Ryan Theis Sets the Tone for Florida Volleyball’s Future
Mary Wise left Florida volleyball with big shoes to fill, and Ryan Theis is proving he was the right fit.
Despite a rocky start to the season, with inconsistent wins and losses piling up, Theis worked to steady the team and showed resilience through early challenges. Wrapping up his first season as head coach, he’s quickly demonstrated that he can carry forward the program’s championship standard while adding his own touch to the Gator legacy.
Theis’ connection to Gainesville dates back to 1999, when he first became captivated by the program Wise had built. During his senior year at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the UWM women’s volleyball team played Illinois in the NCAA Tournament First Round, hosted in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Illinois’ win moved them up to face the No. 4 Florida Gators in the second round of the tournament. Florida won in five sets.
“Ever since then, I wanted to fill Mary Wise’s shoes and learn from her and work with her,” Theis said.
Wise turned the Gators into one of the nation’s preeminent volleyball programs, and Theis knew better than to reinvent what already worked. Instead, he focused on maintaining the culture and consistency that defined Wise’s tenure while leaving his own mark on the sidelines.
“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.”
With 17 seasons of head coaching experience, Theis isn’t new to success. He spent two years in Gainesville as the Gators’ offensive and recruiting coordinator in 2006–07. Most recently as a head coach, he led Marquette to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, including semifinal runs in 2018, 2022 and 2024.
Overall, Theis has amassed a record of 402-141 during his time as a head coach. He has never had fewer than 21 wins in a full season. With the Golden Eagles, 29 victories in 2022 marks his career best.
Coming into the season, Florida volleyball was ranked No. 16 in the AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball Poll. But midway through the year, the Gators slipped out of the Top 25, marking the first time Florida had been unranked since Mary Wise took over in 1991.
“We have made a really huge effort to avoid outside noise,” Theis said. “It’s a popularity contest and we have got three or four pretty good wins on our resume, and we are just focused on us being better and getting to December—that’s our goal.”
The Gators lost their SEC opener to undefeated Mississippi State at home, bringing them to a 5-5 record, the worst of any season since 1990. This was only the third time in program history that the Gators fell to the Bulldogs.
But, Theis and his team stayed focused, emphasizing composure and consistency through the ups and downs of the season. The Gators racked up back-to-back-to back wins against No. 25 Missouri, Vanderbilt and No. 16 Tennessee.
Coming out of their 3-0 win against Arkansas, the Gators returned to the AVCA Top 25 Poll, securing the No. 25 spot.
To wrap up its regular season, the Gators defeated Ole Miss in four sets, pushing them to 14-10 overall and 9-6 in SEC play.
This year’s roster looked different, with many familiar faces gone and a wave of new players stepping into key roles. This season was about finding balance blending the program’s legacy that Wise built with the fresh energy of a team learning to play together.
The Gators earned the No. 5 seed in the 2025 Allstate SEC Volleyball Tournament and will open tournament action on Saturday, Nov. 22 at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia. Florida received a first-round bye and is set to play the winner of match 2 where No. 12 Alabama and No. 13 South Carolina face off.
As the Gators enter postseason play, Theis’ steady leadership has positioned the program for a future that feels both familiar and full of possibility.
Category: Gainesville, Gators Volleyball, SEC, Volleyball
