Florida Hires Ryan Theis as Head Volleyball Coach

Theis replaces Wise, who recently announced her retirement after 34 years leading the program.

“It is a great honor to be named the head coach of the Florida Gators,” Theis said in a press release. “I have been a fan and admirer of Florida volleyball and Mary Wise for more than 25 years.  “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 want to thank Scott Stricklin, the entire staff and administration who helped make this possible and continue to position our program to be the best in the country.

In 11 seasons leading Marquette, Theis turned the Golden Eagles into a consistent tournament program with 10 appearances. Under Theis, Marquette made it as far as the regional semifinal three times with its most-recent appearance in 2024.

Prior to his stint with Marquette, Theis led Ohio University’s volleyball program for six seasons with four trips to the NCAA Tournament. He won seven total conference titles with the Bobcats (Three regular season, four tournament).

Including a six-season stop at Ohio in-between his assistant tenure with Florida and his head coaching tenure with Marquette, Theis owns a career record of 402-141, giving him a top 15 winning percentage nationally among active head coaches (74 percent).

“We are excited to welcome Ryan and his family back to Gainesville to lead our storied Volleyball program,” Athletics Director Scott Stricklin said. “After two seasons as an assistant coach for the Gators, Ryan went on to build highly successful programs at Ohio and Marquette, competing for and winning championships while making deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.”

In addition to his ties as a former UF assistant coach, Theis is also tied to the program through his marraige to the former Jenny Manz, a former Gators volleyball star who was inducted in the UF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.

“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,” Stricklin said. “Along with his wife Jenny, a Gator Great (2010 Florida Athletics Hall of Fame inductee) and a two-time SEC Player of the Year under Coach Wise, Ryan and his family will make a seamless transition back to UF as he leads this famed program and proudly represents the Orange and Blue.”

Theis will have big shoes to fill coming in as Wise’s replacement.

In 38 years as a collegiate head coach, Wise won 1,068 matches (fourth-most in Division I history) with an 0.834 winning percentage, which was tied for the highest among active NCAA head coaches at the time of her retirement (Eighth highest historically among all NCAA divisions for coaches with a minimum of 20 years of experience).

She won 987 matches in her 34 seasons leading Florida, which made her the longest-tenured coach in UF history.

Additionally, the Gators made the NCAA Tournament in every season under Wise with a best finish as NCAA runners-up (2003, 2008). Additionally, she won 25 SEC titles including 18-straight from 1991 (her first season) until 2008.

“There was never going to be a good time, but you can’t stop Father Time,” Wise said, via UF athletics writer Scott Carter. “My wish all along was to set Florida up for the future, and I feel so good about the players returning, the players coming in. Volleyball has never been in as good a place as it is nationally. The landscape of college athletics looks very different than from when we got in, and I like to think it’s the right time to pass the torch.”

Although the task at hand replacing Wise will be large, Theis is embracing the challenge ahead of him.

“I am excited to continue the legacy created by Mary Wise,” Theis said. “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.”