GAINESVILLE — Florida fired women’s basketball coach Kelly Rae Finley after a tenure that began with an NCAA Tournament bid in 2022 but ended with four consecutive 5-11 finishes in the SEC.
UF announced the decision Monday on the heels of the Gators’ 82-64 loss to Oklahoma during the semifinals of the SEC Tournament.
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Finley’s time at Florida appeared to be coming to an end, given her program’s struggles in the nation’s top conference in women’s basketball. The 40-year-old was in the fourth year of a five-year, $3.7 million deal she signed after the 2021-22 Gators were 21-11 (10-6 SEC) with Finley serving an interim coach after the school fired Cam Newbauer amid allegations he verbally abused players and staff members.
Finley, though, failed to build on her early success, ending her time at UF 93-75, including 30-50 in league play.
The school will begin a national search to find her replacement.
“The University of Florida is committed to building a women’s basketball program that consistently reaches the NCAA Tournament and competes among the top teams in the Southeastern Conference,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a statement. “This search is an important opportunity to identify a leader who will recruit and develop outstanding student-athletes, build strong connections within our community, and elevate the program to meet the expectations UF has for all 21 of our sports.”
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The program remains the only one on campus without a conference crown and will miss the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in 10 years. The Gators haven’t advanced beyond the second round of the Big Dance since 1998 under Carol Ross.
Former AD Jeremy Foley hired national championship-winning coach Carolyn Peck in 2002 away from Purdue. After she failed, he hired former Gator Amanda Butler in 2007. Stricklin fired Butler in 2017 and hired Newbauer. Finley, one of his assistants, replaced him in 2021.
After fleeting success under Finley, the school will renew its quest to produce a winning women’s basketball program in a conference featuring national championship programs from LSU, South Carolina and Tennessee. Texas, which joined the league in 2024, won the 1986 title.
UF will owe Finley her base salary $450,000 for the final year of her contract
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
