Florida Volleyball Coach Mary Wise Elected to AVCA Hall of Fame After 34 Seasons

Mary Wise, who built the University of Florida volleyball program into a national power over 34 seasons, has been elected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the organization announced.

Wise compiled an 987-168 record with the Gators from 1991 through 2024, a .855 winning percentage that ranks among the best in the history of Division I women's volleyball. She led Florida to 25 Southeastern Conference championships and 31 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, a streak that ended only when she retired.

Her 1996 team finished 37-0 before losing to Stanford in the NCAA semifinals, and her 2003 squad reached the national championship match, falling to Southern California. Florida made eight NCAA Final Four appearances under Wise, the most recent in 2017.

Wise, 65, stepped down in December 2024 after the Gators finished 18-12. She finished her career ranked fifth all-time in Division I wins among women's volleyball coaches, trailing only Russ Rose, John Cook, Dave Shoji and Jerritt Elliott.

She arrived in Gainesville in 1991 from Iowa State, where she had gone 154-83 in seven seasons. Florida had never won an SEC title before her tenure; the Gators won 18 of the first 20 SEC championships contested during her run, including 18 straight from 1991 to 2008.

Wise coached 26 AVCA All-Americans at Florida, including Kelly Murphy, who was named the 2010 AVCA National Player of the Year, and Rhamat Alhassan, the 2017 SEC Player of the Year. She was named SEC Coach of the Year 15 times and AVCA National Coach of the Year twice, in 1996 and 2003.

The AVCA Hall of Fame, established in 2003, has inducted more than 120 coaches, administrators and officials. Wise joins a class that will be formally enshrined at the AVCA Convention in December.

Florida named Ryan Theis as her successor in January 2025. The Gators went 20-9 in his first season, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Wise's .855 career winning percentage at Florida is the highest of any coach in SEC volleyball history with at least 10 seasons in the conference. Her teams won 20 or more matches in 30 of her 34 seasons.