On Saturday morning, Virginia announced Ryan Odom as the 13th head coach in the program’s history. Odom gained recognition in 2018 when UMBC, under his leadership, made history by becoming the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, upsetting Virginia. Odom, 50, has previously guided Utah State and VCU to the NCAA Tournament.
The Cavaliers made this decision after parting ways with interim coach Ron Sanchez on March 13 following a loss to Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Virginia finished the season with a 15-17 record. Sanchez took over when coach Tony Bennett retired just three weeks before the season began.
During his time with VCU, Odom achieved an impressive 52-21 record over the past two seasons, including a 28-7 mark in 2024-25. This successful season saw the team secure a share of the Atlantic-10 regular-season title, win the conference tournament championship, and make an appearance in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Odom’s coaching career includes stints at Charlotte (2014-15), UMBC (2016-21), Utah State (2021-23), and VCU (2023-25), amassing an overall record of 201-117. This appointment holds personal significance for Odom, as he grew up in Charlottesville while his father, Dave, worked as an assistant basketball coach for the Cavaliers from 1982 to 1989, during which time the younger Odom served as a ballboy for the team.
