University of Georgia Athletics
Guzzardo Adds Four Assistant Coaches to Staff
April 14, 2026 | Women's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia women's basketball head coach Ayla Guzzardo has announced the hiring of four assistant coaches, Kenneth Lee, Jr., Justin Payne, Ronneka Robertson, and Amber Gregg.
Lee will serve at the associate head coach/ defensive coordinator, while Justin Payne will serve as associate head coach/offensive coordinator. Robertson has been named an assistant coach/assistant recruiting coordinator, and Gregg is assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. The foursome joins Bri Patton (assistant coach/director of recruiting) and Megan Herboth (executive director of basketball operations and administration), who were announced last week.
Lee and Robertson come to Georgia from McNeese State, where they coached alongside Guzzardo this past season. Payne was the head coach at Nicholls State for the past three seasons, while Gregg recently served as an assistant coach at UTSA.
"I am excited to welcome four great people and outstanding coaches to our staff," Guzzardo said. "Kenneth and Ronneka have been with me a long time and were keys to our success at Southeastern and McNeese State. Their knowledge of the game, relationships with student-athletes and their ability to develop players have been evident at every place they have been.
Justin and Amber will also be great additions to our staff. I have watched Justin build strong programs everywhere he goes, he is proven leader with a track record of success. Amber is someone I have always admired and is respected in our profession. She is an elite developer and someone our players will love playing for."
Lee and Robertson helped engineer the best single-season turnaround in women's college basketball last season, helping McNeese State win a school-record 29 games. Both coaches followed Guzzardo to McNeese State from Southeastern Louisiana, where they helped the program earn four-straight winning seasons, two regular season conference championships, a tournament title and a NCAA Tournament berth.
Prior to his time at Southeastern, Lee spent the 2015-16 season as the head girls' coach at Brusly High School in Hammond, La., and spent two years as an assistant coach at Ponchatoula High School.
Prior to Southeastern, Robertson was an assistant coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and had two stints at Kentwood High School. She also spent a season at East Central Community College in Mississippi.
Robertson coached two-time SLC Defensive Player of the Year Jen Pierre and 2023 SLC Tournament MVP Haley Giaratano as well as several All-SLC post players.
Payne spent the past three seasons serving as the head coach at his alma mater, Nicholls State. He led the Colonels to their best finish since the 2018-19 season.
Prior to his time at Nicholls State, Payne was the head coach at Georgia Southwestern for four seasons. Payne left his mark on the program, leading the team to the school's first ever NCAA Tournament win on either the men's or women's teams. Before Payne's arrival to Georgia Southwestern, he was an assistant coach for Nicholls State for eight seasons.
Gregg was an assistant coach at UTSA last season, helping the program reach the NCAA Tournament. She spent six seasons at Louisiana, primarily working with the guards and overseeing nine All-Sun Belt selections and the 2019 Freshmen of the Year selection, Brandi Williams.
The former Roadrunner spent five seasons as the director of player development for the Austin Elite Basketball Program and served as the head coach for the Austin Elite Boys 17U team. As a player, she led UTSA to the Southland Conference regular season title as well as back-to-back SLC tournament championships.
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Lee will serve at the associate head coach/ defensive coordinator, while Justin Payne will serve as associate head coach/offensive coordinator. Robertson has been named an assistant coach/assistant recruiting coordinator, and Gregg is assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. The foursome joins Bri Patton (assistant coach/director of recruiting) and Megan Herboth (executive director of basketball operations and administration), who were announced last week.
Lee and Robertson come to Georgia from McNeese State, where they coached alongside Guzzardo this past season. Payne was the head coach at Nicholls State for the past three seasons, while Gregg recently served as an assistant coach at UTSA.
"I am excited to welcome four great people and outstanding coaches to our staff," Guzzardo said. "Kenneth and Ronneka have been with me a long time and were keys to our success at Southeastern and McNeese State. Their knowledge of the game, relationships with student-athletes and their ability to develop players have been evident at every place they have been.
Justin and Amber will also be great additions to our staff. I have watched Justin build strong programs everywhere he goes, he is proven leader with a track record of success. Amber is someone I have always admired and is respected in our profession. She is an elite developer and someone our players will love playing for."
Lee and Robertson helped engineer the best single-season turnaround in women's college basketball last season, helping McNeese State win a school-record 29 games. Both coaches followed Guzzardo to McNeese State from Southeastern Louisiana, where they helped the program earn four-straight winning seasons, two regular season conference championships, a tournament title and a NCAA Tournament berth.
Prior to his time at Southeastern, Lee spent the 2015-16 season as the head girls' coach at Brusly High School in Hammond, La., and spent two years as an assistant coach at Ponchatoula High School.
Prior to Southeastern, Robertson was an assistant coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and had two stints at Kentwood High School. She also spent a season at East Central Community College in Mississippi.
Robertson coached two-time SLC Defensive Player of the Year Jen Pierre and 2023 SLC Tournament MVP Haley Giaratano as well as several All-SLC post players.
Payne spent the past three seasons serving as the head coach at his alma mater, Nicholls State. He led the Colonels to their best finish since the 2018-19 season.
Prior to his time at Nicholls State, Payne was the head coach at Georgia Southwestern for four seasons. Payne left his mark on the program, leading the team to the school's first ever NCAA Tournament win on either the men's or women's teams. Before Payne's arrival to Georgia Southwestern, he was an assistant coach for Nicholls State for eight seasons.
Gregg was an assistant coach at UTSA last season, helping the program reach the NCAA Tournament. She spent six seasons at Louisiana, primarily working with the guards and overseeing nine All-Sun Belt selections and the 2019 Freshmen of the Year selection, Brandi Williams.
The former Roadrunner spent five seasons as the director of player development for the Austin Elite Basketball Program and served as the head coach for the Austin Elite Boys 17U team. As a player, she led UTSA to the Southland Conference regular season title as well as back-to-back SLC tournament championships.
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