Kelly Rae Finley

Kelly Rae Finley (born April 27, 1985) is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Florida Gators women's basketball team.[1] An assistant coach for the Gators from 2017 to 2021, she served as the interim head coach of the Gators for the 2021-22 season and was hired as the 11th head coach of the program following the regular season. Prior to her tenure at the University of Florida, she was an assistant coach with Harvard, Colorado, and Arizona.

Not to be confused with Kelly Findley.
Kelly Rae Finley
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamFlorida
ConferenceSEC
Record40–26 (.606)
Biographical details
Born (1985-04-27) April 27, 1985
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Playing career
2004–2005Northwestern
2006–2008Colorado State
Position(s)Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008–2009Harvard (volunteer assistant)
2009–2012Harvard (assistant)
2012–2016Colorado (assistant)
2016–2017Arizona (assistant)
2017–2021Florida (assistant)
2021–presentFlorida
Head coaching record
Overall40–26 (.606)

Biography

Finley grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended the Breck School, where she played basketball under her father, Ray Finley, and led the team to the Minnesota Class 2A State Championship as a senior in 2004.[2]

After attending Northwestern for her freshman season in 2004–05, Finley transferred to Colorado State University and played for the Rams from 2005 to 2008.[2]

Coaching career

Finley began her coaching career as a volunteer assistant with Harvard for the 2008–09 season. She became a fulltime assistant from 2009 to 2012. She followed up with coaching stints at Colorado from 2012 to 2016 and Arizona for the 2016–17 season. She served as a recruiting coordinator at all three schools.[3] In 2017, she joined Florida's staff under new head coach Cameron Newbauer. She was promoted to associate head coach in 2019.[4]

Following allegations of player mistreatment, Newbauer resigned as head coach abruptly on September 27, 2021. Finley was named the interim head coach for the 2021-22 season. Despite the preseason turmoil surrounding Newbauer's departure and expectations that the Gators would finish 11th in the Southeastern Conference,[5] the season ended with the Gators exceeding expectations to finish 4th in the conference and earning an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since 2016. Finley was given the permanent head coaching position on February 28, 2022.[6]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (2021–Present)
2021–22 Florida 21–1110–6T–4thNCAA first round
2022–23 Florida 19–155–11T–10thWNIT Great 8
Florida: 40–26 (.606)15–17 (.469)
Total:40–26 (.606)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References
  1. Parler, Denver (July 16, 2021). "Newbauer Steps Down as Women's Basketball Head Coach". floridagators.com. Florida Gators Athletics. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  2. "Kelly Finley - Women's Basketball". Colorado State University Athletics. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  3. "Kelly Rae Finley - Women's Basketball Coach". Florida Gators. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  4. "Finley Promoted to Associate Head Coach". Florida Gators. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  5. "UF women's basketball coach Kelly Rae Finley signs 5-year, $3.7 million deal". MSN. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  6. "Kelly Rae Finley Named 11th Women's Basketball Coach at Florida". Florida Gators. Retrieved 2022-04-14.


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