Georgia women's basketball hires new head coach
· Yahoo Sports
The Georgia Bulldogs women's basketball team has quickly filled its head coaching vacancy. They're hiring McNeese State head coach Ayla Guzzardo, according to a program announcement Sunday afternoon.
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"We are excited to welcome Ayla and her family to the University of Georgia," Georgia athletics director Josh Brooks said. "This is a great day for our women's basketball program. When looking for the next head coach, our goal was to find someone who would connect with our fans, support our student-athletes and continue to build on the proud tradition of Lady Bulldog basketball. Ayla's passion is unmatched. She is a proven winner and someone our fans will love following. We can't wait for her to get started."
The move comes one day after the Bulldogs announced they'd parted ways with Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who led the Lady Bulldogs to a 69-59 record through her four years as head coach. Her team made the March Madness tournament in 2023 and 2026, but they lost in the first round both times, making way for Georgia to look for an upgrade.
Guzzardo will look to be that upgrade. She made an immediate impact in her only year at McNeese State, improving their record from 10-21 last season to 29-6. They were the best team from the Southland Conference in the regular season, but unfortunately, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks knocked them out in the Southland Tournament.
Before her one-year stint with the McNeese State, she was the head coach of the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions for eight years. They were the regular-season champions twice during her tenure, and in the 2022-23 season, they won the Southland tournament and made March Madness.
Guzzardo will have immediate work to do with Georgia having several notable players enter the transfer portal including first-team All-SEC selection Dani Carnegie, forward Mia Woolfolk and guard Trinity Turner.
Georgia hires Ayla Guzzardo
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia women's basketball brings in Ayla Guzzardo as head coach