Florida hires Ryan Theis as volleyball coach: Ex-Mary Wise assistant taking over Gators in 2025
With nearly 1,000 wins to her name and a career spanning four decades in Gainesville, Florida, the matriarch of the Florida Gators volleyball program, Mary Wise, has decided to hang up her whistle this month after 34 seasons leading the orange & blue from 1991 to 2024. It did not take long for the Gators to replace Wise, 65; in fact, they only had to look through some of her old coaching staffs.
Florida announced Monday night that Ryan Theis, who served as a Wise assistant from 2006-07, will take over after spending the last 11 seasons leading Marquette. Thesis’ Golden Eagles won 74.9% of their games and advanced to 10 NCAA Tournaments with three appearances in the Sweet 16 and three Big East championships during his tenure.
“It is a great honor to be named the head coach of the Florida Gators. I have been a fan and admirer of Florida volleyball and Mary Wise for more than 25 years,” Theis said in a statement. “I had the privilege of working for Mary and even married into the Gator family. Jenn, our boys and I are beyond excited to enter back into Gator Nation and call this our home. …
“I am excited to continue the legacy created by Mary Wise. We will embrace the expectations through an others-oriented, team approach. We will make daily choices that steer us toward success and be champions in everything we do. I’m looking forward to representing this great University and engaging with everyone that touches our program and the Gator Nation.”
Theis’ wife, Jenny Manz, is one of the best players in program history with numerous entries in Florida’s record book. A member of the 2010 class entered into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame, she won two All-American honors and two SEC Player of the Year awards with the Gators while serving as one of the program’s stars during its run of three straight Final Fours from 1996-98.
Theis, who served as head coach at Ohio from 2008-13 after leaving Florida and before joining Marquette, ranks among the top 15 nationally in winning percentage (.740). He is a two-time MAC Coach of the Year (2009, 2013) who has won 11 total conference championships (regular season, tournament) out of 34 opportunities.
“We are excited to welcome Ryan and his family back to Gainesville to lead our storied volleyball program,” Stricklin said. “… Beyond winning at a high level, Ryan has an intentional approach in developing the overall student athlete — athletically, academically and socially while embracing the community and University.”
