Bill Ferrara enters his fifth season as an assistant coach for The University of New Mexico women’s basketball program after spending the previous two seasons at the University of Florida.
In his four seasons at UNM, Ferrara has helped lead the Lobos to a 79-40 record overall. In two of those years, the Lobos won at least 20 games and have made an appearance in the WNIT in three of the last four years. Further, the Lobos won 10 or more conference games in three of the four years. The consecutive 20-plus win seasons with Ferrara on staff are the first for the program since the 2007-08 – 2008-09 seasons. Additionally, the consecutive appearances in the WNIT marked the first consecutive postseason berths for the program since the 2008-09 – 2009-10 seasons.
Most recently in 2020-21, Ferrara and the Lobos won the first Mountain West regular season championship since 2004-05, just the third MW regular season championship for the program and the first outright with an 11-3 conference record.
In charge of the post players, Ferrara helped mentor the emergence of Jaisa Nunn, who had a breakout campaign in 2017-18 averaging a double-double (17.0 ppg / 10.2 rpg) en route to being named an All-Mountain West performer. That breakout season was matched this past year as Nunn garnered MW Player of the Year honors in addition to 
repeating as an All-MW player. In the two seasons as Ferrara as her position coach, Nunn played and started in all 66 of UNM’s games, scored 1,137 points and hauled in 656 rebounds for an average of 17.2 ppg and 9.9 rpg. Nunn was also one of the most efficient scorers in the nation over that time as she shot 61% (427-of-700) overall from the floor.
In addition to Nunn’s success under Ferrara’s tutelage, graduate transfer Nike McClure also enjoyed success in her lone season as a Lobo. A defensive force near the hoop, McClure would lead the MW in blocked shots (67) en route to being named to the MW All-Defensive Team.
Further, Ferrara’s work with the post players produced two all-conference honors during the 2020-21 season with Shaiquel McGruder named to the all-defensive team and Antonia Anderson being named to the all-conference team.
Anderson averaged 12.6 points per game and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game in conference play, leading the MW in field-goal percentage at 49.0 percent and was eighth in blocks per game with 1.07. Anderson was ranked in the top 15 in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage, blocked shots and defensive rebounds in MW competition. Defensively, as a team, the Lobos were fourth in the conference in blocks per game at 3.95 on the season with 3.64 blocks per game in conference games to rank fourth.
McGruder averaged 5.6 rebounds per game, 1.5 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game to earn her first all-defensive team distinction and her first conference postseason honor. The junior posted at least one block in 12 conference games including four blocks at UNLV and recorded at least one steal in 12 conference games with four versus Fresno State. Further, McGruder finished with a block in the last eight conference games. Of note, McGruder posted a career-high five blocks in the win against Sam Houston State to go along with 13 rebounds, 17 points and three steals in the second game of the season.
While at Florida, Ferrara was primarily responsible for overseeing the development of guards as well as coordinating camps and clinics for UF. During his tenure, Ferrara helped lead UF to earning the No. 5 seed in the 2015-16 NCAA Tournament. That same season, Ferrara was instrumental in guiding the team’s offense as the Gators led the SEC in scoring offense for the first time in program history. Also in 2015-16, Ferrara’s squad was ranked as high as No. 16 in the nation in scoring offense just one year after being ranked No. 222 in the country. Ferrara also helped mark the second-best single-season turnaround when the Gators won nine more games in 2015-16 than in 2014-15.
Ferrara also guided two freshmen to All-SEC Freshman Team honors in guards Eleanna Ghristinaki and Delicia Washington while at Florida.
Prior to his time at UF, Ferrara spent two seasons at George Washington University where he was instrumental in recruiting, player development, strength and conditioning, as well as working with post players. He helped GW earn the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament while helping lead the Colonials to a program-record 29 wins (29-4 record) in the 2014-15 season. Ferrara helped implement an up-tempo offense that was among the nation’s best in both 2014 and 2015, while helping the squad to the Atlantic 10 regular-season and tournament championships.
In his two seasons at GW, Ferrara guided three all-conference honorees including the 2015 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in Jonquel Jones as well as the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2014. Jones would go on to be drafted No. 6 overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun.
Ferrara also spent three seasons at Hofstra University (2011-14) and at Central Michigan (2008-11) where he helped lead both programs to outstanding success. Serving as recruiting coordinator at Hofstra, he assembled the sixth-best recruiting class among mid-majors in 2012 according to ESPN Hoopgurlz and oversaw the Pride’s offense. The team increased its scoring average from 62.2 points per game before his arrival to 75.0 ppg in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Similarly, at Central Michigan he orchestrated an offensive turnaround, leading the Chippewas to a 12.0 point scoring average increase from 2007-08 to 2008-09 in his first season in charge of the offense.
Ferrara, originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business management in 2003 before earning a master’s degree in sport management in 2005.
He currently resides in Albuquerque with his wife Courtney and two daughters, Callie and Maya.