Ryan Odom, born July 11, 1974, has made a name for himself as a college basketball coach. Recently, he was appointed as the Head Coach of the Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team. But what has contributed to his success? Let’s meet his father, Dave Odom.
Who Is Dave Odom?
Odom is a retired men’s college basketball coach. He was born on October 9, 1942, in Goldsboro, North Carolina. From an early age, Odom grew up around the sport, and it was not surprising that he has left a mark on college basketball history. He is married to Lynn Odom, a fantastic woman he met at Guilford. What was he doing at Guilford? Let’s talk about his early days.
Dave’s Love for Sport
Odom enjoyed playing both basketball and baseball at an early age. He was a star player in both sports at Goldsboro High School and the captain of both teams. With his impressive playstyle, he earned his spot at Guilford College, where he contributed to the team’s success. He played a quarterback early on and won the Most Outstanding Athlete award in 1965.
Transition Into Coaching
In 1965, Odom began his coaching career as an Assistant coach at Goldsboro High School. In 1967, he became the head coach and held the position for two years. Subsequently, he was appointed the Head Coach at Durham High School and remained there for about seven years. 1976 sparked a change in his coaching career.
He joined Wake Forest as an assistant coach under head coach Carl Tacy. Working as an assistant coach enabled him to hone his coaching skills. Thus, he joined East Carolina University as a Head Coach in 1979. He had a record of 37-43 at East Carolina and achieved a record of 16-11 in the 1981/82 season. He later worked as an Assistant Coach at Virginia and Head Coach at Wake Forest.
Odom completed his coaching career at South Carolina in 2008. He coached for seven seasons at South Carolina and compiled an impressive record of 128-104. Odom led the team to one NCAA and Three National Invitation Tournament. Over his remarkable career, he won the NIT three times and the ACC tournament twice. No wonder he was named the SEC Coach in 2004 and the ACC Coach of the Year in 1991, 1994, and 1995.
What a Legend!
While others might have achieved better results, this does not remove the beauty of what Odom has achieved. No wonder his son continues from where his father stopped.
KEEP READING: Top Players Not Participating At The 2025 NFL Combine
His father’s influence is impressive, and one can be sure that when he is done coaching, he will be one of the best in the history of college basketball coaching.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
