UT Martin’s New Coach

Meet Ryan Ridder

(St. Louis, MO) – There will be three new coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference next season. UT Martin has landed one of the true ‘up and comers’ in Ryan Ridder. The 36-year-old Ridder was recently named to ESPN’s ‘Best 40 under 40’ list of college coaches and he wants to make impact.

Ridder was a highly successful junior college head coach and won a regular season title at Division 1 Bethune-Cookman. His four Daytona State teams won 95 games. During his three seasons at BCU the Wildcats went 48-45 earning a 2018 conference championship. After that 2018 season, the Lexington, Kentucky native received the Joe B. Hall award as the nation’s top first year coach.

Bethune-Cookman opted out of all sports this past scholastic year. The UTM press release can be read here. 

Make Impact

Ridder hopes to make impact and make a difference. The UT Martin program was rocked by the tragic November death of 50-year-old head coach Anthony Stewart. After the Skyhawks fought through this covid effected season, interim coach Montez Robinson was not retained and 13 UTM players have entered the transfer portal.

Ridder has to build from scratch, but believes the Martin community will see and deserves a quality basketball product. He will first interview Skyhawk players in the portal and then get to work recruiting players that will fit the UT Martin community and school.

Ryan played collegiately for his father, Steve Ridder at NAIA power Embry-Riddle. His father’s lessons were more about how to treat people than how to win a basketball game.

 

 

 

During the summer of 2020 Ridder, who is white, spoke out boldly and sensitively about America’s racial inequality. His hope was to have conversations and begin helpful dialogue inside that controversial space. He says simply, ‘we’re talking about people’. He’s looking to support equality anywhere he can.

 

 

Coming to Martin

Having the right kind of leadership in place is vital to any endeavor and Ridder believes UT Martin has that kind of leadership in Chancellor Dr. Keith Carver and Athletic Director Kurt McGuffin. Growing up in Kentucky, he knows Ohio Valley Conference history and desires to see the Skyhawk program compete for OVC titles. Management and leadership guru Jon Gordon provides Riddeer with some of his ammunition for growing as a leader.

 

 

While Martin is in a rebuilding phase Ridder believes he’s there for a reason. The openly religious Ridder tweeted that he felt ‘led’ to the UTM job and wants to make an impact. At Datyona State, 96% his students graduated and he emphasizes ‘life after basketball’. Historically his teams play hard, tough and quick. He cares about the ‘student athlete experience’.

 

 

Ridder takes seriously his role as a Christian. He believes he is on the earth to help others and to make impact.

 

 

What’s Next?

The task ahead will not be easy for the outgoing, energetic Ridder. He needs a whole new staff and a entirely new roster. While there are 1,200 players in the transfer portal and hundreds of high school players looking for a fit, he has enormous gaps to fill. If he hopes to have success in the new-look OVC his hiring and recruiting abilities must be excellent.

Ryan Ridder has produced winning records everywhere he’s been and has left an imprint of success and encouragement in his wake. You can learn more about Ridder by listening to our entire conversation.

With the departure of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State and new coaches out at three of the remaining ten programs, the OVC will have a very different look and feel. Ryan Ridder hopes this time of transition is the perfect time to make impact.

Do Good