Former UCF head coach Lynn Bria has been named assistant coach for the UCF women’s basketball team, the university announced on Apr. 6. The move is one of the first by new head coach Gabe Lazo and marks a return to Orlando for Bria after her recent departure from Stetson University.
Bria brings more than three decades of coaching experience, including an 18-year tenure at Stetson and previous leadership of the Knights from 1996 to 1999. Her appointment is expected to add significant experience and continuity to the program as it transitions under new leadership.
During her time at Stetson, Bria led the team to three conference championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances, and twelve postseason berths. She departs as Stetson’s all-time winningest head coach with a record of 318-252 over eighteen seasons. Her overall career includes 471 wins across thirty-one seasons, ranking her thirty-fifth among active Division I coaches in total victories.
At UCF, Bria previously served as the ninth head coach in program history. She guided the Knights to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in her final season in 1998-99 following back-to-back trips to the Atlantic Sun Tournament semifinals and an A-Sun title. Her coaching journey also includes roles at Texas Women’s University, Ohio University, West Virginia University, and Miami.
Bria holds several distinctions: she is a three-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year and has secured seventeen postseason appearances during twenty-eight seasons as a Division I head coach—including three NCAA Tournament trips and seven runs in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The addition of Bria reflects UCF Athletics’ ongoing efforts to build a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program while enhancing its reputation on both state and national stages.
