Georgia Women’s Basketball Appoints McNeese’s Ayla Guzzardo as Head Coach
Georgia has hired Ayla Guzzardo as its new women’s basketball head coach. The contract runs five years.
The move came less than 48 hours after Georgia and former coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson agreed to part ways. Filmogaz.com confirmed the hire on Saturday.
Background and recent success
Guzzardo arrives after one season at McNeese State. She led the Cowgirls to a Southland regular-season title this year.
McNeese set a program record with 29 wins under her guidance. The team also won a WBIT game, defeating Texas A&M in the first round.
Track record at Southeastern Louisiana
Before McNeese, Guzzardo rebuilt Southeastern Louisiana. She took the Lions to their first NCAA Tournament in 2023.
She also coached the program to a record 26 wins in the 2024-25 season. Under her leadership, the Lions became two-time Southland champions.
Coaching resume and accolades
Guzzardo has nine years as a Division I head coach. Her overall record stands at 151-111.
Her recent stretch is especially strong. Over the past four seasons she went 95-34, a 73.6% winning rate.
She has been named Southland Coach of the Year three times. She also interviewed for other Power Five openings, including Alabama.
Guzzardo began her coaching career as an assistant at Akron, her alma mater. She ranks fifth all-time in assists in Akron program history.
Context at Georgia
Katie Abrahamson-Henderson was hired in 2022 to replace Joni Taylor. Taylor left Georgia to take the Texas A&M job.
Abrahamson-Henderson led UCF to multiple NCAA berths before her Georgia stint. At Georgia she went 69-59 overall and 25-40 in SEC play.
The Bulldogs reached March Madness twice during her four seasons. Georgia has not advanced beyond the second weekend since 2013.
Roster and transfer outlook
The women’s transfer portal opens on Monday. Six Georgia players have already said they intend to enter the portal.
Leading scorer Dani Carnegie is among those who announced plans. Carnegie was an All-SEC selection this season.
Athletic director Josh Brooks moved quickly to hire Guzzardo. Brooks and Guzzardo are both natives of Hammond, Louisiana.
What comes next
Guzzardo inherits a program with a rich history under Andy Landers. Landers coached from 1981 to 2015 and led Georgia to five Final Fours.
The Bulldogs won eight SEC titles during his tenure. Guzzardo will become the fourth head coach in program history.
Georgia Women’s Basketball will look to Guzzardo for renewed momentum. She brings a proven record of program building and postseason experience.
