Ryan Odom is an American men’s college basketball coach currently serving as the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team. Born on July 11, 1974, in Durham, North Carolina, Odom is the son of former East Carolina, Wake Forest, and South Carolina head coach Dave Odom. He played point guard at Hampden–Sydney College, graduating in 1996 with a degree in economics.
Odom’s coaching career includes assistant positions at Furman, UNC Asheville, American, and Virginia Tech. He served as interim head coach at Charlotte in 2015 before taking head coaching roles at Lenoir–Rhyne, UMBC, Utah State, and VCU.
At UMBC, he gained national attention by leading the Retrievers to a historic upset over Virginia in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, marking the first time a 16-seed defeated a 1-seed.
In March 2025, Odom was appointed as the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, succeeding Tony Bennett. His hiring is seen as a strategic move to rejuvenate the program and build upon his history of leading underdog teams to success.
For more insights into Ryan Odom’s appointment as Virginia’s head coach, you can watch the following video: