FGCU women's basketball coach Chelsea Lyles resigns after just one season leading Eagles
After just one season, the FGCU women's basketball program is hunting for its next head coach.
FGCU announced Chelsea Lyles's resignation in a release on Monday. Lyles served as a longtime assistant within the program and graduated from the school. Her resignation came just two days after the Eagles lost to Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
"Over the past 17 years as an Eagle, I have made unforgettable memories, learned big lessons, experienced the joy of success and the mantle of leadership.," Lyles said in a statement. "I have so much gratitude for the people that made my time here special and will cherish the relationships made with student-athletes for a lifetime. This year was special, and I am very proud of what this team was able to accomplish this season and thank them for the memories."
The Eagles saw a sudden change two games into the season, when longtime coach Karl Smesko resigned to take the head coaching position with the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. Lyles led FGCU to a 30-2 record, a perfect 18-0 mark in the ASUN and the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament title.
The status of FGCU's assistants in Camryn Brown, Sheahen Dowling, Lisa Zderadicka, and Keri Jewett-Giles remains unknown.
Lyles just completed her first season as head coach, but is a longtime Eagle, rising through the coaching ranks after starting at FGCU as a student-athlete in 2008. Lyles officially joined the staff as an assistant coach in 2011 and entered the 2024-25 season in her sixth year as an associate head coach with a 148-20 record.
FGCU's student-athletes also raked in accolades on and off the court. This season, Emani Jefferson was named ASUN Player of the Year and ASUN Tournament MVP. Lauryn Taylor was named ASUN Third Team honoree and Khamari Mitchell-Steen and Taylor made the All-Tournament list. Dolly Cairns was named the ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Cairns became the fifth Eagle to win the honor and the first since 2023.
"We are grateful to Chelsea for her service and contributions to FGCU as a student-athlete and women's basketball coach," said FGCU Director of Athletics Colin Hargis. "She has had many accomplishments, including serving as head coach during the 2024-25 season, winning ASUN Coach of the Year and leading our women's basketball program to its 9th straight NCAA tournament appearance. We wish her the best in her future endeavors."
A national search will begin immediately to find the next head coach for the FGCU women's basketball program, according to the release.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Chelsea Lyles resigns as head coach of FGCU women's basketball
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