Kelly Rae Finley has joined the University of Virginia women’s basketball program as associate head coach, according to a May 4 announcement. Finley was previously the head coach at the University of Florida and brings extensive experience in collegiate basketball to her new role.
Finley’s appointment comes after Aaron Roussell was named Virginia’s new head women’s basketball coach on April 7. Roussell said he reached out to Finley for advice about succeeding at Virginia and later invited her to join his staff. “She’s always been somebody that I’ve known and I’ve respected,” Roussell said, describing his effort as more of a recruiting pitch than just seeking counsel.
Finley has coached at several major programs, including Arizona and Colorado, before leading Florida for five seasons with a record of 93-75. She described her journey into coaching, which began with an unpaid assistant position at Harvard after encouragement from her father: “And he said, ‘Well, tell her you’re staying. I’ll ship you your stuff.’” Over time, she took on greater responsibilities such as recruiting coordinator and credits mentors like Kathy Delaney-Smith and Kenny Blakeney for helping shape her approach.
Roussell praised Finley’s energy and work ethic: “Her personality is full of energy, and she’s a tireless worker.” He added that her national network will help Virginia expand its recruiting reach. Shannon Wells, now UVA’s volleyball coach who worked with Finley in Florida, also expressed confidence in what Finley brings: “We just really were able to bounce a bunch of ideas off each other… our recruiting is really going to step up.”
Finley acknowledged changes in college athletics due to name-image-likeness (NIL) opportunities but emphasized the enduring importance of relationships: “Relationships still stay the same… sport originated as a supplement to education.” She looks forward to working under athletic director Carla Williams and being part of what she called a dynamic group.
The Cavaliers are coming off an NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance. Returning players include All-ACC guard Kymora Johnson—someone whom Finley previously recruited while at Florida—and whom she described as “really a special person.”
