Bryant head coach Phil Martelli Jr. reacts to a play in opposition to Michigan State through the first half of the First Spherical of NCAA Event at Rocket Enviornment in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, March 21, 2025.
VCU crammed its teaching emptiness with the hiring of Bryant coach Phil Martelli Jr. on Wednesday.
Martelli went 43-25 in two seasons at Bryant and guided the Bulldogs into the NCAA Event this season. Bryant, a No. 15 seed, misplaced 87-62 to No. 2 seed Michigan State within the first spherical.
Martelli replaces Ryan Odom, who departed to take the Virginia job after VCU’s NCAA Event look. The Eleventh-seeded Rams (28-7) misplaced to sixth-seeded BYU 80-71 within the first spherical.
Martelli, 43, stated he desires to construct on the success.
“VCU has lengthy been a dream job for me due to the excessive requirements of excellence and nationwide model,” Martelli stated. “I’m excited to assist keep it up the legacy that has been set right here and assist elevate it to the following degree.”
Martelli is the son of Phil Martelli, who made seven NCAA Event appearances in his 24-season stint at St. Joseph’s.
VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin stated Martelli is an effective match for VCU.
“Phil has confirmed himself as a winner all through his profession,” McLaughlin stated. “He helped engineer a historic turnaround at Bryant seven years in the past and led this system to unprecedented success the previous two seasons as head coach. He has clearly lived his whole life amid faculty basketball legends however has made his personal path and paid his dues by exhausting work, good character and a devotion to creating younger males into the most effective variations of themselves by sport.”
–Area Degree Media
