Tammi Reiss arrived in Kingston, Rhode Island, in 2019 to an abysmal program.
The Rhode Island Rams failed to gain fans, were last in the Atlantic 10, and their players struggled in the classroom.
Throughout the next seven years, she developed a winning culture and turned the “Rhodys” into an A10 powerhouse — complete with an NCAA Tournament appearance last week.
Tuesday, Reiss took her first step into ushering in a new era 1,100 miles south at a program desperate for a winner.
Reiss was introduced as the 12th head coach in Florida women’s basketball history Tuesday inside the Heavener Football Training Center in front of the media, boosters, administrators and even the men’s basketball staff, including coach Todd Golden.
Four years ago, Golden came to Gainesville from a mid-major with one March Madness appearance. His “lack of experience” didn’t matter, and he already holds one national title to his name.
Reiss didn’t hesitate in proclaiming similar goals, even though Florida has never won even an SEC Championship — the only Gator sport not to do so.
“Every head coach’s goal, and if it isn’t, I don’t think you should be coaching, is to win a National Championship,” Reiss said.
How will the 55-year-old reach that goal? Here’s the vision she outlined for the program.
Florida women’s basketball will play fast
Reiss noted she used to be a defensive coach, but after she went two years without an A10 title, the coach decided to alter her philosophy.
She spoke with UConn national championship coaches — Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma and former Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley.
“They said, ‘Listen, sweetie, you’ve got to go get some players that can pass, shoot and dribble and teach them the game of basketball,”’ Reiss said.
She did that, and the Rams had one of the conference’s best offenses. They also ended leading the A10 in fewest points allowed per game, a feat that surprised Reiss.
“I don’t understand how that happened, but I think that’s just who I am,” Reiss said.
UF ranked 11th in points per game in 2025-26. Two current players — Jade Weathersby and Liv McGill — attended Reiss’ press conference. McGill’s presence is a hopeful sign for Gator fans. Keeping the first-team All SEC and All-American is key for Reiss’ success.
How will Reiss reconstruct the Gators roster
Keeping Kelly Rae Finley’s recruits will be tough in this age. Reiss knows she needs to build relationships with players and their families that Finley constructed during the recruiting process.
However, the portal works both ways, and Reiss insisted she wants to create a roster of players who will execute her ideas.
“I want people that want to be here, for so many more reasons than just basketball,” Reiss said. “It’s my job to build that relationship as quick as possible to see. Do you trust me? Can you believe in the new vision? This is the culture, and it’s a tough culture. Do you want to be a part of that?”
How will a winning culture happen in Gainesville?
Reiss proclaimed that everywhere she’s been, she helped put butts in the seats. Winning is the biggest way to do that, but it’s also getting into the community and connecting with fans.
She remembered her playing career at Virginia. The stands were empty with no ACC Championships when she arrived. By her graduation, the Hoos had three Final Four appearances and packed crowds.
The All-American was an original pioneer in the WNBA, where she stayed for hours after games to sign autographs.
“We took every picture because we had to build that league to what it’s become today,” Reiss said. “We were the pioneers when there was no one in the stands and you had to market your league.”
The same transpired at URI. She took a page out of her college roommate Dawn Staley’s playbook. When the Hall of Famer came to South Carolina, she said she didn’t sleep.
Reiss slept little in Rhode Island and fundraised $338,000 in a year, compared to the $8,000 the university provided.
She holds the same objective at Florida. Stricklin called her a “pied piper” for what she’s done.
“You look at the coaches she talked about competing with in this league (Staley, Kim Mulkey, Vic Schaefer), they are the ring leader of the circus. They’re interesting and fun. They make it entertainment,” Stricklin said. “I think Tammi has a lot of those skill sets and traits.”
The Gators have made just one NCAA Tournament since 2016 and haven’t won a game since 2014.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Fast play, packed stands — Tammi Reiss’ vision for Florida women’s basketball
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
