The University of North Florida Athletics hosted a press conference on Tuesday for the university’s new volleyball head coach, Abby Gilleland. 

In the press conference, Gilleland insisted on maintaining the “holistic student-athlete experience” during the course of her coaching career at UNF. Gilleland succeeds Kristen Wright, the former head coach, who faced multiple allegations before her resignation. 

UNF Athletics hosted a press conference in the Texana Bank Suite at the UNF Arena to introduce Gilleland, highlighting her background and coaching philosophy as she assumes her first head-coach role. 

During the press conference, UNF Athletics Director Nick Morrow weighed in on the search for a new volleyball coach, following Wright’s resignation.

“The head coaching search is one of the most important things we do as an administration; we take this responsibility very seriously; they control that team culture that student-athletes experience, that day-to-day, more than anyone else,” said Morrow.

First-time Head Coach

Gilleland will be the seventh head coach in the 35-year history of the UNF volleyball program.

During the press conference, Morrow explained that Senior Associate Athletic Director (AD) for Compliance & Administration Donna Kirk, Deputy Director Ervin Lewis, and Associate AD for Compliance and Administration Nancy Miller played a significant role in the interview process.

“[They] spent many, many more hours with me on calls to make sure we’re bringing the right candidates to campus and ultimately finding the right person,” said Morrow.

Gilleland thanked those involved with the interview process during the press conference.

“Thank you for taking the time and diligence throughout this process to advocate for the student athletes that weren’t able to be in the room,” said Gilleland.

Concerning UNF’s decision on Gilleland, Morrow explained it was “one of the most competitive searches”.

“I can’t tell you how many phone calls I received and how many different people I talked to…it was just an overwhelming amount,” said Morrow. “One name kept rising to the top, and that was Abby [Gilleland],” said Morrow.

Gilleland shared that her decision to join UNF was driven by shared core values, making North Florida her ideal environment to develop her coaching career. 

“North Florida is my dream job, and I don’t mean that in the traditional sense because over the years, through experiences, conversations, opportunities, all throughout collegiate athletics, I’ve learned what truly matters to me in this landscape. When I put all of that together, UNF checks every single box,” said Gilleland.

Director Morrow praised Gilleland for her “confidence and calm that inspires trust”.

“Her energy, her competitive mindset, her commitment, developing champions in the classroom, on the court, and in life make her that ideal person to lead this program,” said Morrow.

Holistic student athlete development

For a significant portion of her speech during the press conference, Gilleland explained the relationships she hoped to foster with players, focusing on a “holistic” approach.

Gilleland revealed that she openly discussed the “commitment to the holistic student-athlete experience” during her interview process.

“I come to understand that to build something special, to take over a program and grow it the right way, it has to be in a place that genuinely aligns with your values,” said Gilleland.

According to Gilleland, the UNF athletics administration aligns directly with her vision for the volleyball program. As she met the team only a few weeks ago, Gilleland thanked the players for the way she has been “welcomed throughout the process”.

“In today’s world of college athletics, which we talked about often, it’s truly rare to see a group stay together for a coaching transition, and that’s exactly what this group did and continues to do,” said Gilleland.

Spinnaker asked Gilleland to describe her coaching style for those unfamiliar with it during games and practices.

“I think I’m a player’s coach and I really want to navigate in a way that is conversational,” said Gilleland. “I want things to be a conversation, I want you to understand the ‘why’.”

Gilleland also shared that all eligible athletes from the previous season will be returning to play under her coaching.

“We’ve got 15 [players] in the gym right now, so it’s giving us a really great head start to establish some things, to put systems in place and work on that, but I’m excited to have the whole group, and they are a special group, for sure,” said Gilleland.

The next UNF indoor volleyball season begins August 2026.

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