GAINESVILLE \u2014 Rhode Island\u2019s Tammi Reiss will become Florida\u2019s next women\u2019s basketball coach to lead a program still chasing history.<\/p>\n
Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin\u2019s third hire<\/a> in the sport will replace Kelly Rae Finley<\/a>, whose tenure ended with four consecutive 5-11 finishes in the SEC.<\/p>\n Reiss will look to rebuild a program that remains the school\u2019s only one never to win a conference championship.<\/p>\n Reiss arrives fresh off leading Rhode Island to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, completing one of the nation\u2019s more notable rebuilds. When she took over in 2019, Rhode Island had just one winning season in 15 years.<\/p>\n They eventually would post back-to-back program-record win totals, culminating in a 28-5 finish and the school\u2019s first-ever Atlantic 10 Tournament title this past season.<\/p>\n A three-time All-American at Virginia who succeeded Cavaliers\u2019 legend Dawn Staley at point guard, Reiss helped lead the school to three Final Fours and the 1991 national championship game before becoming the fifth overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft.<\/p>\n Her coaching resum\u00e9 includes stops at Virginia, San Diego State and Syracuse, where she helped guide the Orange to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and develop Brittney Sykes and Alexis Peterson, who made the 2017 WNBA All-Rookie team.<\/p>\n \u201cTammi Reiss is a proven winner and an outstanding leader whose experience as both a player and coach stood out throughout this process,\u201d Stricklin said. \u201cTammi has a genuine passion for the game and for developing young women. It was clear from the beginning how much she wanted the opportunity to lead the Florida Gators.\u201d<\/p>\n Reiss said Florida\u2019s resources, academics and SEC affiliation position her to build a championship-caliber program in Gainesville. The Gators\u2019 12th women\u2019s basketball coach inherits the weight of history and expectation to finally change it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit bittersweet to say goodbye to a place that you love so much,\u201d she said. \u201cRhode Island gave me a shot when nobody else believed in me. They gave me all the necessary resources to be successful, and we accomplished everything that I promised the university and the fan base that we set out to do.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019ve been waiting for an opportunity to coach at the highest level, and it doesn\u2019t get any better than the SEC in terms of women\u2019s basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n