Florida Gators Women's Basketball Parts Ways with HC Kelly Rae Finley

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators women's basketball program is making a change of leadership, parting ways with head coach Kelly Rae Finley after four full-time seasons leading the program, athletic director Scott Stricklin announced on Monday.

A national search for her replacement is underway.

"We are grateful for Coach Finley's commitment to the program and the student-athletes during her time in Gainesville and wish her and her family the very best moving forward," Stricklin said.

The Florida Gators have parted ways with Head Coach Kelly Rae Finley.https://t.co/1kwzqzHypn
— Gators Women’s Basketball (@GatorsWBK) March 9, 2026

Finley, including a season as the interim head coach in 2021-22, finishes her time at Florida with a 93-75 record and 30-50 record in SEC play. She led the Gators to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament as the interim and appearances in the WNIT (2023) and WBIT (2024, 2025) in her time with the program.

"I'd like to thank the administration for entrusting me with the development of Florida's women's basketball team over these last four-plus seasons," Finley said. "I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with a number of amazing coaches, support staff and boosters during my time in Gainesville who believed in what we were doing to put Florida women's basketball back on the map.

After spending time as an assistant under Cam Newbauer's staff from 2017-21, Finley was promoted to interim head coach after Newbauer's resignation. Newbauer was later the subject of a report by the Independent Florida Alligator detailing allegations of abuse made by former and current players.

Finley found immediate success as Newbauer's replacement, leading the Gators to a 21-11 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, its most wins and first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2015-16 season. She also led Florida to the WNIT Great 8 in 2023 and WBIT Semifinals in 2025.

She had her greatest success in non-conference play, having at least 10 wins a season against non-SEC opponents, and had tremendous recruiting success, headlined by former five-star and sophomore star Liv McGill and forward Me'Arah O'Neal.

Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley recruited five-star guard Liv McGill. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, struggles in SEC play, which included a 0-5 start this season in league play, ultimately held the program back. Florida went 18-15 this season after an 8-1 start to the season, losing in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

"I'm immensely proud of the work we put in and the things we accomplished together," Finley said. "But I'm most proud of our players. As much as college athletics is about wins and losses, for me it is also about developing young women. The opportunity to work with such an amazing group of players over the years here in Florida has been an absolute joy, and I'm looking forward to seeing the impact this current group of Gators will have moving forward both as amazing athletes on the court, and as high-character people throughout the rest of their lives."

Now, Stricklin is set to make his third coaching hire over the last calendar year. In November, Stricklin tabbed Jon Sumrall to lead the football program before hiring Nick Zimmerman in December to lead the soccer program.

"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," Stricklin said. "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.

"The University of Florida has all of the resources here in Gainesville and beyond to support a successful women's basketball program, and we look forward to hiring a coach and staff who can deliver on those expectations."