Ayla Guzzardo was named the seventh head women's basketball coach in Southeastern history on April 3, 2017. Guzzardo took over the helm of the program after spending the 2016-17 season as the lead assistant on the Lady Lion staff.
In 2023-24, Southeastern enjoyed yet another incredible season with Guzzardo at the helm, posting a 19-12 overall record and a 14-4 mark in Southland Conference play for the second consecutive year. SLU finished third in the Southland standings and finished in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals. Giaratano and Pierre repeated as All-Conference selections, Giaratano earned All-Conference First Team while Pierre became the first Lady Lion to earn SLC Defensive Player of the Year under Guzzardo. Giaratano and Kennedy Paul also earned 1,000 career points, the first time in program history two players have accomplished that feat in the same season.
The 2022-23 Lady Lions finished with a historic season making it all the way to Southeastern’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Southeastern matched up against No. 2 Iowa for the first round of March Madness. Under Guzzardo, the team finished with an overall record of 21-10 and 14-4 in Southland Conference play. SLU earned the conference regular season title, then moved on to secure the program’s first SLC Tournament title. Under the leadership of Guzzardo, Southeastern became the first program for women’s basketball in the Southland Conference to secure the regular season title and conference tournament championship in the same season. Four Lady Lions earned All-Conference honors as junior guard Alexius Horne was named SLC All-Conference First Team alongside Hailey Giaratano selected among All-Conference Second Team. Giaratano was also named a part of the SLC All-Tournament and earned Tournament MVP. Natalie Kelly and freshman Jalencia Pierre claimed All-Conference Defensive honors. Guzzardo received Coach of the Year, being the first Southeastern women’s basketball head coach to earn the award.
The 2021-22 Southeastern squad took a further step forward, finishing 16-11 overall and 10-4 in conference play. SLU picked up their first two wins in Southland Conference Tournament play since the 2001-02 season and advanced to the SLC Tournament championship game for the first time in school history. Senior forward Caitlyn Williams was the first Lady Lion to earn first team All-Southland honors since 2008-09 and was joined on the all-conference team by Carrier and Giaratano. Williams and Giaratano also earned All-Louisiana notice, while Giaratano repeated as a Southland All-Academic selection.
The 2020-21 Lady Lions enjoyed their best season under Guzzardo, posting an 11-8 overall record and a 10-5 mark in Southland Conference play - the program's best marks in both overall and in league action since 2008-09. SLU earned a best-ever second-place finish in the Southland standings and earned a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals. Under Guzzardo's tutelage, Morgan Carrier and Hailey Giaratano both earned All-Southland Conference notice. Carrier was also named All-Louisiana, while Giaratano represented Southeastern on the Southland All-Academic team.
In 2019-20, Guzzardo led her squad back to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season. Sterling repeated as an All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection, while Alexius Horne became the first Lady Lion to be named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year.
The Lady Lions topped their overall win total again in 2018-19. Guzzardo’s second SLU roster was led by All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection Celica Sterling.
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In her first season as the head coach at Southeastern, the Lady Lions posted their highest win total in both overall games and conference games since the 2013-14 season. Under Guzzardo’s tutelage, senior guard Taylin Underwood was named to the All-Southland Conference, All-Louisiana and Southland All-Academic teams.
In her eight seasons at the helm of the Southeastern program, the Lady Lions have increased their overall winning percentage each season. Guzzardo led SLU to four consecutive winning seasons in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-34 - the first time the program has accomplished that feat since the 1994-95 and 1995-96 campaigns.
The Hammond, Louisiana native began representing her hometown university after spending four seasons on the staff at Akron. During her time with the Zips, Guzzardo worked with the point guards and coached Kasie Cassell, who led the nation with 7.8 assists per game in 2012-13. Guzzardo also worked with four 1,000-point career scorers during her time in Akron.
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In her last season with Akron, Guzzardo was a member of head coach Jodi Kest's staff that helped the team to its first-ever MAC Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. The 2013-14 Zips ranked among the national leaders in scoring offense (13th) and assists (7th), while Hanna Luburgh (22.2 ppg) and Rachel Tecca (22.1 ppg) was the nation's top scoring tandem.
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Prior to joining the Akron coaching staff, she played two years for the Zips. As a senior, she was ranked among the MAC leaders in assists (4.2 apg, 3rd), assist/turnover ratio (1.3, 5th) and steals per game (1.7 spg, 15th). Her 133 assists in 2009-19 were the fifth-highest single-season total in school history and she is ninth in Akron history with 238 career assists.
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Guzzardo began her collegiate playing career at Shelton State Community College. She helped her team to a pair of conference championships and a 62-9 record in her two seasons.
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A graduate of Hammond's St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Guzzardo spent the 2014-15 season on the staff of her high school alma mater, helping the Lady Falcons to an appearance in the Top 28.
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A 2010 graduate of Akron, she earned her bachelor's degree in business organization, before going on to earn her master's degree in 2012 in sport science and coaching. Guzzardo and her three children (Cameron, Lumen and Madden), reside in Hammond, America.
