Lady Vols Add Florida State Assistant Bill Ferrara to Coaching Staff

Ferrara replaces Gabe Lazo, who resigned from the program last week.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:10pm

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of orange and white, capturing the dynamic energy and movement of a women's basketball game or practice.The addition of assistant coach Bill Ferrara aims to provide a creative spark for the Tennessee Lady Vols as they look to rebound from a disappointing season.Ann Arbor Today

The University of Tennessee women's basketball team has hired Bill Ferrara as an assistant coach, replacing Gabe Lazo who resigned from the program last week. Ferrara joins head coach Kim Caldwell's staff after spending the past four seasons as the associate head coach at Florida State.

Why it matters

The Lady Vols are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 16-14 season that saw them lose in the second round of the SEC Tournament and the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Ferrara's addition to the coaching staff brings valuable experience and a track record of success in developing high-powered offenses and three-point shooting.

The details

Ferrara has prior experience coaching in the SEC, having served as an assistant at Florida from 2015-2017. He has also coached at New Mexico, St. John's, and George Washington, where he worked with future WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones. In his four seasons at Florida State, the Seminoles had one of the most high-scoring offenses in the ACC.

  • On Friday, March 28, 2026, Gabe Lazo resigned from his role as an assistant coach for the Lady Vols.
  • On Monday, March 30, 2026, the University of Tennessee officially announced the hiring of Bill Ferrara as an assistant coach.

The players

Kim Caldwell

The head coach of the University of Tennessee women's basketball team, who is entering her 11th season leading the Lady Vols program.

Bill Ferrara

The new assistant coach for the University of Tennessee women's basketball team, who previously served as the associate head coach at Florida State for the past four seasons.

Gabe Lazo

The former assistant coach for the University of Tennessee women's basketball team, who resigned from his position on Friday, March 28, 2026.

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What they’re saying

“I am pleased to welcome Bill to our staff. He has played an instrumental role in Florida State's high-scoring offense and three-point shooting over the past four seasons. We look forward to adding his technical knowledge, experience and recruiting abilities to our program.”

— Kim Caldwell, Head Coach, University of Tennessee Women's Basketball

“I am thrilled to join Kim Caldwell's staff at Tennessee and excited to be part of a program with such a rich history. I look forward to bringing my energy and experience to the Lady Vols. Kim's incredibly-successful 10-year track record as a head coach speaks for itself, and I'm ready to get to work in recruiting and can't wait to get on the floor with the most storied program in women's basketball.”

— Bill Ferrara, New Assistant Coach, University of Tennessee Women's Basketball

What’s next

The Lady Vols will look to build on their 16-14 record from last season and make a deeper run in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments with the addition of Ferrara to the coaching staff.

The takeaway

The hiring of Bill Ferrara as an assistant coach for the Lady Vols represents an important addition to Kim Caldwell's staff as they aim to return the program to national prominence. Ferrara's experience developing high-powered offenses and his recruiting prowess should provide a boost to a Tennessee team that struggled at times last season.