The Florida Gators volleyball team recently lost its mainstay, Mary Wise, who retired a few days ago after leading the team to almost 1,000 wins and four decades of service. Wise retired at 65 years of age after a remarkable 34-year tenure as the leader of the program, which he joined in 1991. Although she did not start coaching the Gators, succeeding Marilyn McReavy, Wise took the program to another level and transformed the Gators from a team of possibilities to a team of champions. In her first season, she achieved a 20-game turnaround and under her guidance, Florida reached the NCAA Final Four five times in seven years during the ’90s.

Her accomplishments are tremendous even without an NCAA championship; she made Florida win 18 consecutive SEC titles and established the program that set new standards in volleyball. Wise accumulated 1,068 victories in total, which makes her the fourth in the list of the most successful NCAA coaches. She was also a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year and the SEC Coach of the Year 13 times. Despite falling short of an NCAA championship, her impact cannot be quantified as she has transformed Florida into a powerhouse. And now, with Wise stepping away, the Florida Gators are making a bold move to keep her legacy alive.

Florida Gators welcomes new coach!

The Florida Gators Volleyball squad took to X on February 17, sharing some exciting news: “A new chapter begins Welcome, Coach Ryan Theis, as the new leader of Gators Volleyball!” It was like a fresh breeze for the team. And then, the Volleyball State Podcast chimed in, reposting the update and saying, “Interesting hire for the Gators. Florida goes with a proven program builder over a popular internal candidate.”

As for the ‘popular internal candidate’, it was Gators associate head coach Dave Boos with many, including UF VB announcer Thomas Collett, rooting for him. “@ScottStricklin it’s time to elevate Dave Boos to take over the reins,” wrote Collette on X just days ago as he thanked Wise for her contributions. But it seems like Athletic Director Stricklin had already decided on a different name.

“I am excited to continue the legacy created by Mary Wise,” Theis said in a press release. “We will embrace the expectations through an others-oriented, team approach. We will make daily choices that steer us toward success and be champions in everything we do.” Sure, any coach would want to follow in Wise’s footsteps, Ryan Theis is no stranger to success either, coming with a solid record of 402-141 in 17 seasons. During his time at Marquette, he took the Golden Eagles to the NCAA tournament ten times and won three Big East championships.

Prior to joining Marquette, he was the man at Ohio for four years from 2008-2014 and he took the team to the NCAA Tournament four times. And here is the kicker–he served as part of Wise’s staff back in 2006-07! Besides his wife is the Florida great Jenny Manz. So it’s safe to say that he isn’t totally an external hire either. But hey, Florida is not the only team dealing with a coach shakeup. As the Florida Gators enter a new era, the coaching changes are happening elsewhere and some notable coaches are moving up.

Texas Longhorns sees a new coach!

Jerritt Elliott has really nailed it! Texas Longhorns are finally back to full strength after a search for Sullivan’s replacement took some time. It has been rather obvious that Sullivan’s absence was a problem, but now the vibe around the team is incredibly high. With Sullivan taking the position as the head of the U.S. Women’s National Team, the Longhorns were not going to let their game and their record falter. After all, this is a squad that has won 12 titles and has numerous NCAA championships to its name, and they have done it under the tutelage of such a coach as Elliott.

Ben Josephson was introduced as the new associate coach. He has vast experience, especially in international volleyball. Elliott was excited to reveal on February 13 that Josephson was going to be part of the team and described him as someone who is well-suited to prepare Texas for NCAA glory. Josephson has been a part of Kentucky for many years and has worked with both men’s and women’s games and he has what it takes to elevate this program.

Josephson himself is fully immersed in the process. He has been talking positively about the “healthy culture” in the Longhorns and mentioned that he has been enjoying the process of getting to know the staff. He’s stoked to join such a historic program, saying “it’s truly remarkable” and that he’s ready to build on Texas’ success. With a group of talented athletes in the gym, he’s ready to see what magic they can make happen. The future looks pretty bright for the Longhorns, and Josephson is ready to bring some serious energy to the team just like Florida Gators and their new coach!