UF hooks hoops coach
Louisiana Tech’s Michael White to lead team.
The Florida Gators moved quickly to replace ultra-successful coach Billy Donovan.
UF has hired Louisiana Tech coach Michael White to replace Donovan, the school announced on its website.
After winning two national titles, Donovan left Florida to take over as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s head coach. Despite saying he would not rush the search, UF athletic director Jeremy Foley clearly had a top candidate in mind.
A native of Dunedin, White is 81-23 during four seasons at Louisiana Tech, leading the Bulldogs to three regular-season conference titles, but the
teams never have reached the NCAA Tournament.
White, 38, is a former guard at Ole Miss, who spent seven seasons as an assistant coach in Oxford before leaving for Louisiana Tech.
“I have an incredible amount of respect for the University of Florida, and I am so excited to be a Gator,” White said in a UF news release. “Not only is Florida home for me, but the tradition and success that the Gators have built make this an incredible opportunity. I know about the great home court advantage in the O’Connell Center, which is a testament to the fans and the Rowdy Reptiles.
“I look forward to returning to the SEC where I have a lot of great memories, and I can’t wait to create many more alongside The Gator Nation.”
White has agreed in principle to a six-year deal at an average of $2 million per year.
“Michael White is someone who came to the top of our list very quickly and he checks all of the boxes we were looking for,” Foley said. “He is a winner who has a high level of integrity, plays an up-tempo style of play and has the respect of his peers and the basketball community. He has experience in coaching, recruiting and playing in the Southeastern Conference and has a strong pedigree. He has a certain authenticity with people and is not afraid of challenges.”
White is the son of Duke athletic director Kevin White. His two brothers also work in athletic administration at Buffalo and Tulsa.
Michael White was targeted by Tennessee in 2014 to replace Cuonzo Martin, but he ended up turning down the job. He was also previously linked to job openings at USF and Wake Forest, but he refused to directly acknowledge the recruitment by other programs and insisted he was committed to building a strong program at Louisi- ana Tech.
He now will step into a challenging role replacing a coach who put UF basketball on the national map.
During19 seasons at Florida, Donovan coached the Gators to two national titles, four Final Fours and 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament.
On Monday, Foley vowed to find a replacement who would not let the Gators take a step back.
“We want to keep this thing going in the right direction,” Foley said. “I think there are a lot of people doubting that we can do that, and that fires us up because we have a good job here.”
Like Donovan, White brings a large family with him to Gainesville. He is married to the former Kira Zschau, who was an AllSEC volleyball player at Ole Miss and earned a law degree from the university. The couple has two daughters, Rylee and Maggie; twin boys, Collin and Keegan; and a son, Dillon.