In April of 2016, UMBC Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced the hiring of Ryan Odom as UMBC's new head men's basketball coach. Odom becomes the ninth head men's basketball coach in school history. 

The marriage worked out quite well for the basketball and athletic programs and the entire UMBC community.  

 Odom was the recipient of the 2017 Joe B. Hall Award, which is presented annually to the top first-year coach in Division I.

After finishing 7-25 last season, the new Retriever mentor led UMBC (21-13) to its first winning season since 2007-08, when the Retrievers went to the NCAA Tournament.  The 21 wins are the second most in school history and UMBC finished the year as the nation's third-most improved team, with a +13.0 mark, behind only Minnesota and UCLA.  

Prior to this past season, UMBC had never a won a postseason game. Odom's team posted three wins in the CIT and became the first America East team to triumph in three games in a postseason tournament. 

UMBC also smashed single-season marks for points and three-point field goals.

Odom served as head men's basketball coach at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) University for the 2015-16 season. The Bears (21-10) advanced to the NCAA Division II Regional Finals for the first time in school history and won 20 games in a season for the first time in eight years. Lenoir-Rhyne improved by 10.5 games from the previous campaign, led the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (12.4), and finished ninth in the country in scoring at 90.1 points per game.

Prior to earning the position at Lenior-Rhyne, Odom coached at UNC Charlotte, 2010-15. The 49ers earned a bid to the NIT in 2013. In May of 2014, the Durham, N.C. native was elevated to associate head coach and on January 6, 2015, Odom was named interim head coach at Charlotte for the remainder of the season.

 Odom led the 49ers to eight victories (8-11) as mentor and coached Torin Dorn to Conference USA Freshman-of-the-Year honors and Pierria Henry to third-team all-league accolades.

 "I am pleased to announce Ryan Odom as our new head men's basketball coach. Ryan is the right fit due to his training and temperament," Hall said. "He has enjoyed success in all facets of his career thus far. Above all, Ryan is a teacher who has a strong commitment to academic success and the welfare of his athletes. I am confident that Ryan will move us towards a more comprehensive level of success with our men's basketball program.

 "We certainly welcome Ryan, his wife, Lucia, and their sons Connor and Owen to the UMBC family."

Prior to his tenure in Charlotte, Odom spent seven years on the coaching staff at Virginia Tech as an assistant and was part of a Hokies' team that earned a berth to the NCAA Division I Tournament in 2007 and beat Illinois in the first round.

Odom was also an assistant coach at American (2000-03), UNC Asheville (1999-00), and Furman (1997-99), and served one year as an administrative assistant at South Florida (1996-97).

Odom graduated from Hampden-Sydney in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in economics and was a four-year starting point guard on the men's basketball team. He served as team captain his senior season and led Hampden-Sydney to an 80-30 record during his playing career, including two berths in the NCAA Division III Tournament. In addition, Odom finished his career as the school's all-time leader in three-pointers made and placed fourth in assists.

 

Ryan is the son of Dave Odom, who retired in 2008 as the head coach at South Carolina. The elder Odom earned SEC Coach of the Year honors 2004 and ACC Coach of the Year honors in 1991,1994 and 1995, while at Wake Forest University.