Florida's head coach Kelly Rae Finley, second from right, looks down the bench with Kentucky's head coach Kyra Elzy, far right, with game officials as they are told Some players said Finley, who was associate head coach, enabled Newbauers behavior and questioned whether she should be put in charge of the struggling program. "I'm just a girl from Minnesota.". Florida's KK Deans (3), listens to head coach Kelly Rae Finley in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kentucky during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Yeah, of course. Mobile phone. "It's always good to remember where you started," Finley said. I genuinely want to see her do well. But four months later, Newbauer was involved in another situation that led to his departure. SEARCH. You can reach Kelly Rae Finley by phone at (763) 273-****. Elevated to Interim Head Coach in July of 2021, Served as Assistant Coach for her first two seasons with the Gators (2017-19), Specializes in the development of the guards, In addition to the leadership she provides to the guards, Finley contributes significantly to the Gators' recruiting efforts, In 2020-21, Finley helped the Gators secure their first postseason victory since 2014 as Florida defeated Charlotte in the opening round of the WNIT, Finley served as the acting head coach for three games during the season whenCoach Newbauer missed UFs games, As head coach Finley guided the Gators to a 78-68 win at Ole Miss, their first win in Oxford since 2016, Under Finleys watch, several of Floridas guards made tremendous strides including point guard Kiki Smith, who became the first player in program history to lead her team in scoring (490), rebounding (173) and assists (95) in a single season, Finleys tutelage also resulted in another spectacular season for sophomore Lavender Briggs, who earned Second Team All-SEC honors and notched the fourth-highest scoring average in program history (19.4), Floridas freshman class flourished in 2020-21 as Jordyn Merritt, Floor Toonders and Brynn Farrell combined to start 17 games and provide meaningful contributions all season long, For the second straight season, a Florida player earned SEC All-Freshman honors as Merritt etched her name on the list in 2021 after averaging 6.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and starting UFs final contests, Finleys efforts helped the Gators improve their season averages in scoring, scoring margin, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throw percentage, rebounds and turnovers per game when comparing 2020-21 to 2019-20, Her recruiting success continued as well as Finley helped the Gators land an impressive quartet of talent for the 2021 class in twins Taliyah and Tatyana Wyche, Jeriah Warren and Alberte Rimdal, In 2019-20, Finley oversaw the advancement of Floridas core of young players and helped further develop the talents of returning guard Kiki Smith, Smith increased her scoring average by nearly 30 percent and ranked second in the SEC in minutes played, Finley also worked tirelessly to help Floridas three freshman guards improve their games; Lavender Briggs headlined this group as she put together one of the programs finest seasons ever from a freshman, Briggs, who was tabbed to the SEC All-Freshman team, led the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game, posting the highest scoring average by a Gator freshman in 28 years, In addition to the individual development, Finleys commitment and guidance helped spur tremendous improvement for the Gators as a whole who finished 15-15 and netted a seven-win improvement from the year prior, Under Finleys watch Florida finished .500 for the first time in four years and along the way recorded a pair of AP Top 25 victories, 2020 was also a year of great success on the recruiting trail as Finley and stafflanded five-star recruits in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2012 and 2013 classes with the signing of heralded forward Jordyn Merritt, Merritt, the No. I had the opportunity to leave but chose to stay because I saw something in Kelly that is beautiful, Briggs said. The Gators played without Ra Shaya Kyle, Faith Dut, and sisters Taliyah and Tatyana Wyche in the second half. 2,010 Number of career points for Cretin-Derham Hall senior Tre Holloman, who passed ex-Gopher Daniel Oturu on the program's all-time scoring list Wednesday. Does that create pressure? Marcus Fuller covers Gophers men's basketball and college basketball for the Star Tribune. Gators coach Kelly Rae Finley beams as he watches her younger sister, Brooke, interact with Faith Dut at the practice facility in Gainesville. Finley has helped Colorado to at least 15 wins in all three seasons on the Buffaloes bench with an overall record of 59-39. That's just will and desire, and I'm really happy for Leilani. Finley celebrated the life-changing news Monday afternoon with her staff and players. 700 Number of career coaching victories for Anoka-Ramsey men's basketball coach Ron Larson after a playoff win last week. Newbauer straightened up to the point where he was given a contract extension this spring. Im pretty sure they dont, which is why they havent been spoken about. That hasnt mollified critics, most notably former player Cydnee Kinslow. WebHead coach Kelly Rae Finley of the Florida Gators yells to her team against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first quarter during the first round of the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Kelly Rae Finley, who's led the No. No punches appeared to be thrown, but several players left the bench area leading to eight ejections four from each team. Women's Bracketology: Lady Vols inch closer to hosting as top 16 takes shape, didn't do enough to stop Newbauer's alleged abuse, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Covers women's college basketball and the WNBA, Previously covered UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant, Stanford graduate and Baltimore native with further experience at the Dallas Morning News, Seattle Times and Cincinnati Enquirer. So that's really fun.". See more results for Prince Aligbe of Minnehaha Academy, shown here playin for Grassroots Sizzle in May last year, is tied for the state lead in scoring at 28.8 points per game. (AP Photo/Mic Smith), Kentucky's head coach Kyra Elzy wears fancy shoes during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Florida during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Lately, the Gators (12-6, 1-4 SEC) have faced some headwinds. Theres a lot more energy, a lot more smiles and a lot more people happy to actually be playing with each other.. Stricklin said the complaints slowed and eventually stopped, and he gave Newbauer one final chance to show on-the-court improvement after he went 46-71 in four seasons. Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? 26 overall recruiting class in the 2019 rankings according to ProspectsNation, Her efforts were key in the signing of Briggs, who earned a 96 overall Scouts Grade from ESPN and became the first Florida women's basketball signeeto play in the Jordan Brand Classic, All four 2019-20signees, Briggs, Brylee Bartram, Faith Dut and Nina Rickards, were tabbed four-star recruits according to ProspectsNation, In her second season on campus, she helped Funda Nakkasoglu blossom into not only one of the SEC's best shooters but best overall scorers as the Australianaveraged a team-best 16.8 points per game on an impressive .460 mark from the floor and finished near the top of the SEC in three-pointers made (84), three-point percentage (.420) and points per game, Freshman Ariel Johnson put together a solid rookie campaign under Finley's watch, appearing in all 31 games and knocking down 38 three-pointers, the sixth-most by a freshman in program history, Faced with the challenge of restocking the Florida roster, Finley played an integral role in the signing of all three of the Gators' 2018 high school recruits as well as the two junior-college transfers, In her first season in Gainesville, Finley's guidance helped lead the Gators to a record-breaking season in terms of three-point shooting success, Florida drained a program-best 249 three-pointers in 2017-18 and set the program record in terms of three-pointers made in a single game with 17 vs. Savannah State (11/23/17), Under her watch, then redshirt-juniorguard Funda Nakkasogluconnected on 76 three-point attempts which were the second most in the SEC and sixth-most in program history, Finley helped instill a sense of unselfishness amongthe backcourt players as the Gators were one of two teams to feature two players in the league's top 15 in terms of assists per game (Washington 3.6 apg, Anderson 3.1 apg), The Gators were one of seven SEC teams to average north of 14 assists per game (14.2), Recruiting Coordinator signed 34th-ranked recruiting class in the country that included the Nevada Gatorade Player of the year (2017), the Washington 4A State Player of the Year (2017) and the Illinois Courier News Player of the year (2017), Recruiting Coordinator - Signed top 25 recruiting class ranked by ProspectsNation.com (2015) which resulted in two freshmen receiving All-Pac12 Honors (Kennedy Leonard, All Pac12 Freshmen Team 2016, Alexis Robinson, All Pac12 Freshmen Team Honorable Mention 2016), Director of guard and forward development, 2014-15 team ranked No. Florida's Jordyn Merritt, center, tries to get a shot off against the Kentucky defense in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Finley has helped Colorado to at least 15 wins in all three seasons on the Buffaloes bench with an overall record of 59-39. He now has over 1,800 career points. 18 ranking in the Associated Press poll and the USA Today Sports Coaches poll (2012-2013), Helped sign Temitope Fagbenle - Ivy League's 1st ever McDonalds All-American (2011)/ 2nd ever Ivy League Womens Basketball Olympian (London, 2012)/ Parade All-American/13th overall and 5th at forward position by ESPN Hoopgurlz 2011/ New Jersey Gatorade Player of the year (2011)/ England U18 Player of the Year 2010, Pivotal in the recruitment of Shilpa Tummala - Ranked 69th overall by ESPN Hoopgurlz/Ranked 27th at Shooting Guard Nationally (2012)/ AZ Gatorade Player of the Year (2012), Director of post player development leading to 12 All-Ivy selections, five of whom continued their careers in professional basketball, Three postseason appearances (WNIT, 2010, 2011, 2012), Active in fundraising efforts for locker room and equipment upgrades, Assisted with recruiting, practice planning and office organization, Coordinated the planning and execution of camps, Organized alumni events and community outreach, MN Hardball Basketball Camp Director (Edina, Minn.) (2007-08), Special Needs Caregiver for Boston-area Youth (2008-2012), Center for Coaching Excellence - Assistant Coach Ivy League Participant, Participant in the WBCA/United States Marine Corps Coaches Leadership Workshop (2014), Served as a presenter at the 2013 WBCA Convention during Assistant Coach Round Table, MC of introductions for On Court presenters during the 2015 WBCA Convention, Playing and coaching experience in Big10, Mountain West, Ivy League and Pac12 conferences, Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete Award winner andgraduated cum laudein 2008. If those players wanted to speak on those experiences, then they would have or they still will. 11 in the Associated Press poll and No. Kelly Rae Finn lives at Fair Oaks, CA 95628 currently and he/she is 57 years old now. WebKelly Rae Finley at a Glance: University of Florida, Interim Head Coach Fifth Year (April 2017 present) Elevated to Interim Head Coach in July of 2021. So its better to have those games before the tournament, and theres lots to learn from as a whole on the season. Shes strong and hardworking and we love her as a coach, and even more as a person, and she didnt let anybody down.. It's been a rough couple of weeks for her, but the way that she perseveres and the way that she's learned to ask for help, I'm really proud of her. Women's college basketball Power Rankings: What's at stake for Power 5 teams during Championship Week? Every team is in the same situation, right? The sophomore guard became Cherry's all-time leading scorer with a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) Robyn Benton scored 20 points, Adebola Adeyeye had 11 points and 17 rebounds and No. (AP Photo/Mic Smith), Florida's Nina Rickards (15), tries to get a shot off against Kentucky's Ajae Petty (13) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. They managed to do that in large part without Lavender Briggs, a 2021 All-SEC second-team pick who suffered a season-ending injury in early January and later transferred. GatorSports reporter Kevin Brockway contributed to this report. The Gators, who once looked like they might get the No. For another perspective, one of the highest-paid female coaches of a womens basketball team is Dawn Staley, whose seven-year contract with South Carolina is worth $22.4 million. GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -When asked via zoom on Thursday whether she let any former or current players down during Cam Newbauers tenure, UF womens basketball interim coach Kelly Rae Finley didnt have to answer. The Gators got their 20th win of the season Feb. 17, the first time they've hit that mark since 2016, and earned their highest ranking in the Associated Press poll (No. That hadn't been happening much with the Gators with five straight losing seasons previously. 2 seed in the this week's SEC Tournament in Nashville, fell to the fifth seed and will open play Thursday against either Vanderbilt or the Aggies. Florida's Nina Rickards (15), tries to get a shot off against Kentucky's Ajae Petty (13) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. She will get another $290,000 annually in allowances and incentives: a $4,000 academic bonus; a $25,000 apparel deal with Nike; $40,000 in travel on UAA planes; a $50,000 expense account; a $71,000 talent bonus; and a $100,000 longevity bonus. Florida's head coach Kelly Rae Finley, second from right, looks down the bench with Kentucky's head coach Kyra Elzy, far right, with game officials as they are told who is being ejected from the game after a fight in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game during the Southeastern Conference women's tournament in Greenville, S.C., Wednesday, March 1, 2023. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. "I'm humbled to be given the opportunity to lead our women's basketball program and I believe that together we will be able to achieve great things," Finley said in a news release. WebKelly Rae Finley is in her fourth season as an assistant women's basketball coach as she was hired by head coach Linda Lappe on May 18, 2012.She serves as Colorados recruiting coordinator and also coaches the wing position. Please for proper display of our website you should enable it or use another browser that supports it. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Playing for Breck, Kelly Rae Finley (right) scrapped for a loose ball during the 2003 state tournament. Interim head coach Kelly Rae Finley has the Florida Gators in top form as they approach the NCAA tournament. Led for the first year by Kelly Rae Finley, the No. South Carolina's Dawn Staley, Tennessee's Kellie Harper and LSU's Kim Mulkey are among the coaches who have credited Finley for transforming Florida into an SEC power this season. A humble Finley reflected earlier in the day on her time as a young basketball player in Minnesota. Zach LaVine scored 41 points and the Detroit Pistons called one too many timeouts, helping the Chicago Bulls hold on for a 117-115 win Wednesday night. Finley also gets use of a dealer car and can earn additional performance bonuses by winning the SEC or by making and/or advancing in the NCAA Tournament. Millions of borrowers have had billions in student loan debt erased, and there's more to come. Associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley was appointed interim head coach after former coach Cam Newbauers resignation. Skylar Vann scored a career-high 23 points and Madi Williams scored 19 and No. In their first public comments on the situation, thats what Lavender Briggs, Kiara Smith and Zippy Broughton did. Email. Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire 105-91 victory Wednesday night. Shes speaking off things that arent even her experiences. Several former Gators players told ESPN last year that they believe Finley didn't do enough to stop Newbauer's alleged abuse. 17 national ranking. Entering Thursday, Florida is 33-17 under Finley, who inherited a program without a winning season since 2016. "Kelly Rae is such a talented young coach whose natural poise, intelligence and relational abilities have all been on display during this remarkable Gators women's basketball season," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. But four months later, Newbauer was involved in another situation that led his! Career-High 23 points and 17 rebounds and No season since 2016 in all three seasons on Buffaloes... Or use another browser that supports it eight ejections four from each team display of our website should! A young basketball player in Minnesota. ``, Faith Dut, and there 's more to come just! I saw something in Kelly that is beautiful, Briggs said, Florida 33-17! 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