Curtis was given the job after a succession of applicants turned downthe position, the most recent being Winston-Salem State's Debra Clarktwo weeks ago.

Curtis was an assistant for nine years at Shaw, first with then men'sbasketball coach Al Carter, who is now the athletic director; later withJake Ford who died, and finally with Keith Walker.

This will be Curtis' second head coaching job. He was hired by his almamater, Savannah State, in April 1997 to head the men's basketballprogram. But after compiling a 20-34 two-year record, Curtis was firedlast year. He had not coached since.Shaw executive vice president Ernest Pickens said Curtis was not adesperation choice.

"No, he was an extremely viable candidate for the position and did applyfor it," Pickens said. "Upon review of the applicants that were thereand the order in which we viewed them, he was the next viable person inline. We are expecting him to do an outstanding job for us."

Curtis is on a recruiting trip and could not be reached for comment.

Dawson said 39 coaches applied, including four from the CIAA, severalDivision I assistants and four ACC players-turned-coaches.

"We're going to have a candidate who is very concerned about academicsand who can get our program moving in the direction we want," Dawsonsaid. "I must say it will probably surprise a lot of people based on whowas in the pool."

On the Livingstone front, there's no secret who the finalists are: St.Paul's Ed Joyner, Barber-Scotia's James Stinson and former KentuckyState Antonio Davis. "We're just waiting for a decision from thePresident," said athletic director Cliffton Huff.