Florida announces hiring of Tammi Reiss as new women’s basketball head coach
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Florida has its new women’s basketball coach. The program announced the hiring of Tammi Reiss to lead the program.
Reiss heads to Gainesville just days after coaching Rhode Island in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the team’s first appearance in program history.
“I first want to thank Dr. Donald Landry, the board of trustees, Athletic Director Scott Stricklin, and the search committee members Jeff Guin, Amy Hass and David Duke Werner for believing in me and trusting in my vision as the next leader of the women’s basketball program at the University of Florida,” Reiss said in a program release.
“It’s a bit bittersweet to say goodbye to a place that you love so much. Rhode 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.
“But I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to coach at the highest level, and it doesn’t get any better than the SEC in terms of women’s basketball. Between Florida’s academic reputation, which is very important to me, and the resources available to the program, I believe we have all the pieces necessary to build a championship-caliber team that the university and community will be proud of and excited to support. I can’t wait to get down to Gainesville and get started.”
Reiss comes to Florida with a strong endorsement from one of the sport’s top coaches. Reiss was a teammate of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley at Virginia.
“Tammi and I go back to our days at Virginia, and even then, you could see the passion, the toughness, and the basketball IQ that set her apart,” Staley said. “Over the past seven seasons at Rhode Island, she’s recruited the right players, developed them, and built a culture that reflects who she is disciplined, competitive, and committed. Taking Rhode Island to the NCAA Tournament this season is a testament to that work. This is a full-circle moment for both of us. From sharing the court as roommates and teammates to now coaching in the same league, it’s special. And I know she’s going to make a strong impact at Florida.”
In 2019, Reiss inherited a Rhode Island program that was 24 years removed from its last 20-win campaign, had just one winning season over the previous 15 years, and had posted double-digit victories in just two of the previous 10 seasons. She posted a 138-73 overall record, including a 28-5 mark this season.
Reiss succeeds Kelly Rae Finley, who was let go following the 2025-26 season.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
