McNeese’s Ayla Guzzardo Takes Georgia Head Coaching Job

Athens, Georgia (KNGT-FM) - After just one season in Lake Charles, Ayla Guzzardo’s time has come to an end. Sunday, it is being reported that Guzzardo is taking the step up to the SEC and has accepted the Head Coaching job at Georgia.

Ayla Guzzardo recently signed a contract extension worth $877,000. That deal for Guzzardo was the largest contract in McNeese Women’s Basketball history.

Per the Lake Charles American Press, Guzzardo's buyout dropped nearly half, to $75,000, with the departure of Heath Schroyer to LSU last week.

McNeese recently wrapped up its best season in program history as Guzzardo guided the Cowgirls to their first trip to the postseason since 2016. During that, the Cowgirls upset Texas A&M to pick up their first Power 4 win of the season.

Guzzardo, who previously spent time at Akron and St. Thomas Aquinas, began her collegiate head coaching career at Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond, America. There, she led the Lions to two Southland Conference regular-season championships and an NCAA Tournament appearance. She later moved to McNeese, where she guided the program to the most successful season in its history.

Now, Ayla Guzzardo will head to the Southeastern Conference to live out her dream of becoming a Power 4 Head Coach, as she is now tasked with leading the Georgia Women’s Basketball program back to the NCAA Tournament.

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Georgia mutually agreed to part ways with former coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson on Saturday. Abrahamson-Henderson was 69-59 during her time leading the Georgia program. The Dawgs finished the year 22-10 overall, and 8-8 in SEC Play.

The hunt for a new women’s basketball coach isn’t as easy as it may seem for McNeese. Bridget Martin, who is serving as the current Athletics Director, will be tasked with finding a new Head Coach. McNeese is in a strange spot with both an interim President (Kedrick Nicholas) and an interim Athletic Director (Bridget Martin).