Head Coach | Entering 35th Year at Florida | 39th Year as Division I Head Coach | Purdue ‘81
*Updated Feb., 2025
Mary Wise, the architect of one of the most storied programs in NCAA Division I volleyball history, finished her 34th season at the helm of the Gators in the 2024 season. Wise’s accomplishments since being named head coach of the Gators in 1991 are nothing short of unprecedented.
Wise By The Numbers
- 1,068 – Career Victories (4th-most in Division I history)
- .834 – Career Winning Percentage (tied for highest among active Division I coaches; 8th-highest in NCAA history—all divisions, min. 20 seasons)
- 987 – Career Victories at Florida (7th-most by any Division I coach at one school in NCAA history)
- Became just the second female coach in Division I history to reach 900 wins at a single school
- 8 – NCAA Final Four Appearances (One of six programs with eight since 1991)
- 83 – NCAA Tournament Victories (tied for 6th-most in Division I history)
- 31 – Top-15 Finishes in AVCA Division I Coaches Poll from 1991-2023 (tied for 2nd-most in that span)
- 30 – NCAA Regional Semifinal Appearances
- 25 – SEC Championships (the most for any SEC women’s team, ninth of all SEC men’s/women’s teams since volleyball’s 1979 debut)
- 15 – SEC Coach of the Year Awards
- 13 – Undefeated SEC Seasons
- 12 – SEC Tournament Titles (discontinued after 2005)
- 3 – AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year Awards (one of three coaches in history with three)
Gators’ Individual Achievements Under Wise
- 142 – All-America Honors (amassed by 49 Gators)
- 83 – All-SEC Gators (combined for 170 honors)
- 13 – SEC Athletes of the Year (19 total awards)
- 11 – SEC Tournament MVP Awards
- 8 – Academic All-Americans (12 total honors)
- 4 – NCAA Hitting Percentage Leaders since 1994 (Only program with more than two)
- 4 – SEC Scholar-Athletes of the Year
- 3 – Volleyball Olympians (2 indoor, 1 beach doubles)
- .476 – Career Hitting Percentage for Chloe Mann (Division I record)
- 290 – SEC Academic Honor Roll/Freshman Academic Honor Roll accolades
Gators’ Historic Streaks Under Wise
- 34 – Consecutive NCAA Tournament Berths (third-longest streak in Division I history)
- 32 – Consecutive 20-Win Seasons from 1991-22 (Was longest active Division I streak by 11 seasons)
- 31 – Consecutive Top-15 Finishes in AVCA Division I Coaches Poll from 1995-22 (2nd-longest streak in history)
- 18 – Consecutive SEC Titles from 1991-2008 (Division I women’s volleyball record)
- 145 – Consecutive Regular Season SEC Matches Won from 1995-2004 (Division I record)
- 121 – Consecutive SEC Matches Won from 1998-2004 (5th-longest streak in NCAA history; 2nd-longest streak in Division I history)
- 105 – Consecutive Sets Won in 2003 (2nd-longest streak in NCAA history)
- 58 – Consecutive Home Matches Won from 1990-94 (6th-longest streak in Division I history)
Wise’s Trailblazing Feats
- USA Volleyball All-Time Great Coach
- Most career victories (1,068) among women Division I head coaches in NCAA history
- Only female Division I women’s volleyball head coach to reach 1,000 career wins
- One of three females in NCAA history to coach in the national championship match
- Fastest female head coach to 500 career wins, then 800 career wins
- At age 21, became the youngest Division I head coach ever hired (at Iowa State)
------------------------------------------
The Wise Ledger
| Year |
School |
Overall |
SEC/Tourn. |
NCAA |
Notes |
| 1981 |
Iowa State |
25-22 |
N/A |
N/A |
Youngest Head Coach in NCAA History (21) |
| 1982 |
Iowa State |
17-19 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
| 1983 |
Iowa State |
18-13 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
| 1984 |
Iowa State |
21-9 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
| 1991 |
Florida |
35-5 |
13-1/2-1 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 1992 |
Florida |
34-2 |
14-0/3-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 1993 |
Florida |
33-4 |
14-0/3-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 1994 |
Florida |
28-6 |
13-1/3-0 |
1-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 1995 |
Florida |
35-2 |
14-0/3-0 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 1996 |
Florida |
37-2 |
14-0/3-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 1997 |
Florida |
34-4 |
14-0/2-1 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 1998 |
Florida |
35-3 |
14-0/3-0 |
4-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 1999 |
Florida |
33-3 |
14-0/3-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 2000 |
Florida |
29-5 |
14-0/3-0 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2001 |
Florida |
28-2 |
14-0/3-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 2002 |
Florida |
34-3 |
16-0/3-0 |
4-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Final Four |
| 2003 |
Florida |
36-2 |
16-0/3-0 |
5-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Championship Match |
| 2004 |
Florida |
28-5 |
15-1/2-1 |
1-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Second Round |
| 2005 |
Florida |
33-3 |
15-1/3-0 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 2006 |
Florida |
30-3 |
19-1 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2007 |
Florida |
29-3 |
19-1 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2008 |
Florida |
27-4 |
18-2 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2009 |
Florida |
25-6 |
16-4 |
2-1 |
NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2010 |
Florida |
29-2 |
20-0 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2011 |
Florida |
27-6 |
17-3 |
3-1 |
NCAA Regional Final |
| 2012 |
Florida |
27-5 |
19-1 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2013 |
Florida |
28-4 |
16-2 |
1-1 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2014 |
Florida |
28-4 |
18-0 |
3-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Final |
| 2015 |
Florida |
25-7 |
13-5 |
3-1 |
NCAA Regional Final |
| 2016 |
Florida |
27-4 |
16-2 |
1-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Second Round |
| 2017 |
Florida |
30-2 |
17-1 |
5-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Championship Match |
| 2018 |
Florida |
26-7 |
15-3 |
2-1 |
NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2019 |
Florida |
27-5 |
16-2 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2020 |
Florida |
21-4 |
19-3 |
2-1 |
NCAA Regional Final |
| 2021 |
Florida |
22-9 |
14-4 |
2-1 |
NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2022 |
Florida |
25-6 |
15-3 |
2-1 |
SEC Champions/NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| 2023 |
Florida |
19-10 |
10-8 |
1-1 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2024 |
Florida |
23-8 |
11-5 |
2-1 |
NCAA Regional Semifinal |
| Totals |
|
1068-213 (.834) |
522-54 (.906) |
83-34 (.709) |
25 SEC Championships / 8 Final Fours |
Wiser Than Ever Before …
Since Mary Wise took over the Gator volleyball program in 1991, she has led a turnaround that is as apparent as night and day. Listed below are Florida’s accomplishments before Wise took over the program, as compared to what the program has achieved under her direction:
|
Before Wise |
Since Wise |
| Regular-Season SEC Championships |
None |
25 (including 18 consecutive) |
| Highest Finish in the SEC Tournament |
Second |
First (12 times) |
| 30-Plus Win Seasons |
Two |
13 |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances |
One |
34 (All Consecutive) |
| National Semifinal Appearances |
None |
8 |
| All-America Honors |
None |
142 |
| Winning SEC Seasons |
Three |
34 Consecutive winning SEC Seasons, including 13 undefeated |
| Overall Winning Percentage |
.609 (156-100) |
.868 (987-150) |
| Three-Set Sweeps |
77 |
706 |
| Home Winning Percentage |
.630 (59-35) |
.904 (519-55) |
| National Home Attendance Rank |
50th percentile |
30 top-10 national finishes |
| Times Ranked in the National Poll |
None |
534 Consecutive Weeks |
| Times Ranked No. 1 |
None |
16 |
Wise has led Florida to 25 SEC titles, including 18 straight from 1991-2008 – the Division I record for most consecutive conference titles by a single program – 34 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Final Fours, 15 SEC Coach of the Year honors, and two trips to the NCAA Championship match in 2003 and 2017.
Wise has coached all 49 Florida All-Americans in Gator Volleyball history. Those 49 Gators have racked up 142 All-America honors. Thirteen Gators have earned 19 SEC Athlete of the Year awards since 1992, including Angie McGinnis in 2006 and 2007, when she became the first setter in league history to claim the honor and one of just five players in the league to win the award on multiple occasions. Rhamat Alhassan was the most recent winner, collecting the award in 2017.
Moreover, Wise became the first coach in NCAA history to win 100 consecutive games, the first to win 130 consecutive regular-season conference matches and the only coach ever to win 90 percent of her matches in her first 20 seasons at one school. With 987 victories to her credit with the Gators, she has the most wins in Division I since her hiring in 1991. Penn State’s Russ Rose has collected 918 wins since the ’91 season and was the Division I leader until Wise passed him in the 2021 season.
The Gators also boast remarkable active streaks; UF’s 34-year run of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances is the third-longest streak in Division I history. Florida’s 27 consecutive AVCA Top-15 finish from 1995-2022 is the second-longest streak in history, while UF’s 20-win seasons from 1991-22 was the longest active streak in Division I by 11 seasons.
During the AVCA Poll streak, Florida, which achieved its first ranking in 1991, reached the No. 1 spot in 1996, 2010, and 2017. The program’s highest preseason ranking (No. 3) came in 2003.
A pioneer with tremendous vision, passion and enthusiasm for the sport of volleyball, Wise is the only female coach to appear in more than one national semifinal, and she reached the 500-win and 800-win plateaus faster than any other Division I female coach. She is the first Division I female coach to record 1,000 career wins in NCAA volleyball history.
A 15-time winner of the SEC Coach of the Year award (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018), Wise has been named the AVCA National Coach of the Year three times (1992, 1996, 2017) as well. She and the aforementioned Russ Rose are the only three-time winners in the award’s history.
Florida has so dominated the SEC in her tenure that Wise is one of only two coaches in conference history in any sport, regardless of gender, to win as many as 18 consecutive conference titles. The Gators also boast a .906 winning percentage in SEC matches under Wise.
Florida’s accrued such success with an exciting, high-powered offense which ranks among the nation’s best almost every year.
Florida boasts three of the top eight all-time hitting percentage leaders in Division I history, including Chloe Mann’s (2010-13) record clip of .476—which ranks third all-time across all NCAA divisions. Heather Wright (1997-2000) finished her career with a .424 clip, ranking her seventh in Division I history and Rhamat Alhassan finished her career with a .423 clip, ranking her ninth in Division I history.
As a team, the
Gators are one of three Division I programs in history to lead the nation in hitting percentage more than twice since the NCAA began tracking the statistic in 1994. Florida led the nation in clip in 2011 (.309), 2015 (.313), and 2016 (.338).
Florida is also the
one of two programs to have more than three national leaders in hitting percentage since the NCAA began tracking the stat in 1994, with Heather Wright doing so in 1999 (.451), Chloe Mann doing so in 2012 (.444) and 2013 (.506), and Rhamat Alhassan doing so in 2014 (.458).
In the classroom, a total of seven UF players have combined to receive 12 Academic All-America honors in Wise’s career at Florida.
Those accomplishments led USA Volleyball to bestow on Wise the title of “All-Time Great Coach” in 2006.
Summer 2016 was a banner international year for the Gators.
Two of the most prominent Florida volleyball players in program history, Kelly Murphy (’11) and Aury Cruz (’03), became the first indoor Olympians in program history. Murphy, a four-time All-American, represented Team USA in the Rio Olympics, while Cruz, a three-time All-American at UF, guided Puerto Rico to its first-ever Olympic berth before hanging up her jersey and retiring after 18 years with the Puerto Rico National Team.
Year-by-Year Summary
In the 2024 season, Wise led the Gators to their 30th Regional Semifinal after earning the program’s 34th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Florida finished with a 23-8 overall record and tied for third in the Southeastern Conference with an 11-5 record. In the Gators first SEC match of the season, UF rallied from a six-point deficit in the fifth set to defeat newest league member Oklahoma before dropping back-to-back matches to then No. 12 Kentucky and No. 7 Texas. Florida bounced back and won ten-consecutive matches, the longest streak in four seasons.
Florida was a No. 6-seed in the NCAA Tournament and played its First and Second Rounds in Lawrence, Kan., marking only the fifth time in program history UF didn’t earn hosting rights. The Gators defeated NC State (3-0) in the opening round, before upsetting the host and No. 3 seed Kansas in a five-set thriller to advance to the Regional Semifinal in Louisville, KY. Florida faced a No. 2 seed Stanford and opened strong with a set-one win, but ultimately fell to the Cardinal in four sets. During the match, Elli McKissock surpassed former Gator Elyse Cusack 2,138 career digs to become Florida volleyball's all-time leader in career digs with 2,147. The Windermere, Fla. native served as the Gators starting libero for 122-consecutive matches. Kennedy Martin was named to the Region All-Tournament Team for her postseason performance.
Martin was named an AVCA First-Team All-American following her impactful sophomore season. She etched her name in the program's record books in multiple categories following her historic comeback from missing seven matches in the beginning of the season due to an ankle injury. Her 33 kills in Florida's Second Round of the NCAA Tournament added to her program record - 32 kills - that she had previously set twice. Additionally, her 33 kills mark the most kills during an NCAA Tournament match by a Gator. Throughout the regular season, Martin recorded 31 kills three times during a four-set match, which marks the most kills recorded by a Florida player in four sets during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present). The sophomore recorded her 1,000th-career kill in just 53 matches to become the fastest Gator to reach the milestone. Martin was the NCAA Division I statistical champion for Points Per Set after averaging 6.28 PPS. She was a semifinalist for AVCA's 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award and earned the program’s first AVCA All-Southeast Region Player of the Year award, while also receiving AVCA All-Southeast Region First Team and AVCA National Division I Player of the Week honors on Oct. 29, 2024.
Four additional Gators received AVCA All-Region honors as well. Jaela Auguste claimed the program’s sixth AVCA Southeast Freshman of the Year honor, adding to her SEC Freshman of the Year award. Elli McKissock joined her two teammates on the All-Region Team, while Isabel Martin and Taylor Parks received Honorable Mention. Florida also saw six players honored by the conference, with Auguste earning the program’s seventh SEC Freshman of the Year award. The middle blocker also earned a spot the All-SEC Second and SEC All-Freshman Teams. Martin was named to the All-SEC First Team, McKissock received All-SEC Second Team honors and Taylor Parks grabbed a spot on the All-Freshman Team as well.
In the classroom, Martin became the eighth Gator in program history to be named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Division I Volleyball Team. She was also named to CSC’s 2024 Academic All-District Team. Additionally, Florida had 12 named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, one shy of the program-best 13 that was set in 2023.
During the 2023 campaign, Wise lead Florida to their 33rd consecutive NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Gators set a new program record on Sept. 17, with 10,323 fans in the stands of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. It is not only an O’Dome record, but also is the highest-attended match hosted by an SEC school all-time. It is also the highest attendance for an on-campus volleyball match in the state of Florida. She tutored All-American freshman Kennedy Martin, who earned a spot on Second Team. Additionally, Martin was also named to AVCA All-Region and All-SEC. Florida finished the 2023 season ranked in the Top-20 in the nation in blocks per set (19th | 2.68) total blocks (20th | 303.0). The Gators were second in the SEC in blocks per set, making it the 11th out of the last 13 seasons that the Gators have been among the Top-3 in the conference in blocks per set. Two Gators were ranked in the top-10 in blocks per set; Nnedi Okammor (2nd | 1.29) and Gabbi Essix (5th | 1.23).
During the 2022 campaign, Wise lead the Gators to their 29th Regional Semifinal after grabbing a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was Florida’s 32nd consecutive NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak in the nation. In her 32nd season with the squad, the Gators finished 25-6 overall and 15-3 in the league en route to the team’s 25th SEC Championship. That mark is the third-best total in the entire conference among all sports since volleyball’s inception into the SEC in 1979. Wise tutored two AVCA All-Americans, with both Marina Markova and Alexis Stucky earning a spot on the Third Team. She also tutored four AVCA All-Region selections, along with three All-SEC honorees. Florida finished the 2022 season ranked in the Top-20 in the nation in blocks per set (10th | 2.73), opponent hitting percentage (10th | .158), hitting percentage (19th | .272) and total blocks (19th | 309.0).
During the 2021 season, Wise clinched her 1,000th career win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She was the first female Division I head coach to hit the milestone and is just the fourth head coach overall to record 1,000 wins at the Division I level. Wise is currently the only active coach with over 1,000 career victories at the DI level and is one of just four active coaches across all Divisions. Wise led the 2021 Gators to their 28th Regional Semifinal after grabbing the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was Florida’s 31st consecutive NCAA Tournament, the third-longest active streak in the nation. Wise tutored three All-Americans, including Second Team honoree Marlie Monserez, along with six SEC selections.
During the unprecedented COVID year where volleyball was the first high-risk indoor sport to start its fall season, the Gators finished the 2020-21 campaign with a stellar 21-4 record – the 30th consecutive season the team has won at least 21 matches. The SEC settled on a conference-only regular season, split into both a fall and spring. The format consisted of back-to-back matches against the same opponent and Florida finished the regular season 19-3 in the league, good for second overall. The Gators came out of the fall with a 6-2 record and refocused for the spring, racking up a 12-match win streak along the way. Florida’s only loss in the spring portion of the conference schedule came to the eventual national champions Kentucky.
Florida was awarded the No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament – which all took place in Omaha, Neb. for a controlled environment due to COVID-19. With the No. 8 seed, the Gators earned a first-round bye, then swept the Morehead State Eagles in the second round for the program’s 27th trip to the Regional Semifinal. The Gators came up against a difficult matchup with the ninth-seeded Buckeyes in the round of 16, but Florida prevailed in four sets to clinch a spot in the Regional Final – the program’s 17th overall. In the Regional Final, the Gators took on No. 1 seed Wisconsin and gave it all they had, before falling to the Badgers in a thrilling five-set match.
Five Gators earned AVCA All-America honors in the 2020-21 campaign – T’ara Ceasar was named to the Second Team, Lauren Forte was tabbed as a Third Team honoree, while Holly Carlton, Thayer Hall and Marlie Monserez each earned Honorable Mention accolades. The five All-Americans are the most in program history, tied with 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Florida also saw five players honored by the conference, with Ceasar, Carlton, Forte and Hall earning a spot on the All-SEC Team and Elli McKissock grabbing a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Florida finished the season nationally ranked 12th in blocks per set (2.75) and 13th in hitting percentage (.278).
During the 2019 campaign, the Gators posted a 27-5 overall record – the 29th consecutive season the team has won at least 25 matches, extending the longest current streak in NCAA Division I volleyball. With a league record of 16-2, Florida clinched its 24th SEC Championship – the third-best total in the entire conference among all sports since volleyball’s inception into the SEC in 1979. The Gators kicked off the 2019 season with wins over Louisville and Dayton – both of whom would later make the NCAA Tournament. UF continued its tough nonconference schedule, facing No. 1 Stanford and No. 8 Minnesota within less than a week of each other. After those two matchups, Florida closed the nonconference portion of its schedule with seven straight-wins, including one over in-state rival Florida State. To kick off conference play, the Gators defeated Auburn and Georgia. After facing a ranked-Kentucky squad, Florida went on a nine-match win streak, including six sweeps. The Gators clinched the SEC title after recording another four-match win streak, including a thrilling five-set victory over Texas A&M in the final game of the regular season.
Florida was awarded the No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, earning hosting rights for the 26th time in program history. The Gators defeated Alabama State (3-0) in the opening round, before topping UCF (3-0) to advance to the program’s 26th Regional Semifinal. Florida faced seventh-seed Minnesota in Austin, Texas – a rematch of the early season battle. The teams fought until the last point, but the Gators ultimately fell to the Golden Gophers in five sets.
Two Gators earned AVCA All-America honors in the 2019 campaign – Thayer Hall was named to the Third Team, while Rachael Kramer earned Honorable Mention accolades. Hall, Kramer and Paige Hammons were honored by the conference, each earning spots on the All-SEC Team. Kramer was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her performance both in the classroom and on the court.
In the 2018 season, the Gators posted a 26-7 record overall – the 28th consecutive season the team has won at least 25 matches, extending the longest current streak in NCAA Division I volleyball. Florida finished third in the Southeastern Conference, with a record of 15-3 in league play. The Gators opened up the 2018 campaign with an impressive 3-1 road win against reigning national champion and preseason No. 2 Nebraska. Florida continued its tough nonconference schedule, picking up quality wins over Louisville, UCF and Florida State. To kick off conference play, the Gators went on a nine-game win streak, including five sweeps: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Alabama (2). Florida met resistance against Missouri and Kentucky, but bounced back to win four-straight conference games. The Gators set their two seniors – Allie Monserez and Taelor Kellum – out of Exactech Arena with a bang, sweeping South Carolina in the final regular season game of the year.
For the first time since 2011 and just the fourth time in program history, the Gators were unseeded going into the NCAA Tournament, but that didn’t stop them from making a splash. Florida was sent to UCF for the first and second rounds, facing in-state rival Florida State in the first round. The Gators swept the Seminoles to advance to the second round against Florida Gulf Coast – who upset top-seed UCF in its first round game. Florida swept FGCU to move on to the Regional Semifinal in Provo, Utah, where the team had to face the No. 4 overall seed in BYU. The Gators put up a great fight in the first set, winning 25-23, but were unable to hold onto the momentum to reach the Regional Final.
Three Gators earned AVCA All-America honors in the 2018 campaign: Holly Carlton (HM), Thayer Hall (HM) and Rachael Kramer (HM). UF also notched three All-SEC honors – Kramer, Paige Hammons and Taelor Kellum – and one SEC All-Freshman Team honoree in Thayer Hall.
The 2017 season was one for the ages, as the Gators posted a 30-2 record, won a share of the SEC title yet again, and returned to the NCAA Championship match for the first time since 2003. Florida opened the season with a 3-1 win over preseason No. 1 Texas—before a school-record crowd of 7,523. The Gators followed it up with a 3-2 win over No. 5 Nebraska, marking the first time in school history they defeated consecutive top-five opponents. The Gators rose to No. 1 in the national rankings Sept. 25 and met no resistance until a 3-1 setback at the hands of No. 8 Kentucky on Oct. 15. Florida came back 17 days later and swept No. 6 Kentucky in Lexington, marking the program’s first road sweep of a top-10 opponent since 2014. The Gators clinched their share of the SEC title with a 3-1 win at Missouri on the final day of the season, rebounding from a first-set loss and climbing out of a 19-12 hole in the second set.
Florida was awarded the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, making it the first time since 2010 it earned a top-four overall seed. The Gators dispatched of Alabama State (3-0), Miami (3-1), and No. 17 UCLA (3-1) with relative ease. Then came the thrilling five-setter against No. 14 Southern California in the NCAA Regional Championship. Florida trailed 21-18 in the fourth set, fought off a match point, then sent the match to a fifth set, where they climbed out of a 9-5 hole to advance to its first NCAA Semifinals since 2003. There, the Gators faced No. 4 Stanford. After running out to a 2-0 lead, Florida dropped consecutive sets, but it came back to win the fifth set in convincing fashion to secure a spot in the title game, where it lost, 3-1, to No. 5 Nebraska.
Five Gators earned All-America honors, headlined by Rhamat Alhassan’s first-team laurel. Alhassan also became the SEC’s and Florida’s first-ever winner of the Honda Award for volleyball. Alhassan, the SEC Player of the Year, became the first SEC player to lead the nation in blocks per set (1.70).
In 2016, the Gators posted a 27-4 record and won a share of its 22nd SEC title with a 16-2 mark in league play. Florida saw five players earn All-America honors, highlighted by Alex Holston (second team) and Rhamat Alhassan (third team). Those two, along with Caroline Knop, Allie Monserez, and Carli Snyder earned AVCA All-Southeast Region and All-SEC accolades as well. The Gators’ offense led that nation in hitting percentage (.338) for a second consecutive season, and Alhassan was the one of two players in the nation ranked in the top 20 in both hitting percentage (No. 9 – .416) and blocks per set (No. 11 – 1.45). Monserez became only the second SEC player in history to lead the nation in assists per set, averaging 12.36 for the year.
In 2015, the Gators racked up a 25-7 record and finished the SEC schedule at 13-5, marking the program’s 25th straight 25-win season, all under Wise. Florida advanced to the Elite Eight for the 15th time in school history and led the country in hitting efficiency with a .313 clip. Add five All-America honors, including first teamer Rhamat Alhassan, who ranked second in the nation in blocks (1.62/s) and ninth in hitting efficiency (.422).
In 2014, en route to leading the Gators to their 13th undefeated SEC season and 21st SEC Championship (28-4, 18-0 SEC), Wise hit another career milestone with her 800th career victory in dominating fashion with a 3-0 blanking of the then-No. 6 USC Trojans in L.A. to become the only active female Division I head coach to reach the milestone.
The Gators boasted the nation’s hitting efficiency leader in then-freshman Alhassan (.458) for the third straight year, as Alhassan and sophomore Alex Holston were the SEC Freshman and Player of the Year, respectively. Wise picked up her 14th SEC Coach of the Year honor as the Gators notched their 24th consecutive 25-win season and trip to the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Elite Eight. Four All-Americans in Alhassan (second team), Holston (first team), Mackenzie Dagostino (third team) and Simone Antwi (honorable mention) highlighted the milestone campaign for wise.
The 2013 Gators made their 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament run after picking up the No. 5 seed, their highest since being No. 1 overall in 2010. Florida cruised to a 28-4 overall record, 16-2 in the SEC to finish second in the league race. Wise eclipsed career win No. 700 at the helm of the program, and the Orange and Blue bid farewell to a duo of seniors – one of the most decorate players in NCAA history, Chloe Mann, and senior setter Taylor Brauneis. Mann, a candidate for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, left the UF program as the NCAA’s record holder for career hitting efficiency (.476) and paced the entire country in 2013 with her .506 clip. UF placed four on the All-SEC Team, had a program-best six named to the AVCA All-Southeast Region Team and garnered five AVCA All-Americans, the most in school history following AVCA regional re-alignment.
Florida ranked second in the country in hitting percentage (.331) and fifth in the nation in kills per set (14.88). In the classroom, Florida had nine named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, one shy of the program-best 10. The Gators represented internationally, as seven played for either Team USA or their respective national teams -- Slovenia for Živa Recek, and Puerto Rico for Noami Santos-Lamb.
In 2012, the Gators captured the program’s 20th Southeastern Conference title and advanced to its 22nd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and Florida’s 21st Sweet 16. The Gators finished the year with a 27-5 overall record to extend the nation’s longest streak of consecutive 25-win seasons to 22. Florida ranked fourth in the nation in hitting percentage (.298) behind First Team All-American and SEC Player of the Year in Mann. The Gator junior led the NCAA in hitting percentage (.443) and appeared in 104 sets for the Orange and Blue, starting all 32 matches.
Another success story for Florida in 2012 was the freshman phenom in Recek, who was named AVCA National Freshman of the Year, as well as AVCA South Region Freshman of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year. A First Team All-SEC selection, Recek led the Gators in kills (440) and points (490), averaging 4.00/set. Recek shattered the Florida freshman records for kills, points and attacks in a season.
For her efforts, Wise was named the 2012 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year, the 13th time the SEC honored Wise for Florida’s achievements.
In 2011, Wise led the Gators to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. Behind two of the greatest Gators in history, All-Americans Kelly Murphy and Kristy Jaeckel, Florida led the nation in hitting percentage (.309) and finished with an overall record of 27-6. The Gators extended the nation’s longest streak of consecutive 25-win seasons to 21, advancing to the NCAA Regional Semifinals.
Under her tutelage, sophomore middle blocker Chloe Mann went from relative unknown to one of the most formidable attackers in the nation, setting a new Florida program record for hitting percentage in a season (.500).
Since arriving at UF in 1991, Wise has propelled a once lackluster program into the epitome of excellence. That was never more evident than in 2010, when Wise’s squad – not voted to win the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1991 – engineered one of the finest campaigns in program history.
The Gators spent eight weeks at the No. 1 spot in the AVCA poll, battling through a grueling schedule to post 10 wins against top-25 opponents during the season. The early part of the schedule proved to be a gauntlet, as Florida faced nine ranked teams in its first 12 matches – winning eight of those contests. Wise’s 2010 Gators became the first team in SEC history to post a perfect 20-0 league record, as the conference instituted a 20-match double round-robin format prior to the start of the 2006 campaign. Wise’s prize pupil – junior right-side/setter Kelly Murphy – earned AVCA First-Team All-America honors and was named the 2010 SEC Player of the Year. The Gators placed four players on the AVCA All-South Region team and Wise was named both the SEC Coach of the Year and the AVCA South Region Coach of the Year.
Wise joined the exclusive 700-win career club during the 2010 season, becoming, at the time, the 16th head coach in NCAA Division I history to eclipse that milestone.
It was in 2008 that Wise’s proficiency as a true teacher of the game shined. Her squad captured an unlikely 18th consecutive league championship, which broke the NCAA Division I record for the most consecutive conference titles in the sport of volleyball. Wise guided a young squad that featured five freshmen regularly playing in the rotation to the outright league championship and an NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance.
Under her direction, Murphy, a freshman, became the first player in school history to be named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year and senior Kelsey Bowers was named the SEC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Additional Impact
Her penchant for prosperity on the court has transcended into the regional community. Florida has ranked among the top 15 schools in the nation in attendance 31 times in the last 33 years, as countless Gator fans moved through the turnstiles at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to provide Florida with one of the most electric, intimidating and inspiring volleyball venues in the country.
The Gators set a new program record on Sept. 17, with 10,323 fans in the stands of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. It is not only an O’Dome record, but also is the highest-attended match hosted by an SEC school all-time. It is also the highest attendance for an on-campus volleyball match in the state of Florida
The NCAA recognized the enthusiasm of Gator fans by awarding Florida NCAA Regional hosting duties in 2006 and 2007, as UF became the first school to host back-to-back regionals and the first to host three total regionals since the pre-determined format was adopted in 2003. Florida again hosted regionals in 2009 and 2011.
The Gators have also shown a commitment to playing an active role in community leadership and involvement. Each year members of the Gator volleyball team visit children at nearby Shands Hospital during the Thanksgiving holiday, while players also participate in the Goodwill Gators program. In 2003, Wise helped raise $7,500 for the Children’s Miracle Network after more than 4,000 Gator fans packed the O’Connell Center for a match against South Carolina. She also organizes and operates the annual Mary Wise Scramble, a golf tournament that benefits PACE Alachua, which provides guidance to young girls who are experiencing conflict in school or at home.
Since winning the SEC Championship in her first season in Gainesville, Wise’s effect on volleyball in the state has been nothing short of amazing. UF’s annual summer camps typically draw nearly 1,700 eager athletes from all levels who travel to the UF campus in order to learn from one of the finest coaches in the country.
As strong as the reputation that has built for her program is in the state of Florida, it extends far beyond the borders of the Sunshine State. On the forefront of increasing awareness and exposure for volleyball, Wise has ushered in a philosophy of innovation when it comes to rules changes and youth volleyball opportunities, and she is routinely regarded as one of the finest resources for coaching in collegiate volleyball.
In April of 2008, Wise helped blaze another trail for the women’s volleyball community, as she played an integral role in the organization of inaugural SEC Coaches Beach Volleyball Championships, which marked the first beach volleyball tournament held by an NCAA Division I conference. Later that month, the Birmingham News named her one of the 10 most influential women’s sports coaches or administrators in conference history.
Due to the advocacy of Wise and others in the coaching community, the sport of “sand volleyball” was added to the NCAA’s list of emerging sports for women in the spring of 2009.
Wise served as the president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association during the 2008 year and held the position of past president until Dec. 31, 2009.
International Coaching
Wise’s expertise and intuition have led to numerous appointments on international coaching staffs. Most recently, Wise was named the head coach of Team USA’s Collegiate National Team that competed at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, in summer 2015 with Holston by her side. Wise served as the team leader of the U.S. National Team in the Pan American Cup during the summer of 2010. In May of 2006, she guided the USA Volleyball A2 Team at the U.S. Open Championships, as the volleyball community became one of the first groups to compete in a large-scale event in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. She also directed the U.S. National “B” Team at the 1995 World University Games.
Along the way, multiple players under Wise’s tutelage have gone on to earn invitations to national teams and compile individual honors. In the summer of 2005, four Gators trained with the USA Women's Volleyball National Team - more than any other school in the country that year. Florida’s four-time AVCA All-American Kelly Murphy was a starter with the U.S. Women’s National Team and made her first Olympics roster five years after graduating as a Gator.
Prior to Florida / Personal
Prior to guiding the Gators, Wise honed her talents at Kentucky as an assistant for five years from 1986-90. During her progression from a graduate assistant to associate head coach, the Wildcats won a pair of SEC titles and advanced to the NCAA Championship three times. Before moving on to Lexington, Ky., Wise had previously served as the head coach at Iowa State from 1981-84. At the time of her hire, she became, at 21 years of age, the youngest Division I head coach in history before eventually guiding the Cyclones to an 81-63 record, which also included a second-place finish in the Big Eight Conference in 1984.
Wise graduated from Purdue in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education after a standout career as a setter for the Boilermakers. A dean’s list student, Wise was a member of Purdue’s 1979 and 1980 Big Ten championship teams. A native of Evanston, Ill., Wise resides in Gainesville with her husband, Mark. They have two sons – Matt and Mitchell. Matt serves as an assistant women's basketball coach at Samford University.
Wise At A Glance
Hometown: Evanston, Ill.
Education: B.S., Physical Education, Purdue University, 1981
Coaching Experience:
- Iowa State: Head Coach, 1981-84
- Kentucky: Assistant Coach, 1986-89
- Kentucky: Associate Head Coach, 1989-90
- Florida: Head Coach, 1991-Present
Coaching Record (Entering 2025 Season)
- 1068-213 (.834) career record (38 seasons)
- 81-63 (.563) record at Iowa State (four seasons)
- 987-150 (.868) record at Florida (34 seasons)
Family
- Husband: Mark
- Children: Matt, Mitchell
- Grandchildren: Addy, Jack
Mary Wise Coaching Tree
Fittingly, several of Wise’s former players and assistants have successfully ventured into coaching, including Benavia Jenkins (East Tennessee State), Jeni Jones (Central Arkansas), Sally Polhamus (Georgia State), and Ryan Theis (Marquette), to name a few. Her influence stretched even farther after Wise was the lead editor for the book “Volleyball Drills for Champions.” She also produced a series of videos titled “Foundations for Successful Volleyball.”
| Melissa Batie-Smoose |
Volunteer Assistant, 2000 |
Associate Head Coach, Fairfield |
| Taylor Brauneis |
Player, 2012-13 |
Volunteer Assistant, Iowa (2015) |
| Mary (Jones) Buczek |
Assistant Coach, 1993-94 |
Head Coach, The Lovett School (through 2015) |
| Keylor Chan |
Volunteer Assistant, 1994-95 |
Head Coach, Samford |
| Michelle Chatman-Smith |
Player, 2001-04 |
Head Coach, USAV College National Team (July 2023) |
| Nick Cheronis |
Associate Head Coach, 1992-2010 |
Volunteer Assistant, Flagler College |
| Mackenzie Dagostino |
Player, 2012-15 |
Head Coach, Berkeley Preparatory (Fla.) (through 2020) |
| Erin Fleming |
Player, 2007-10 |
Head Coach, Lake Highlands Preparatory (through 2022) |
| Jacque (Robinson) Huggins |
Player, 2000-03 |
Head Coach, Buchholz High School (through 2016) |
| Benavia Jenkins |
Player, 2000-03 |
Assistant Coach, University of Michigan |
| Jeni Jones Chatman |
Player, 1995-98 |
Head Coach, Central Arkansas (through 2018) |
| Kisya Killingsworth-Putney |
Player, 2004-07 |
Head Coach, Delaware State (through 2014) |
| Steffi Legall |
Player, 1990-91 |
Head Coach, South Forsyth High School |
| Prentice Lewis |
Assistant Coach, 2000-01 |
Head Coach, University of Dallas (through 2016) |
| Amber McCray |
Player, 2002-07 |
Head Coach, LA Tech |
| Sally Polhamus |
Assistant Coach, 2011-13 |
Head Coach, Georgia State (through 2022) |
| Jenny (Whitehead) Robinson |
Player, 1999 |
Volunteer Assistant Coach, Long Island University (through 2014) |
| Jennifer (Sanchez) Montoya |
Player, 1999-02 |
Head Coach, Incarnate Word (through 2022) |
| Aaron Shepardson |
Volunteer Assistant, 2004 |
Assistant Coach, USF |
| Betsy (Smith) Freeberg |
Player, 2008-12 |
Head Coach, UAB |
| Chanda Stebbins |
Player, 1992-95 |
Head Basketball Coach, Santa Fe College |
| Ryan Theis |
Assistant Coach, 2006-07 |
Head Coach, Marquette |
| Nicole (McCray) Thorn |
Player, 1999-02 |
Head Coach, Panola College |
| Taylor Unroe |
Player, 2012-14 |
Associate Head Coach, Clemson |
| Marcie (Hampton) West |
Player, 2004-07 |
Volunteer Assistant, Morehead State (2013-14) |
| Arlisa (Hagan) Williams |
Assistant Coach, 2002-05
|
Head Coach, Georgetown (through 2017) |
| Caroline Knop |
Player, 2017-18 |
Assistant Coach, Florida |
| Allie Gregory |
Player, 2016-19 |
Assistant Coach, Troy University (through 2022) |
| Chanelle Hargreaves |
Player 2016-19 |
Assistant Coach, Appalachian State |
| Skylar Lopas |
Volunteer Assistant, 2019-21 |
Head Coach, Flagler College |
| Aaron Gordon |
Manager, 2017-2020 |
Assistant Coach, Buffalo |
