Story courtesy: Eric Trainer, UT Athletics
Tennessee women’s basketball head coach Kim Caldwell announced on Monday the addition of former Florida State associate head coach Bill Ferrara to her staff as an assistant.
Ferrara, who has been with the Seminoles since 2022-23, replaces Gabe Lazo, who submitted his resignation on Friday.
“I am pleased to welcome Bill to our staff,” Caldwell said. “He has played an instrumental role in Florida State’s high-scoring offense and three-point shooting over the past four seasons. We look forward to adding his technical knowledge, experience and recruiting abilities to our program.”
Ferrara became the associate head coach of the Florida State women’s basketball program ahead of the 2022-23 season and has helped lead the Seminoles to three seasons of 23+ wins and NCAA appearances in three of the past four years. His input played a key role in FSU’s scoring averages and three-point shooting metrics ranking among the nation’s best during that time.
“I am thrilled to join Kim Caldwell‘s staff at Tennessee and excited to be part of a program with such a rich history,” Ferrara said. “I look forward to bringing my energy and experience to the Lady Vols. Kim’s incredibly-successful 10-year track record as a head coach speaks for itself, and I’m ready to get to work in recruiting and can’t wait to get on the floor with the most storied program in women’s basketball.”
Tasked with running the fast-paced offense in Brooke Wyckoff’s system, Ferrara helped the Seminoles lead the nation in scoring at 86.9 points per game in 2024-25. FSU broke the 100-point barrier seven times and produced the nation’s leading scorer in Ta’Niya Latson (25.9 PPG).
In his second season with the Seminoles in 2023-24, he enjoyed another standout year as the team’s offensive guru. His body of work was recognized on Jan. 29, 2024, when he was named as one of the nation’s “most-ready assistant coaches” to become a head coach by The Athletic.
For the second consecutive regular season, both under Ferrara’s watch, the Seminoles led the ACC in scoring during the regular season in 2023-24. FSU finished the year averaging 78.5 points – a Top 20 offensive mark nationally.
Ferrara has helped make FSU’s offense especially innovative from beyond the arc. The Seminoles set a program record with 232 made 3-point field goals in his first season. In Year No. 2, FSU extended its own record with 241 made threes in the 2023-24 year. In 2024-25, the Seminoles once again set a school best, sinking 286, while they made a No. 2-ranked total of 243 in 2025-26.
Ferrara also has prior experience at several stops. Among them, Central Michigan, Hofstra, George Washington, Florida, New Mexico and St. John’s.
The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., has assumed a wide variety of roles at each university where he has served, and he was also associate head coach at St. John’s.
Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun, the 2021 WNBA MVP, was coached by Ferrara during their time with George Washington from 2013-15.
Ferrara is a graduate of the University of Florida, earning a bachelor’s of science in business management in 2003 and a master’s of science in exercise and sport science in 2005.
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