Owls’ Lewis-Jay’s tenure ends after five years

Florida Atlantic fired women’s basketball coach Kellie Lewis-Jay, the school announced Monday, ending her five-year tenure atop the Owls program.

With a 71-59 loss to Middle Tennessee State on Saturday, FAU finished the season on a 19-game losing streak. It went 4-25 overall and 0-18 in Conference USA.

“Kellie, her staff and her teams have represented Florida Atlantic University exceptionally well in the classroom and in the community,” FAU Athletic Director Pat Chun said in a statement. “We thank her for her five years of service leading our women’s basketball program.”

In Lewis-Jay’s five seasons, FAU had a winning overall record just once. It never had a winning record within conference play. She finished 73-103.

The school said a search for Lewis-Jay’s replacement would begin immediately.

This season, three of FAU’s five leading scorers were freshmen. The Owls’ only senior was Kat Wright, who did not play a game this year.

FAU’s men’s basketball team (10-19, 6-12 Conference USA) plays Marshall in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament on Wednesday at 9 p.m. The Thundering Herd (17-14, 10-8) beat the Owls by 17 points in Boca Raton in January.

Gators fire Butler

After 10 seasons at her alma mater, coach Amanda Butler ran out of chances to turn the Florida Gators into an SEC power in women’s basketball.

The school announced Butler would not return following a 15-16 season (5-11 SEC) that ended with a 67-48 loss to Texas A&M during the second round of last week’s conference tournament.

Butler, who turned 45 Monday, finished her career at UF 190-137.

Butler’s firing is the first coaching change under new athletic director Scott Stricklin.

“Amanda obviously loves the University of Florida,” Stricklin said in a statement. “She worked tirelessly trying to grow this program and help it achieve consistent success, and her efforts will always be appreciated. These decisions are always difficult, and more so in this instance because of the person Amanda is and how well she is liked throughout our department.

“I believe this program has the resources and support to achieve sustained success and compete for championships.”

Former UF AD Jeremy Foley gave Butler every chance to compete for championships.

Some wondered whether Butler would return after the Gators finished 13-17 in 2014-15 and their top player, Sydney Moss, decided to transfer.

Foley stuck with Butler and she delivered a 22-win season and fourth-place finish in the ultra-competitive SEC. But UF entered the NCAA Tournament a No. 5 seed and lost during the first round by No. 12 Albany.

Butler, a native of Tennessee, played guard at UF from 1990-94.