DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Lynn W. Thompson, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, announced Friday, March 31, the appointment of Ryan Ridder as the next head coach for Bethune-Cookman Men's Basketball.
"I have watched and admired Ryan Ridder from his days as a stellar student-athlete in high school and college, and also witnessed his growth and success as a coach on the college level," said Thompson. "I know him. I know his family. His DNA is made up of integrity, passion and the ability to teach. He is an outstanding servant leader who just happens to be a phenomenal basketball coach. His progression as a college coach on each level has prepared him to accept this challenge. He is a local product with great knowledge and respect for our university and community, and we are proud to have one of the great young coaches in the nation to join the B-CU family."
No stranger to Daytona Beach area basketball as both a player and coach, Ridder comes to Bethune-Cookman after a four-year stint at Daytona State College. Ridder was successful in helping lead a resurgence of the Falcons program that produced 95 victories and four Mid-Florida Conference championships.
"I want to thank President Dr. Edison O. Jackson and Vice President Lynn W. Thompson for the unbelievable opportunity to serve as the Men's Basketball Head Coach at Bethune-Cookman University," expressed Ridder. "I'm excited to serve and make a positive impact on our student-athletes on and off the floor. The opportunity to lead a faith-based Division I program in my home town is a dream come true."
Additionally at Daytona State, Ridder coached 17 all-conference players, four all-region student-athletes, and one NJCAA Second Team All-America performer. Daytona State also finished the regular season ranked in the NJCAA National Poll in all four Ridder's seasons. Ridder was named Mid-Florida Conference Coach of the Year in each of his four seasons at the helm of the Falcons program.
Off the court, Ridder's student-athletes had a 100 percent graduation his first two years, and 96 percent overall across four years.
Daytona State was also the only team in its region to achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and one of 12 teams in the country to hold a 3.0 cumulative GPA during the 2014-2015 academic and athletic year. Sixteen of his players have gone on to play basketball at four-year schools, including Tanksley Efianayi (UCF), Rashuan Stimage (DePaul) and Wesley Alcegaire (Bowling Green).
The son of legendary Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball Head Coach Steve Ridder, Ryan first made his mark as one of Volusia County's premier high school players under Ed Miller at Father Lopez High School. While playing for the Green Wave at Father Lopez, Ridder earned all-area accolades three times while scoring over 1,100 points and dishing out 300 assists. He was named an all-state honorable mention performer in both his junior and senior years, respectively.
After starting his collegiate career at Wooster, he transferred back home to play for his father at Embry-Riddle from 2006-08, starting at point guard and serving as team captain in his junior and senior season. He led the Sun Conference with a 4.24 assists average as a senior. He earned a degree in Aerospace Studies in 2008.
Upon graduation, Ridder moved to North Carolina where he remained involved with basketball on the skill development side. He trained players from youth to those with NBA aspirations while working for the Hoop City U basketball training academy. In addition, he was the head coach for a number of teams engaged in international competition with 365 Sports, and he served as the assistant boys' basketball coach at North Raleigh Christian.
He returned to Embry-Riddle, spending the 2009-10 campaign as a volunteer assistant, helping his father coach the Eagles to a 30-6 record and a quarterfinals berth in the NAIA National Tournament.
No stranger to the Division I level of athletics, Ridder served three years as an assistant coach at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. During Ridder's three years with the Fighting Camels, the program's recruiting classes were among the highest ranked in the Atlantic Sun Conference. He helped the Fighting Camels knock off power conference members Iowa and Auburn, as well as in-state rivals East Carolina, Appalachian State and UNC Wilmington. Three of Ridder's players earned all-conference honors and one Freshman of the Year award.
Ridder earned his Master's Degree in Sports Management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2009.
Follow Bethune-Cookman Men's Basketball on Twitter (@BCUHoops) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).
BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
No comments:
Post a Comment