RICHMOND, Va. -- VCU has named former Bryant head basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. as the Rams next men's basketball coach, according to the university.
Martelli replaces Ryan Odom, who left VCU after accepting the head coaching job at the University of Virginia.
"We are thrilled to have Phil Martelli, Jr., as our new head men’s basketball coach," VCU Vice President and Director of Athletics Ed McLaughlin said. "Phil has proven himself as a winner throughout his career. He helped engineer a historic turnaround at Bryant seven years ago and led the program to unprecedented success the past two seasons as head coach. He has clearly lived his entire life amid college basketball legends but has made his own path and paid his dues through hard work, good character and a devotion to developing young men into the best versions of themselves through sport. There’s a reason he’s served on the staffs of multiple championship programs."
In his two seasons at Bryant, Martelli won 43 games and made the 2025 NCAA tournament as a 15 seed.
WATCH: New VCU basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. plans to elevate Rams to 'next level'
"Thank you to Dr. Michael Rao, Ed McLaughlin, and the entire VCU Community for welcoming me and my family. VCU has long been a dream job for me because of the high standards of excellence and national brand. I am excited to help carry on the legacy that has been set here and help elevate it to the next level,” Martelli said.
He will be formally introduced as head coach during an event at the Siegel Center on Thursday, March 27 at 11:30 a.m.
That event is open to the public.
Martelli's father, Phil Martelli, is best known as the former head coach at St. Joseph's, where he won 444 games over 24 years at the school.
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