Women's college basketball coaching changes for 2025-26

March Madness has arrived, but as the postseason winds down, the coaching carousel is at full spin.

We're tracking all the coaching changes this offseason.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.

Last updated: April 6, 2025

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Former coach: Nell Fortner (March 31)
New coach: Karen Blair (April 6)

Blair was at Maryland for the past five seasons, including the past five as the Terps' associate head coach. During her time there, Maryland won three Big Ten championships. Before Maryland, Blair was an assistant at North Texas, UT Arlington, Colgate and SMU, her alma mater.

Blair replaces Fortner, who retired after 272 victories in 15 seasons as a college head coach. Fortner won at every level of basketball. She finished her six-year career at Georgia Tech with a 110-75 record and three NCAA tournament appearances. She was also named coach of the year in three different Division I conferences, guided Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in 2000, spent time coaching in the WNBA and coached at the high school level.

SMU Mustangs

Former coach: Toyelle Wilson (March 30)
New coach: Adia Barnes (April 5)

Barnes left Arizona, her alma mater, after nine seasons to take over SMU. The Mustangs are coming off a 10-20 record (2-16 in conference play) in their first season in the ACC.

Barnes succeeds Wilson, who was let go by SMU after four seasons and a 55-64 record.

Arizona Wildcats

Former coach: Adia Barnes (April 5)
New coach:

Barnes left her alma mater on April 5 to take over the head-coaching position at SMU. In 2016, Barnes took over at Arizona, where she played from 1994-98 and scored 2,237 points. She was 169-114 in nine seasons, leading the Wildcats to the 2021 NCAA title game and four consecutive NCAA tournaments from 2021-24. Arizona was 19-14 in its first Big 12 season, and went 10-8 in league play.

Florida Atlantic Owls

Former coach: Jennifer Sullivan (March 25)
New coach: LeAnn Freeland (April 1)

Freeland takes over the Owls after 13 seasons as coach at Division II's Nova Southeastern. Freeland went 274-124 in her 13 seasons there.

She succeeds Sullivan, who stepped down to rejoin Kellie Harper, as an assistant coach at Missouri. Sullivan previously worked under Harper as an assistant at Tennessee and Missouri State. Under Sullivan, the Owls won two games in the 2023 NCAA tournament.

DePaul Blue Demons

Former coach: Doug Bruno (March 28)
New coach: Jill Pizzotti (April 3)

Associate coach Pizzotti was promoted to take over for Bruno. Pizzotti led the Blue Demons during his absence in 2024-25, finishing 13-19 overall and 8-10 in the Big East.

Bruno stepped down March 28 though the school had announced he was on indefinite leave on Oct. 7, after he suffered a medical incident. Bruno was the second coach in program history, spending 39 seasons at the helm. He had a 786-405 overall record.

Northern Arizona Lumberjacks

Former coach: Loree Payne (March 24)
New coach: Laura Dinkins (April 1)

Dinkins was Grand Canyon's associate head coach and recruiting coordinator the past two seasons. Dinkins replaces Payne, who left to take the job at Santa Clara after eight seasons with the Lumberjacks.

Payne went 136-116 to become the winningest coach in program history. The Lumberjacks finished 2024-25 with a 27-8 overall and 16-2 Big Sky record and made it to the WBIT.

BYU Cougars

Former coach: Amber Whiting (March 8)
New coach: Lee Cummard (March 31)

Whiting was let go after three seasons. She was 45-51 overall since taking the job before the 2022-23 season. BYU was 13-17 this season, going 4-14 in its first Big 12 campaign.

Associate head coach Cummard, who had taken over as interim head coach, was promoted to the role permanently. Part of the BYU men's basketball team from 2005-09, Cummard returned to the program as a graduate assistant for the men's team and was promoted to assistant coach before joining the women's coaching staff in 2019.

UL Monroe Warhawks

Former coach: Missy Bilderback (March 23)
New coach: Scotty Fletcher (March 31)

Bilderback left UL Monroe after two seasons, and was named the head coach of her alma mater, Southern Miss. In her first season at UL Monroe she posted a 21-win season. In 2024-25, the Warhawks went 11-19, 7-11 in league play.

New head coach Scotty Fletcher arrives at UL Monroe from Pearl River Community College, which he led to three MACCC State Championships and four consecutive 20-win seasons. He has Division I coaching experience as an assistant coach for the men's program at Jacksonville State and, before that, as a graduate assistant for the men's program at Ole Miss.

Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

Former coach: Kelsi Musick ( March 21)
New coach: Cophie Anderson (March 31)

Musick left to become the head coach at Arkansas. She led Oral Roberts to a second-place finish in the Summit League this past season after a third-place finish in her second season in Tulsa. Her squad last season made history with the program's first 20-win season since 2011-12 and made it to the postseason for the first time since 2011.

Anderson was promoted to the main role after three years as acting associate head coach -- during which she helped lead the Golden Eagles reach the WNIT in 2023 and the WBIT in 2024.

Incarnate Word Cardinals

Former coach: Jeff Dow (March 15)
New coach: Jhasmin Player (March 30)

Dow left the program after three years, and has just been named the head coach at Southland rival Southeast Louisiana. As a head coach, he has a 344-271 record, including three straight winning seasons with the Cardinals.

Replacing him is Jhasmin Player, who recently spent three seasons as an associate head coach at Oklahoma State. She has also had stints at SMU, Kansas, Loyola Marymount and Maine. She played college basketball at Baylor and spent a season in the WNBA with the Atlanta Dream before a five-season stint in Europe.

Western Michigan Broncos

Former coach: Shane Clipfell (March 17)
New coach: Kate Achter (March 28)

Clipfell announced his retirement after 13 seasons at Western Michigan. He is the program's all-time winningest coach, with 184 wins.

Replacing him is Kate Achter, best known for turning Loyola Chicago -- from 2-28 to 18-12 -- and Detroit Mercy -- 1-29 team to 32 wins over two seasons -- around as a head coach.

Detroit Mercy Titans

Former coach: Kate Achter (March 28)
New coach:

Achter posted a 37-56 record in her three seasons at Detroit Mercy. She took the Titans from a 1-29 record to winning 32 games over two seasons, including in the Horizon League tournament.

Houston Cougars

Former coach: Ronald Hughey (March 6)
New coach: Matthew Mitchell (March 27)

Hughey resigned after 11 seasons and a 140-195 record. He led the Cougars to three WNIT first-round appearances since taking over the program ahead of the 2014-15 season.

Mitchell was most recently head coach at Kentucky from 2007-20, which included 303 wins, nine NCAA tournament appearances, three Elite Eight runs and five Sweet 16 trips. He is part of the Pat Summitt coaching tree.

SE Louisiana Lady Lions

Former coach: Ayla Guzzardo (March 22)
New coach: Jeff Dow (March 25)

Guzzardo left SE Louisiana for Southland rival McNeese after eight seasons, turning the Lady Lions into a winning program that included multiple regular-season titles (2022-23 and 2024-25) and the school's first NCAA tournament appearance (2023). Guzzardo also won conference coach of the year in 2023 and 2025.

Dow was most recently at Incarnate Word, where he posted three consecutive winning seasons. His contract was not renewed after the Cardinals lost in the Southland tournament semifinals this season.

Wisconsin Badgers

Former coach: Marisa Moseley (March 9)
New coach: Robin Pingeton (March 25)

Moseley stepped down after going 47-75 over the past four seasons. The Badgers went 13-16 in 2024-25, ending the season with a loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Replacing Moseley is former Missouri head coach Robin Pingeton, who announced on Feb. 26 that she would resign at the end of the Tigers' season. Pingeton went 250-218 at Missouri and reached four straight NCAA tournaments from 2016 to 2019. Missouri won at least 22 games each of those seasons. But the Tigers went a combined 79-99 over her last six seasons.

San Diego Toreros

Former coach: Cindy Fisher (March 7)
New coach: Blanche Alverson (March 25)

The school announced on Feb. 22 that Fisher would not return. The Toreros' season ended Friday with a loss in the West Coast Conference tournament. Fisher, who had led the Toreros since 2005, was a three-time WCC coach of the year who went 346-270 at San Diego.

Alverson arrives at San Diego after six seasons as an associate head coach at Georgia Tech. She also has coaching experience at New Mexico State and USC, and was a graduate assistant at Texas Tech. She played college basketball at Auburn.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies

Former coach: Jeff Tungate (Dec. 9)
New coach: Keisha Newell (March 24)

Newell makes the move up from Division II, where she coached Lewis University to three straight NCAA tournaments and a 69-22 overall record. She has Division I coaching experience from her time as as an assistant at Loyola Chicago -- also her alma mater -- from 2011-14.

Newell replaces interim head coach Deanna Richard, who took over when Jeff Tungate retired on Dec. 9, after also missing the majority of the 2023-24 campaign while recovering from a back procedure. The Golden Grizzlies finished 9-22 this season and reached the Horizon League tournament quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Green Bay.

North Dakota Fighting Hawks

Former coach: Mallory Bernhard (March 24)
New coach: Dennis Hutter (March 24)

Mallory stepped down after five seasons, during which the Fighting Hawks went 57-87. They finished 2024-25 with a 12-19 record (6-10 in the Summit League) but made it to the league tournament semifinals.

Hutter was promoted to the main role after one season as associate head coach. Before arriving at North Dakota, he spent 19 years at NAIA school Mayville State, with additional stints at the D-II and high school levels.

Santa Clara Broncos

Former coach: Bill Carr (Oct. 12)
New coach: Loree Payne (March 24)

Carr stepped down in October, after eight seasons and a 119-125 record. Michael Floyd had been named interim head coach for the season.

Payne moves over from Northern Arizona, where she was head coach for eight seasons, going 136-116 (27-8 overall and 16-2 in the Big Sky in 2024-25). She led the Lumberjacks to three consecutive conference championship games, two WNIT appearances and one WBIT run.

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Former coach: Chelsea Lyles (March 24)
New coach:

Lyles announced she would be stepping down after one season at the helm, to join former FGCU head coach Karl Smesko's staff for the Atlanta Dream. In her single season as head coach the Eagles finished 30-3 overall and 18-0 in the Atlantic Sun, winning the conference title and appearing in the NCAA tournament.

Grand Canyon Lopes

Former coach: Molly Miller (March 22)
New coach: Winston Gandy (March 24)

Gandy joins the Lopes after spending two years as an assistant coach at South Carolina, including the 2024 national championship season. Previously, he was an associate head coach at Duke (2020-23) and Rice (2017-20), was part of the Washington Wizards' player development team (2014-17) and was a director of recruiting at Maryland (2013-14) during the Terrapins' Final Four run.

He replaces Miller, who was announced as the new head coach at Arizona State after leading the Lopes to their first WAC tournament title and first NCAA tournament appearance this season. GCU lost to Baylor in the first round.

Morehead State Eagles

Former coach: Chris Palmer (March 6)
New coach: Ashton Feldhaus (March 24)

The school's director of athletics said Palmer, who served as interim head coach for 2024-25, would not be retained. The Eagles were 10-20 this season and 5-15 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

New head coach Feldhaus previously spent one season leading D-II program Missouri Western to the NCAA tournament, and five seasons as an assistant at D-II Eckerd College. She played college basketball at Butler and UT Martin.

Norfolk State Spartans

Former coach: Larry Vickers (March 23)
New coach:

Vickers has taken the head coaching job at Auburn after seven years with Norfolk State. He went 177-99 during that span, and led the Spartans to three consecutive MEAC championships and NCAA tournament appearances. This year, the Spartans earned a No. 13 seed but lost 82-69 in the first round to 4-seed Maryland. Vickers began his coaching career as an assistant with the men's program in 2008.

Auburn Tigers

Former coach: Johnnie Harris (March 6)
New coach: Larry Vickers (March 23)

Harris was let go after the Tigers lost in the first round of the SEC tournament to cap a 3-13 mark in SEC play this season. Harris was 58-63 in four seasons, including a 12-18 record in 2024-25.

Vickers moves to Auburn from Norfolk State, whom he led to consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances in the past three seasons. Norfolk State earned a No. 13 seed in the 2025 women's NCAA tournament and lost 82-69 to 4-seed Maryland in the first round.

Southern Miss Lady Eagles

Former coach: Joye Lee-McNelis (Feb. 25)
New coach: Missy Bilderback (March 23)

Lee-McNelis, who led the Lady Eagles for 21 seasons, announced in late February that she would retire at the end of the season. Southern Miss, which lost in the first round of the Sun Belt tournament, went 10-21 this season.

Bilderback was previously the coach at UL Monroe for two seasons. She orchestrated a turnaround of the Warhawks, going 21-14 in year one -- with a WNIT quarterfinal appearance -- and 11-19 in year two. Bilderback is also an alum of Southern Miss.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Former coach: Natasha Adair (March 8)
New coach: Molly Miller (March 22)

Analysis: As soon as Arizona State announced it was parting ways with Adair on March 8, the clock was ticking down to Miller taking over. Miller, 38, spent the last five seasons with the Lopes, leading them to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance this year. Grand Canyon finished 32-3, including a 30-game winning streak, and lost its first-round game to Baylor 73-60 on Friday. Within hours, there were reports that Miller was moving east in the greater Phoenix area to Tempe.

Arizona State last made the NCAA tournament in 2019, and Adair went 29-62 in her three seasons. Miller was a coaching success first at her alma mater, Drury, making the Division II final four in 2019. This season, she led the Lopes to the WAC regular-season and tournament titles. Now, she will try to revitalize Arizona State, which was 10-22 and 3-15 (next to last) in its first season in the Big 12. Miller has a chance to make progress in the league right away if she can improve the Sun Devils' talent level. -- Michael Voepel

McNeese Cowgirls

Former coach: Lynn Kennedy (March 6)
New coach: Ayla Guzzardo (March 22)

McNeese did not renew Kennedy's contract. He went 41-78 over four seasons with the Cowgirls, including a 10-21 mark this season.

Guzzardo was most recently the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana, leading the Lions to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2023 and regular-season titles in 2022-23 and 2024-25. She was named the Southland Conference coach of the year in 2023 and 2025.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Former coach: Mike Neighbors (March 11)
New coach: Kelsi Musick (March 21)

Musick makes the move after leading Oral Roberts to postseason appearances in each of the past two seasons while increasing the team's win total every year. Her squad last season made history with the program's first 20-win season since 2011-12 and made it to the postseason for the first time since 2011.

She replaces Neighbors, who resigned after going 148-114 at Arkansas, which he took over in 2017. He led the Razorbacks to two NCAA tournament appearances. Arkansas is 10-22 this season, including a 3-13 record in the SEC.

Colgate Raiders

Former coach: Ganiyat Adeduntan (March 20)
New coach:

Adeduntan has stepped down after four seasons, to take the head coaching job at George Washington. She led the Raiders to a 20-14 finish (second place in the Patriot League) in 2023-24. This season, they finished 23-10 (13-5 in league play).

George Washington Revolutionaries

Former coach: Caroline McCombs (Feb. 24)
New coach: Ganiyat Adeduntan (March 20)

McCombs stepped down on Feb. 24, ending a four-year tenure with a 55-65 record. Doug Novak served as interim coach for the rest of the season as George Washington finished 13-18.

Adeduntan left her role as head coach at Colgate for GW. Adeduntan won 65 games with the Raiders in four seasons, posting a winning Patriot League record each season. She returns to GW, where she was an assistant coach for three seasons and spent four years overall from 2017-2021.

Missouri Tigers

Former coach: Robin Pingeton (Feb. 26)
New coach: Kellie Harper (March 18)

Analysis: Harper's hire at Mizzou makes a lot of sense. The expectations at Tennessee are still sky-high, even though the program won the last of its eight national championships 17 years ago. Missouri, meanwhile, hasn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2019 and has never been past the Sweet 16. The last time the Tigers got that far was 2001.

At Tennessee, Harper had to compete against the memory of a coaching legend, her own mentor, Pat Summitt. Harper is taking over a Missouri program desperate for a fresh start and a sense of hope. Just to be in contention for an NCAA tournament bid next season would be progress.

Harper also brings a longtime familiarity with the SEC, something she stayed sharp in this past season as a television analyst, and with the Show-Me State from her six seasons at Missouri State. And it's reasonable to think the competitor in her is motivated by her second chance at coaching in the SEC after being let go by her alma mater.

Harper never finished below a tie for fourth in the SEC in her five seasons at Tennessee and made two NCAA Sweet 16 appearances. Tennessee's administration thought that wasn't enough, but anything near that would be a huge improvement at Missouri. -- ESPN's Michael Voepel

About Harper: Former Tennessee coach Harper, 47, returns to the Show-Me State after spending 2013-2019 at Missouri State. She took the Bears to the Sweet 16 in 2019 and was then hired to replace Holly Warlick at Tennessee.

Harper went 108-52 in five years with the Lady Vols. She was fired after last season when Tennessee went 20-13 overall and 10-6 in the SEC and lost in the NCAA tournament second round to eventual Final Four team NC State.

Harper replaces Pingeton, who announced in February that she would resign once the season concluded. She went 250-218 in 15 seasons at Missouri, including four consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament from 2016-2019.

Valparaiso Beacons

Former coach: Mary Evans (March 18)
New coach:

The school announced Evans would not be returning after seven seasons at the helm. The Beacons went 73-135 during that time. They finished 13-19 overall and 9-11 in the MVC in 2024-25.

Montana Lady Griz

Former coach: Brian Holsinger (Feb. 10)
New coach: Nate Harris (March 18)

Holsinger resigned after four seasons at Montana. He had taken a leave of absence on Jan. 15, 2025.

The interim tag was removed from Nate Harris' title. Harris has led the Lady Griz since mid-January. The team finished 2024-25 with a 14-18 overall and 8-10 record in the Big Sky.

Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers

Former coach: Sandy Pugh (March 17)
New coach:

Pugh resigned after seven seasons and an 80-115 record at Prairie View A&M. The Lady Panthers finished 2024-25 with a 10-19 record overall, 6-12 in the SWAC.

Morgan State Lady Bears

Former coach: Ed Davis Jr. (March 13)
New coach:

Davis Jr. retired from coaching after 33 years. He spent 13 years at Morgan State, including as an assistant coach, and is the third winningest coach in program history (120). The Lady Bears finished 13-17 overall and 6-8 in the MEAC in 2024-25.

Portland State Vikings

Former coach: Chelsey Gregg (March 12)
New coach:

The school and Gregg parted ways after 10 seasons on the coaching staff -- including the past four as head coach. The Vikings went 4-24 overall and 1-17 in the Big Sky in 2024-25.

Houston Christian Huskies

Former coach: Donna Finnie (March 11)
New coach:

Houston Christian announced it was not renewing Finnie's contract. She was the Huskies' coach for the past 12 seasons.

Rider Broncs

Former coach: Lynn Milligan (March 10)
New coach:

Milligan was let go after a 7-22 record this season. She was 214-332 overall and 139-203 in conference play over 18 seasons.

Mercyhurst Lakers

Former coach: Brooklyn Kohlheim (March 10)
New coach:

Kolheim went 69-88 in six seasons with the Lakers.

Northern Illinois Huskies

Former coach: Lisa Carlsen (March 10)
New coach:

Carlsen resigned after 10 seasons. The Huskies were 13-17 in 2024-25, including a 6-12 mark in the MAC.

American University Eagles

Former coach: Tiffany Coll (March 9)
New coach:

The Eagles went 1-29 this season and 20-71 over Coll's three seasons at American.

UMass Lowell River Hawks

Former coach: Denise King (March 5)
New coach:

UMass Lowell parted ways with King after four seasons. The River Hawks were 3-25 this season, including a 1-15 mark in the America East.