A Five-Year Commitment for Finley and the Gators

A sight of laughs, hugs and applauds ended with a group photo marking Monday, February 28, a day to remember for the Florida Gators Women’s basketball program. The locker room, a sacred place, was the platform for athletic director Scott Strickland landing a bombshell decision.

A top-five finish in the SEC and a 20-win season was not the tip of the iceberg for Kelly Rae Finley’s memorable year. Instead, Strickland removed the interim tag from the Minnesota native, officially promoting her as head coach. This season has not always been peaches and cream as they have dealt with their fair share of controversy.

But, it’s when players and coaches sprung into action congratulating Finley that symbolized the togetherness and family-like culture, which made the announcement a wonderful sighting.

IT'S OFFICIAL GATOR NATION.

Your head coach of @gatorswbk is @Kraefin! #GoGators pic.twitter.com/XxcHlVOjKx

— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) February 28, 2022

However, did many people think this was possible seven months ago? Especially, in the aftermath of the eye-popping resignation of former coach Cameron Newbauer in the summer, a magical season just didn’t seem probable. The team was in flux and the former associate head coach took over a program ravaged with abuse allegations.

Finley was given a hand that may have been difficult but she has always lived her life making the most of the cards she’s been dealt.

“I’m somebody who really takes on each challenge and then tries to seek for solution. That’s just kind of how I’ve lived my life,” Finley said. “And so it hasn’t been very different in that way. I have a very strong faith in the good Lord above. And when you stay centered on that, and you know, your why it makes things a lot easier.”

https://twitter.com/GatorsWBK/status/1498433539095896069?cxt=HHwWioC9lazXwMspAAAA

Kelly Rae Finley’s Journey to the Gators

If you ask Finley, becoming a coach on the collegiate level was something she never planned especially coming out of Colorado State. The big business of college basketball really discouraged her, she said. But while most college graduates have troubles finding their footing in the world, an opportunity of a lifetime spearheaded the trajectory of the 32-year old career to Gainesville.

Harvard women’s basketball coach Kathy Delaney Smith, whom recruited Finley out of high school, took a chance and gave her a volunteering assistant coaching role.

A position that became the foundation of steering student athletes into the right direction started for Finley. Finley says the relationships she cultivated during her time under Smith are still strong to this day.

Great Players Make Great Coaches

As coach, Finley needed to change the culture for Florida. But, being the face of a program does have its challenges and a learning curve. Nevertheless, with all the success in her first year at the helm, Finley never once let the focus steer away from the role the players had in their best season since 2016.

“If we’re going to ask them to do something as a staff, then we should expect the same of ourselves,” Finley said. “I think I’ve had to embrace it. But strive to keep the focus on the main thing, which is great players make great coaches. I’m blessed because of them. And that’s just really as simple as it is. And without them, we would have no success.”

https://twitter.com/GatorsWBK/status/1498448186364641297?cxt=HHwWooC-6farx8spAAAA

When the news of the departure of guard Lavender Briggs broke out out midway into the season, adversity struck the program once again. It left a hole on the offensive end for the Gators. However, veteran guard Kiara Smith and others took the challenge onto themselves and wins started to stack up for Florida.

Sacrificing for one another has been the theme this year for Finley and the Gators and it has definitely showed in their play. Finley believes one of the biggest lesson this team taught her that “adversity can lead to greatness.”

Florida racked up five wins over ranked opponents to end their regular season with a 20-9 record and with a 10-6 mark in SEC competition. This milestone garnered media attention as she was named a finalist for the Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year.

But Finley’s being named the 11th Florida head coach in school history would not have been possible without the collaborative effort and commitment by her coaching staff.

Heading to Nashville

Finley’s first game as head coach will be Thursday during the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. The Orange and Blue has a first round bye as they await the winner of Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

Whether or not Finley makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament or one in the SEC Tournament is now not as big a deal as it once might have been because she is now the full time coach and that issue is not hanging over her head or the program’s.  For the next five years, Gators fans will have the opportunity to see how far Finley can take this program.