The Florida Gators' New Head Basketball Coach: Michael White

As of right now on May 7, 2015, at around 8 p.m., Louisiana Tech head coach Michael White has accepted the basketball head coaching position at the University of Florida. Now Gator fans may be wondering who is Michael White and what to expect after 19 great years under Billy Donovan. So sit back and let me present the bio blast on Coach White.

Michael White was born in Florida and played his college ball at Ole Miss as a point guard from 1995-1999. He played one year in New Mexico and one year in England before becoming the assistant coach at Division II Jacksonville State University. He would serve this position from 2000-2003 before becoming associate head coach for just one year in the 2003-2004 season. JSU had no significant DII tournament runs during White's time there.

After one year as the associate head coach, White returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach from 2004-2011. In that time period, Ole Miss failed to make the NCAA Tournament and appeared in the NIT four times.

In 2011, he accepted his first head coaching job at Louisiana Tech University. In four seasons there, White went 101-40 overall and 50-16 in conference play. He helped lead the La Tech Bulldogs to a WAC Regular Season Conference Championship in 2013 and a C-USA Regular Season Conference Championship in 2014 and 2015. His coaching accolades include:

• USBWA District VII Coach of the Year in 2013
• NABC District 6 Coach of the Year in 2013
• WAC Don Haskins Coach of the Year in 2013
• LABC Louisiana Major College Coach of the Year in 2014
• C-USA Gene Bartow Coach of the Year in 2015
• NABC District 11 Coach of the Year in 2015

In addition to winning awards and conference championships, White's teams were very consistent each year. After going 18-16 (6-8 in WAC play) his first year in 2011-2012, White's Bulldogs in the next three seasons would finish 27-7 (16-2 in WAC play) in 2012-2013, 29-8 (13-3 in C-USA play) in 2013-2014, and 27-9 (15-3 in C-USA play) in 2014-2015. 

Although La Tech never appeared in the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs made the NIT every year following White's first season. He took the Bulldogs as far as the NIT quarterfinals during his last two seasons with the team.

With a resume that is intriguing, but not overwhelming, it will be interesting to see how White fares on the big stage with the University of Florida. I am anticipating a rough first year, but once the growing pains are out of the way and White has implemented his offense and defense, the Gators will be back to relevance in no time. 

I am boldly predicting that the Gators will win both an SEC regular season and tournament championship within the first three years of White's tenure. I am very excited to see what he will do with the program.

Welcome to the University of Florida Coach Michael White! Go Gators!

*All stats and accolades accredited to Wikipedia.com