three previous seasons at Rice as assistant coordinator for strength and conditioning. While at Rice he oversaw 12 Conference Championship, and two National Championship teams. He saw his baseball teams reach the College World Series five times with the 2003 team claiming the National Championship. He also coached the 4x400 Women's Indoor National Champions in track and field, and two WAC Champion women's basketball teams.

A former football player at Arkansas, where he was a redshirt linebacker in 1981, and at Central Arkansas where he started at linebacker on a team which posted an 11-1 record and a conference championship before suffering a career-ending back injury.

While working towards his master's degree, Curtis was a graduate assistant football and strength coach for the Bears in 1993.

He became the strength and conditioning coordinator for men's and women's basketball and volleyball in January of 1994, his immediate position before coming to Rice.

He earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 1991 and a master's degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology in 1995, both from Central Arkansas.

Curtis is a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, National Strength and Conditioning Association, the United States Weightlifting Association and USA track and Field. He is certified by all four organizations.

Curtis was presented with the certification of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association in May. This is the highest honor that can be achieved in the coaching profession of Strength and Conditioning. It represents professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise, as well as longevity in the field.

He and his wife Kim have one son, Carter Kelly, and one daughter, Camdyn Lee.