Four months to go until March Madness decides who will be the champion, but the madness has already begun as college basketball returns to America! With W done and the season nearing, the AP’s women’s preseason poll for the 2025-26 season out, the anticipation is fever-high. Upon analysis, teams across collegiate basketball had already begun preparing as well. And the Florida Gators, driven by Kelly Rae Finley, are just following the trend. Though the head coach has a new approach to begin with!

When asked about having consistency during the regular season, the head coach admitted, “I appreciate and love that question because that’s the truth. We need to peak earlier.” Last season, the Gators were 19-18 overall and 5-11 in SEC play, good enough for 11th position in SEC women’s basketball. But the team made some obvious mistakes in the previous season that Rae is focused on improving.

Rae added at the annual media preseason event, “We’ve talked with our team, we’ve really evaluated this off-season where we need to grow sooner as a program. Part of that is in the consistency of our players. Sometimes you have lucky breaks, sometimes you don’t…” The team reached the WBIT semifinals in the postseason run for the 2024-25 season but couldn’t leave an impact.

After a thrilling win over Texas Tech, they secured a 67-63 victory in a closely contested game. But the journey ended in the semifinals with a 66-55 loss to Minnesota, concluding their season on a high note despite the defeat. So that was how the Gators played last season, but the upcoming one won’t be similar.

“Having consistency in our training, being able to evaluate where those gaps and holes were for us this off-season – rebounding, defense, where our scoring is coming from, transition defense, ball screen defense, especially in our league – and being able to address those things earlier, have better chemistry early. That’s been huge for us in terms of how we connect both on and off the court to elevate our play,” the Gators HC further explained. 

The Gators’ beginnings weren’t like the games they played later on. Just halfway through the 2024-25 campaign, the Gators sat at 11-9 overall and 2-4 in the WSEC. While they shared notable wins, including over Missouri and Texas A&M, they had their own set of challenges, too. They lost by 101-63 against South Carolina and 87-101 to LSU. But there were reasons for their slow start.

The No. 10 recruit in the country, Laila Reynolds, was just one of them. She was expected to elevate the team, but her hip surgery made her arrival late. Her first game back was her fifth game of the season. Having started in 31 games in the 2023-24 season, she averaged 7 points with 3.7 rebounds per game. But as soon as she arrived, she was a spot-on contributor. She ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 10.5 PPG in 2024-25. Also, her wide-ranging scoring abilities and defensive presence added even more impact.

The struggles weren’t limited to just that. The team also lacked defensively, with a 95.2 defensive rating that placed them 265th of 362, and a 99.7 offensive rating, putting them 79th of 362 across women’s collegiate basketball. But learning from her mistakes is what Rae is focused on.

What’s Next for the Florida Gators in 2026?

As the 2024-25 season wraps up, the Gators are already looking ahead to a transformative year. Would it be possible with key departures like Ra Shaya Kyle? Yes. The Gators have already filled the gaps with the arrival of five newcomers: Sarah Deng, Knisha Godfrey, Emilija Dakic, Caterina Piatti, and Nyadieng “Nidi” Yiech. All of them bring unique skills to elevate the team.

Deng, a junior from Adelaide, is a proven leader. She was Co-D1 Defensive Player of the Year by the ACCAC and 2nd Team All-Conference, impacting both ends of the floor. Adding to her presence will be the incoming freshman class. To start with, Emilija Dakic, a guard from Australia, comes with experience with Southside Flyers and a U18 FIBA Asia Cup gold medal.

Then there’s Caterina Piatti, a forward from Italy, who’s a versatile and agile European standout. Helping her would be Nidi Yiech, who can contribute in both scoring and defensive firepower, as highlighted by her U18 AmeriCup silver medal. Still, the key to success will be team chemistry and leadership. And that’s where Liv McGill and the returning players will help by anchoring the roster.

Furthermore, under Kelly Rae Finley’s guidance, the team will develop quickly. So yes, while there are months still to March, the Gators are already on fire!