ORLANDO — In the space of a week, Gabe Lazo held three separate jobs, the last of which he considers a "destinational" chance.

Lazo jumped at the opportunity to join Kim Mulkey's staff at LSU after a two-year spell at Tennessee. But then, the UCF head coaching position opened March 30, and the 41-year-old took immediate notice.

"I signed the contract, and I don't even know how many days later, the UCF job opens. And I'm like, 'Whoa,'" Lazo said. "This is a dream opportunity coming back here (to Florida). A couple days after the job opened, they contacted my agent and things got real, and they went very fast. And I'm grateful for that."

Introduced as the 14th head coach in program history, Lazo takes over a team that has struggled to generate results or interest since transitioning into the Big 12. The Knights went 10-44 in the league under Sytia Messer, who was relieved of duties after four seasons in charge, and were dead last in average home attendance in 2025-26 (1,094 fans per game).

Across nine seasons as a Division I assistant, Lazo's teams posted a 159-119 record. This is his first head coaching job at the college level.

Here are five things to know about Lazo as he aims to turn the Knights into a Power Four contender.

Of Cuban descent, Lazo becomes the first Latino head coach for a Power Four women's basketball program, according to the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches. Notable Latino coaches in the sport include Jose Fernandez (WNBA's Dallas Wings, formerly South Florida) and Renee Jimenez (UC Santa Barbara).

UMass men's basketball coach Frank Martin, a pioneer for Latino coaches in men's college basketball, celebrated the hire in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This right here just made my day. Gabe, or Pee Wee as we’ve known him since he’s a little kid in the neighborhood, is a star in the making. He is a leader of people. he will hire a great staff and recruit big-time people that will play big-time basketball. https://t.co/DiktSNinzF

"This right here made my day," said Martin, who had prior head coaching stints at Kansas State and South Carolina. "Gabe, or Pee Wee as we've known him since he's a little kid in the neighborhood, is a star in the making. He is a leader of people. He will hire a great staff and recruit big-time people that will play big-time basketball."

Roughly 31% of UCF's student population (21,881) identifies as Hispanic/Latino, according to university statistics for the 2025-26 academic year.

"Assistant coaches in the profession, I'm going to work my tail off so that you guys can get opportunities. High school guys, they're going to put some respect on your name. And lastly, for all my Hispanic people who have dreams, sí se puede. Tú sueño se puede. (Yes, you can. Your dream is possible). Go Knights, charge on," Lazo said to close his opening remarks.

A four-year letterwinner at Miami Senior High who went on to play at Florida International, Miami-Dade Community College and Barry, Lazo broke into the coaching ranks in 2012 at Ferguson High School.

Lazo turned the Falcons into a powerhouse, leading the school to its first district and regional championships. The Miami Herald selected him as its Girls Basketball Coach of the Year for large schools three times, and he coached five all-county selections.

Across five seasons at Ferguson, Lazo produced a .709 winning percentage (100-41).

Tiara Malcolm took notice and offered him a position as an assistant at nearby FIU. Since then, Lazo moved up the ladder with stops at Stony Brook, George Washington, Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU.

Lazo's high school coaching success also stood out to Terry Mohajir, UCF's vice president and director of athletics.

"I'm a purist. Being a high school coach is the purest form of coaching," Mohajir said. "When you're at a public high school, you don't get to pick your players. I have a lot of respect for football and basketball coaches that win consistently at public high schools based on the kids that are in their district. I take a lot of credence in if you won at that level, if you win at the AAU level, if you win as an assistant coach."

While at Mississippi State from 2022-24, Lazo held the additional title of defensive coordinator. The Bulldogs went 45-23 in those two seasons and ranked top-five in scoring (59 ppg allowed) and field goal defense (37.8%) during his debut on the sidelines in Starkville.

Prior to that, he turned Stony Brook into the nation's No. 4 scoring defense at just 52 points per game.