Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 2:29:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Donovan Steps Down at Florida

Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 2:25:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Steve McClain (sent by State Media List <STATEMEDIA-L@LISTS.UFL.EDU>)
State Media List

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COMMUNICATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015
CONTACT: Denver Parler, 352-375-4683 ext. 6100
Donovan Steps Down at Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Billy Donovan has stepped down as head coach of the Florida men's basketball team to take the
same posi`on with the Oklahoma City Thunder, director of athle`cs Jeremy Foley announced on Thursday.
Donovan leaves Florida aber 19 seasons leading the men's basketball program to unprecedented levels of success,
winning two na`onal championships, reaching four Final Fours and claiming six SEC `tles, pos`ng a 467-186 (.715)
record with the Gators.
"While we are certainly extremely sad to see Billy go, the primary feeling I have is one of gra`tude for what he has
done here at Florida," Foley said. "Billy and Florida basketball have been synonymous for a long `me now, and our
program would not have reached the heights it has without him. The legacy he leaves here is one of personal and
professional excellence, and we wish him, Chris`ne and the Donovan family con`nued success and happiness as they
make this move. There is no befer person than Billy Donovan. He will truly be missed."
"I want to thank Jeremy Foley, the players, coaches and sta I've had the chance to work with during my `me at
Florida," Donovan said. "The administra`ve support and stability has been unbelievable here, and it is an incredibly
dicult decision to leave that. I knew that it would take a unique opportunity to leave the University of Florida and
that is clearly how I look at this situa`on."
Donovan nishes his tenure at Florida with more wins at the helm of an SEC program (467) than anyone other than
Adolph Rupp, while his 35 NCAA Tournament wins rank at the top of SEC coaches. His win total is more than twice
that of any other coach in Florida history.
The Gators' back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007 match Dukes (1991 and 1992) as the only teams to bring
home consecu`ve `tles since John Wooden's UCLA dynasty. With those championships under his belt at 41 years of
age, Donovan became the third-youngest coach to win mul`ple championships, joining Bob Knight (Indiana) and Phil
Woolpert (San Francisco), who both reached the milestone at 40. Donovan also became the second person to reach
the Final Four as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach (Dick Harp).
Prior to Donovan's hiring, Florida had one SEC `tle in 77 seasons of play. He led the Gators to six in his 19 seasons,
including three over his nal ve seasons in Gainesville. All four of Florida's SEC Tournament championships in
program history also came under Donovan's leadership.
The Gators ascended to No. 1 in the polls for the rst `me on Feb. 3, 2003, and would reach the top spot in four
dierent seasons (not including 2005-06, in which UF was only No. 1 in the postseason poll), most recently during the
team's historic 30-game winning streak in 2013-14.
This past season, Donovan became the second coach in men's college basketball history to reach 500 Division I wins
before his 50th birthday, doing so sooner than anyone but Knight.
"Like we have with other recent searches, we will have an internal working group that will iden`fy candidates to be
our next head coach," Foley said. "I don't intend to put a `meline on our hire, but we will work hard to have the right
person in place over the coming weeks."
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person in place over the coming weeks."

"Billy's legacy at the University of Florida is nothing short of stellar, said UF President Dr. Fuchs. "The wins and
championships were great, but perhaps even more important, he took a personal interest in his student-athletes and
pushed them to be their best in the classroom and in life. The en`re Gator Na`on is grateful for his nearly 20 years of
leadership, and we wish him the very best of luck in his new adventure."
March 27, 1996
Donovan hired
November 22, 1996
First win - 80-63 vs. UCF
Jan. 5, 1997
First SEC win - 75-62 vs. Arkansas
March 11, 1999
First NCAA Tournament win - 75-61 vs. Penn
March 17, 2000
Mike Miller hits an over`me buzzer-beater to defeat Butler in the rst round of the NCAA Tournament, sparking
Donovan's rst Final Four run.
April 3, 2000
Florida appears in the na`onal championship game for the rst `me ever, falling to Michigan State, 89-76.
Feb. 3, 2003
Florida earns its rst No. 1 ranking in program history.
Nov. 19, 2004
Corey Brewer, Taurean Green and Al Horford combine for 22 points and Joakim Noah does not appear in the Florida
debut of the 2004 recrui`ng class, a win vs. Jacksonville.
March 13, 2005
Florida claims its rst SEC Tournament championship with a 70-53 win vs. Kentucky, led by Maf Walsh's 26 points.
April 3, 2006
Florida goes from unranked in the preseason to na`onal champions with a 73-57 win vs. UCLA. Florida shows
characteris`c balance with four players scoring double gures, led by Joakim Noah's 16.
April 2, 2007
The Gators go back-to-back with an 84-75 win vs. Ohio State, joining Duke (1991-92) as the only teams post-Wooden
to win consecu`ve na`onal championships. Once again, four Gators score double gures in the `tle game, led by Al
Horford, who posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
March 8, 2011
For the rst `me in his career, Donovan is named SEC Coach of the Year aber leading the Gators to the SEC `tle. He
would repeat the COY/SEC champion combo again in 2013 and 2014.
March 8, 2014
Florida defeats Kentucky, 84-65, to complete the rst 18-0 SEC schedule in league history. Eight days later the Gators
would win the SEC Tournament, Donovan's and UF's fourth, to complete a 21-0 mark vs. SEC opponents.

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March 29, 2014

The Gators win their 30th straight game, topping Dayton 62-52 to earn a trip to the 2014 Final Four. UF nished the
season 36-3, a school record for most wins in a season.
Feb. 28, 2015
Donovan wins his 500th career game, joining Bob Knight as the only coaches to reach that milestone before their
50th birthday.
Florida Basketball
Before & With Donovan
Before
(77 seasons)
With
(19 seasons)
NCAA Championships
0
2
Na`onal Championship Game Appearances
0
3
Final Fours
1
4
NCAA Tournament Appearances
5
14
NCAA Tournament Wins
4
35
20-Win Seasons
5
16
30-Win Seasons

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0
3
SEC Championships
1
6
SEC Tournament Championships
0
4
First-Round NBA Drab Picks
0
9
Wins/Year Average
11.5
24.6

Steve McClain
Senior Associate Athle`c Director, Communica`ons
University of Florida
University Athle`c Associa`on
Oce - (352) 375-4683 ext. 6115
E-mail - stevem@gators.u.edu<mailto:stevem@gators.u.edu>
Twifer - @GatorZoneNews
@GatorZoneFB

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