Lady Vols Basketball Adds Florida State Associate Head Coach to Staff

Bill Ferrara Jr. will join Kim Caldwell's coaching staff at Tennessee.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:11pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the chaotic energy and movement of a women's basketball game, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes representing the strategic elements of the sport.The Lady Vols' new coaching staff, led by Bill Ferrara Jr., aims to bring a fresh, dynamic approach to the program's offense.Ann Arbor Today

The University of Tennessee women's basketball team has added Florida State associate head coach Bill Ferrara Jr. to its coaching staff under head coach Kim Caldwell. Ferrara previously served as an assistant coach in the SEC at Florida and has experience developing high-powered offenses, including leading a team that had the country's leading scorer in 2024-25.

Why it matters

The addition of Ferrara to Caldwell's staff at Tennessee signals the program's commitment to building a strong coaching team that can help the Lady Vols return to national prominence after a disappointing 16-14 season and early NCAA Tournament exit in 2025-26.

The details

Ferrara has served as Florida State's associate head coach since the 2022-23 season, overseeing an offense that averaged a Division I-high 86.9 points per game in 2024-25. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at St. John's, New Mexico, and Florida, where he helped develop future WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones. Ferrara has prior SEC experience, having coached at Florida from 2015-17.

  • Ferrara has served as Florida State's associate head coach since the 2022-23 season.
  • In the 2024-25 season, the Florida State team Ferrara coached led Division I in scoring average at 86.9 points per game.

The players

Kim Caldwell

The head coach of the University of Tennessee women's basketball team, entering her second season.

Bill Ferrara Jr.

The new associate head coach for the University of Tennessee women's basketball team, previously serving in the same role at Florida State.

TaNiya Latson

The leading scorer in Division I basketball during the 2024-25 season, when she played for Florida State under Ferrara's coaching.

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What’s next

Caldwell and the Lady Vols will look to build on the addition of Ferrara to the coaching staff as they prepare for the 2026-27 season and aim to improve on their performance from the previous year.

The takeaway

The hiring of Bill Ferrara Jr., an experienced coach with a track record of developing high-powered offenses, represents a strategic move by Kim Caldwell and the Tennessee women's basketball program to strengthen their coaching staff and position the Lady Vols for a return to the national spotlight.