UNF women’s basketball head coach Darrick Gibbs will no longer be serving in that role for the program, the athletic department announced Thursday. 

This announcement comes less than 24 hours after the season came to an end with a 83-71 loss to Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, eliminating the team from participation in the ASUN tournament. This capped off a 7-20 overall record, with the Ospreys finishing 4-13 in ASUN play.

This season was bound to be a challenge, with UNF returning just two players from last season’s roster. Despite the rough record, this team showed potential at times with a few impressive wins against quality opponents.

Gibbs was at the helm for eight seasons, racking up 95 wins and 138 losses during his time in Jacksonville. Following longtime head coach Mary Tappmeyer’s departure in 2015, he was announced as just the second women’s basketball head coach in UNF history.

This decision comes after Gibbs received a contract extension in 2019 that would have kept him in charge through the 2023-24 season.

In his eight-year stint, he most notably developed forward Jazz Bond, who became the first Osprey to ever be selected in the WNBA Draft in 2022. 

These decisions are never easy to make, evidenced by UNF Director of Athletics Nick Morrow.

“After thoughtful evaluation of the women’s basketball program, we have decided to make a change in leadership,” Morrow said in a release. “We as a department are very appreciative of the commitment Coach Gibbs has shown towards the program over the past eight years. We will forever be thankful for his service to the development of all the student-athletes he coached.” 

The release also makes note that a nationwide search will commence to find the next head coach of the Ospreys.

Spinnaker asked UNF athletics and Coach Gibbs for comment but did not receive an immediate response. 

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