Sometimes, a first-time head coach can hit the ground running and find early success.
A few years back, Sean Poppy led Chattanooga to consecutive NCAA tournaments. Last season, Chelsea Liles stepped in as interim coach for Florida Gulf Coast after Carls Mesco moved on to the WNBA. Her leadership resulted in the Eagles claiming another ASUN title. Similarly, Gavin Petersen took the reins at Utah, guiding the team to another NCAA appearance after Lynn Roberts.
In Division I, there are at least 15 coaches set to step into their first head coaching positions this season, including a couple at power five schools.
It’s interesting to note their backgrounds and accomplishments, as well as the previous programs they’ve been involved with or the challenges they’ll face.
This list highlights coaches who have never held a head coaching role at any level. So, while many have followed Matthew Mitchell’s return in Houston or Kelly Harper’s comeback in Missouri, it’ll be intriguing to see how Ashton Feldaus fares at Morehead, Keisha Newell’s move to Auckland, Jacee Brooks’ transition to New, and Jill Pizzotti leading full-time at Frutti.
Here are some coaches worth watching…
Winston Gandy, Grand Canyon
Gandy has an impressive pedigree, having worked with notable women’s college basketball coaches like Brenda Freese, Tina Langley, Kara Lawson, and more recently, Dawn Staley. After leading the Gamecocks to a national championship in 2024 and competing in the title game the following year, he took over the Grand Canyon program established by Molly Miller.
Since then, Gandy has already revamped the team, adding nine new players and four fresh recruits. This season brings new challenges in a different conference as they join Mountain West. The Grand Canyon schedule is tough, featuring four Power Five opponents, including tough matches against Ussa, Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and Santa Clara.
Gandy’s experience isn’t limited to college coaching; he also spent three years with the NBA’s Washington Wizards. Additionally, his coaching staff includes Celeste Taylor, who was a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 when she played for Gandy at Duke.
Karen Blair, Georgia Institute of Technology
Blair is taking her first shot as a head coach after years working as an assistant under Brenda Freese at Maryland. While at College Park, she aided in recruiting and scouted potential fits for the team.
As she steps into Georgia Tech, retaining standout players is proving challenging. Last season, eight players from Nell Fortner’s squad transferred, including starters Kara Dunn (to USC) and Toni Morgan (to Kentucky), along with All-ACC rookie standout Dani Carnegie (to Georgia). Blair’s initial roster consists of ten newcomers, including five from abroad.
Blair has 26 years of coaching experience and returned to her alma mater, now an ACC member, after her playing career ended in 1999. Prior to joining Maryland in 2018, she also had stints at Colgate, North Texas, and VCU.
Florida Gulf Coast, Reina Harmon
For many years, Carl Smesco was the sole coach for the Eagles, but last fall he left to coach the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. After leading FGCU to another ASUN title and an NCAA tournament appearance, Chelsea Liles stepped in as his successor. Now, the program is under the guidance of Harmon, who spent eight seasons as an assistant at Iowa.
FGCU has made eight consecutive NCAA tournaments and has advanced to the second round three times during that span. With seven newcomers arriving in Fort Myers, Harmon will aim to continue that success.
Jeff Judkins took the Cougars to 11 NCAA tournaments and three deep runs over his 21 seasons in the WNIT. His successor, Amber Whiting, struggled to find a winning record over three years, especially with the transition from the West Coast Conference to Big 12.
Camard, who was recognized as the Mountain West Player of the Year on BYU’s men’s team, has been an assistant with the women’s program since 2019, contributing under both Judkins and Whiting. As acting head coach, he went undefeated in three games, even defeating a ranked opponent.
Camard has Delaney, who was named Big 12 Rookie of the Year and spent part of the summer with the Canadian national team, and 3-point specialist Kylie Woolston, who was ranked 13th nationally last season with a 46.6% shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
Carrie Green, who led Liberty since 1999, called it a career on August 28th after changing conferences twice and participating in 15 NCAA tournaments.
His long-time assistant, Alexis Shellard, who had been on Green’s staff for 18 seasons, has now taken over. Over the years, Shellard filled in for Green as head coach, notably going 6-0 in Green’s absence in 2021 and winning the Big South Tournament Quarter Final in 2013.
Shellard won 25 games last season and inherits a team that nearly took down Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament; however, the starter Elizabeth Ejisdothir is back. The CUSA champions are welcoming two transfers and four freshmen to bolster the lineup.
Carly Barris, Portland
Since rejoining Division I in the late 1990s, Portland has attended only two NCAA tournaments, unfortunately losing as a 15th seed in both 2010 and 2019.
Barris now has the chance to establish her legacy in the program. She’s quite familiar with the area, having played at the University of Portland and earning all-WCC honors twice under former coach Jim Sollers. After finishing her master’s degree at Seattle University, she carved out a coaching path primarily along the West Coast, with experiences at northern Arizona, Fullerton California State, Utah State University, and UNLV. During her last stint at UNLV under Lindy La Rock, she helped lead the Lady Rebels to four straight Mountain West titles along with three March Madness trips.
Her inaugural staff at Portland includes Reina Perez, who was recognized as Big West Player of the Year at Fullerton California State, after Barris brought her over from northern Arizona. The two collaborated after Perez completed her career at North Carolina and worked as an assistant in California.
See also: Laura Dinkins of Northern Arizona, Kelly Killion of American, Erin Mills Raid of Mercyhurst, Copy Anderson of Oral Roberts, Shannon Bush of Colgate, Kristen Sharkey of Buffalo, Jasmine of Incarnate Word, and Blancil A Alberson of San Diego’s Blancil View.
