The Florida Gators are searching for direction again. And as the program weighs its next move, one name that keeps surfacing more than most is the Ole Miss Rebels head coach – Yolett McPhee-McCuin.

The Gators parted ways with head coach Kelly Rae Finley on Monday after five seasons, a tenure that ended with the program poised to miss the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year. One of the main reasons behind her firing is the Gators’ struggles in their conference, where they went 30–50 under her guidance.

With the job now open, several reports and analysts around the women’s college basketball landscape have begun pointing toward McPhee-McCuin.

‘Coach Yo,’ as she is widely known, has quietly built one of the conference’s most respected programs. In eight seasons with Ole Miss, she has led the Rebels to four NCAA Tournament appearances (with a fifth expected this year) while guiding the program to Sweet 16 runs in 2023 and 2025.

Florida needs someone who can rebuild their program and sustain their long-term success in one of the nation’s toughest conferences. While in their history, they have never won an SEC title and reached the Sweet 16 only twice, UF plans to change that.

And that’s where coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin comes in.

Before arriving at Ole Miss, she was coaching at Jacksonville – a struggling program that faced four straight losing seasons. But she guided the Dolphins to the NCAA Tournament in just three years, and consecutive 20-win seasons and WNIT appearances.

Then, after she took over the Ole Miss program in 2018, coach McPhee-McCuin took the Rebels to five straight 20-win seasons and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, transforming them into a consistent contender in the SEC. But that’s not all.

Under her leadership, Ole Miss has repeatedly ranked among the nation’s stronger defensive programs. Back in 2022, this program set a school record with 142 blocks. Now, in the 2025–26, the Rebels rank among the national leaders in shot blocking while holding their opponents to just 62.0 points per game.

That defensive identity could be appealing for Florida after they saw a season marked by repeated second-half breakdowns.

However, financial investment could also play a huge role. According to the Gainesville Sun, NCAA revenue reports show that Florida spent the least on women’s basketball among the 15 public programs in the Southeastern Conference in fiscal year 2024, allocating $5,051,297 to the program. In contrast, the Ole Miss Rebels ranked among the conference’s top spenders at $8,343,954.

But given Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s SEC success and reputation as a program builder, many observers believe the Florida Gators athletic department at least has to explore the possibility.

Yolett McPhee-McCuin still has another season left at Ole Miss

Even though her name has emerged as a popular candidate to replace Finley, poaching coach Yo away from the Ole Miss Rebels wouldn’t be simple.

When Ole Miss extended her contract not so long ago, coach Yo agreed to lead the Rebels till the 2026–27 season. That agreement pays her $1,087,500 annually, a significant raise from the $850,000 she earned in 2023. So if the Gators were to seriously pursue McPhee-McCuin, it would involve more than simply offering a new salary.

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With another season remaining on her contract, Florida would likely need to pay a buyout to the Rebels to secure her release. Florida has already committed financially after parting ways with Finley.

But despite all the speculation, Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s attention right now remains firmly on the court as Ole Miss closes out another competitive season. The Rebels entered the SEC Tournament in Greenville and delivered one of the biggest statements in the quarterfinal round. They stunned the No. 5 seed Vanderbilt Commodores as the Rebels ended the game with 89–78.

However, their SEC tournament run ended a round later, when they fell 85–68 to the Texas Longhorns in the semifinals. Still, their overall performance keeps Ole Miss firmly in the national conversation.

The Rebels sit at 23–11 overall and 8–8 in SEC play, numbers that have them widely projected to return to the NCAA Tournament.

But for now, the Rebels will have to wait for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament Selection Show.

Selection Sunday, which is scheduled for March 15, is when the NCAA selection committee officially unveils the 68-team bracket for the March Madness tournaments. And after their loss to the Longhorns, Ole Miss must now wait to see if the committee grants them a spot in the field.