GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mary Wise, the esteemed head coach of the Florida women’s volleyball team, announced her retirement on Thursday, marking the end of an illustrious career. At 65 years old, Wise concluded her remarkable 34-year run in Gainesville, where she consistently guided the Gators to the NCAA Tournament each year. Her announcement comes just a week after Nebraska’s coach, John Cook, stepped down following a successful tenure that included four national championships over 25 seasons.
Under Wise’s leadership, the Florida volleyball program flourished, reaching the Final Four on eight occasions and achieving two runner-up finishes. Additionally, Wise’s teams dominated the Southeastern Conference, clinching an impressive 25 championships. “This is such a special place, and there was never going to be an easy time to walk away,” Wise remarked in a statement. “But after 43 years in the arena, the time to step away is now. … I cannot wait to see what’s next for the sport at a view from my new seat.”
With a remarkable coaching record of 987 wins to 150 losses (.868) at Florida and a career total of 1,068 wins against 213 losses (.834), Wise established herself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I history. She began her career at Iowa State from 1981 to 1984, where she made history as the youngest head coach in Division I at just 21 years old. Following her time at Iowa State, she served as an assistant coach at Kentucky before taking over the Florida program in 1991, transforming it into a powerhouse in collegiate volleyball.
“Mary Wise is an icon at the University of Florida, in college athletics, and in the volleyball community,” stated Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. “Her 43-year journey in the profession is an impressive parade of remarkable successes and accomplishments.” Wise’s retirement signals a significant change for the university, as she becomes the fourth championship-winning coach to step down in the past four years, joining the ranks of women’s soccer coach Becky Burleigh (2021), men’s tennis coach Bryan Shelton (2023), and women’s tennis coach Roland Thornqvist (2024).
