The portal is always a busy place. This past offseason, more than 1,500 Division I women's collegiate basketball players entered. Powerhouse teams like UCLA and TCU rebuilt entire rosters. But it's not only the players that are moving. Heading into the 2026-2027 season, more than sixty new head coaches are taking over Division I programs – that is 16% of all teams.

Here at 5wins, we’re following five coaching storylines ahead of the November 1st tip-off.

University of Virginia, Aaron Roussell

Aaron Roussell was hired just three days after UVA announced Amaka Agugua-Hamilton would not be returning to coach the Cavaliers for her fifth season. Rousell joins the Cavaliers on the heels of their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2000. Last season’s success makes a coaching change for University of Virginia a surprise for all involved. In an introductory press conference, Roussell admitted that he was not aware the position was open until right before he was hired.

Roussell spent the last seven years at University of Richmond during one of the most successful stretches in the program's history. With Roussell at the helm, the Spiders had their three winningest seasons of all time from 2023 to 2026, headlined by their first-ever victory in an NCAA tournament game in 2025. Roussell has over 22 years of experience coaching, including stints at University of Chicago and Bucknell. With five players back from the Sweet 16 team alongside four transfers and four freshmen, he hopes to build this year’s team around spacing and movement as they look to make another long run in March.

University of Pittsburgh, Robin Harmony

Robin Harmony joins the Panthers after a historic season at the College of Charleston. In her seventh and final season leading the Cougars, Harmony captured the program’s first-ever CAA regular-season championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance, while recording her second 25-win season and earning 2026 CAA Coach of the Year honors.

She succeeds Tory Verdi, who finished 8-23 on the season, and 1-17 in conference play. His firing came days after former players filed a lawsuit that they were subject to abusive coaching methods, which university officials deny. Under Harmony, Pitt is looking to rebuild and reach the NCAA tournament for their first time since 2015.

Middle Tennessee State University, Matt Insell

The Blue Raiders are keeping it in the family. After Rick Insell announced his retirement following 21 seasons at Middle Tennessee, the program named his son, Matt Insell as his successor.

The younger Insell has been with Middle Tennessee for eight seasons, serving as associate head coach during the past four. Prior, he was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2013 - 2018, and an assistant coach at Kentucky for five seasons where he helped the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances. While at Middle Tennessee, the program had its winningest season in 2024, finishing 30-5 and advancing to the Round of 32.

Insell looks to build on Middle Tennessee’s recent success while continuing a family legacy that has defined the program for more than two decades.

University of Alabama, Pauline Love

It is a homecoming for Pauline Love, who is returning to the Crimson Tide after just one year away from the program. Love arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2024 serving as the team’s recruiting coordinator and assistant coach, before quickly departing for a spot on Oklahoma’s coaching staff. In her season with the Sooners, she helped the team advance to the Sweet 16 and developed national freshman of the year Aaliyah Chavez.

Love is returning to Alabama for her first head coaching position. She hopes to establish an identity centered on playing fast paced, free-flowing basketball. She is replacing Kristy Curry. Curry coached the Crimson Tide for 13 seasons before accepting the coveted position at South Florida, replacing José Fernandez, now with the Dallas Wings.

University of Georgia, Ayla Guzzardo

Ayla Guzzardo is stepping into a role that rarely changes hands. She is just the fourth head coach at Georgia since the program launched in 1979. The Lady Bulldogs announced the decision to mutually part ways with coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson after four seasons, ending her tenure with a 69-59 record.

Guzzardo’s ascent to head coach at an SEC program is a rather quick one. She arrives to Athens after one season at McNeese State University, where the team won regular-season conference championship and finished with a 29-6 record, their best in program history. She spent the previous eight seasons at Southeastern Louisiana, getting promoted to head coach after just one year, and ultimately helping them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023. Guzzardo attracted a lot of attention in the offseason, interviewing with Texas State and Alabama but ultimately was drawn to the storied tradition of the Lady Bulldog program.