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Bryant could be on the verge of losing its second coach to lead its men’s basketball program to the NCAA Tournament.
Phil Martelli Jr. is a leading candidate to become the next head coach at VCU, per an ESPN report late Tuesday.
Martelli just finished his second season in charge with the Bulldogs, leading them to America East regular season and tournament crowns. He would replace Ryan Odom, who was formally announced as the new head coach at Virginia on Monday. The Rams suffered an 80-71 loss to BYU in the opening round of March Madness, a game played at Ball Arena in Denver.
Martelli has been in Smithfield since the outset of the 2018-19 season and was promoted to associate head coach prior to 2020-21. He was on staff under Jared Grasso and was elevated when Grasso resigned prior to the 2023-24 campaign. Martelli is 43-25 in two seasons, including a nonconference road win over Florida Atlantic in his fifth game in charge.
Martelli led the Bulldogs to the America East tournament semifinals in his debut season, closing 20-13 and adding future starter Barry Evans via the transfer portal. Bryant steamed to conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2024-25, setting a new Division I program record with 23 wins. The Bulldogs punched a second postseason ticket with a 79-59 home win over Maine, the 12th double-digit victory they enjoyed against league opponents in 19 tries last season.
Bryant closed with an 87-62 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament at Rocket Arena. The Bulldogs were set to lose some significant regulars – Earl Timberlake, Rafael Pinzon, Connor Withers, Kvonn Cramer and Kam Farris have all exhausted their eligibility. Timberlake was the conference Player of the Year and Pinzon joined him on the all-league first team.
“This group this year found greatness,” Martelli said Friday in Cleveland. “They rewrote history at Bryant. They've made their mark.
“I could not be more proud of a group. I just told them in 22 years of coaching, I don't know if I've had more fun coaching a team than this group right here.”
Martelli’s family is a known commodity at VCU. His brother, Jimmy, was on staff with the Rams from 2017-23 and followed former head coach Mike Rhoades when he was hired away to Penn State. Fox Sports reported Martelli could be joined on the VCU staff by his father, Phil, the longtime head coach at Saint Joseph’s and recent assistant coach at Michigan.
“I just think it’s the calm and the idea that it’s his,” the elder Martelli said Thursday in Cleveland. “Is that exactly the way I would play? No, but I never purported myself to be this X-and-O genius.
“I’m fascinated by how calm he is with how fast they play and the switching that they do. That does take a level of patience that a lot of young coaches don’t have.”
Martelli could also attempt to bring associate head coach Chris Cole with him back to the Mid-Atlantic. Cole was hired onto the Bryant staff from small Maryland prep power Rock Creek Christian, a place where he coached Timberlake, Kansas standout Hunter Dickinson and former University of Rhode Island forward Jermaine Harris. That would give Martelli both local and Philadelphia ties as a recruiting base.
The Rams were conference regular-season and tournament champions last season, claiming the only bid from their league. They’ve reached the NCAA Tournament under their last six coaches – Odom, Rhoades, Will Wade, Shaka Smart, Anthony Grant and Jeff Capel. Odom was hired back to his home region from Utah State prior to 2023-24, signing a deal through the 2028-29 season that paid him more than $1.5 million per year.
Keyshawn Mitchell committed over the weekend to a return to the Bulldogs in 2025-26, but that could be subject to reevaluation going forward. Bryant was also waiting on decisions from Barry Evans, Jakai Robinson and Aaron Davis, three members of a potential starting lineup next season. Martelli’s departure – and a potential exit from Cole – could change the calculus in Smithfield.
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bryant basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. reportedly top contender for VCU
Continue reading...
Phil Martelli Jr. is a leading candidate to become the next head coach at VCU, per an ESPN report late Tuesday.
Martelli just finished his second season in charge with the Bulldogs, leading them to America East regular season and tournament crowns. He would replace Ryan Odom, who was formally announced as the new head coach at Virginia on Monday. The Rams suffered an 80-71 loss to BYU in the opening round of March Madness, a game played at Ball Arena in Denver.
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Martelli has been in Smithfield since the outset of the 2018-19 season and was promoted to associate head coach prior to 2020-21. He was on staff under Jared Grasso and was elevated when Grasso resigned prior to the 2023-24 campaign. Martelli is 43-25 in two seasons, including a nonconference road win over Florida Atlantic in his fifth game in charge.
Martelli led the Bulldogs to the America East tournament semifinals in his debut season, closing 20-13 and adding future starter Barry Evans via the transfer portal. Bryant steamed to conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2024-25, setting a new Division I program record with 23 wins. The Bulldogs punched a second postseason ticket with a 79-59 home win over Maine, the 12th double-digit victory they enjoyed against league opponents in 19 tries last season.
Bryant closed with an 87-62 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament at Rocket Arena. The Bulldogs were set to lose some significant regulars – Earl Timberlake, Rafael Pinzon, Connor Withers, Kvonn Cramer and Kam Farris have all exhausted their eligibility. Timberlake was the conference Player of the Year and Pinzon joined him on the all-league first team.
“This group this year found greatness,” Martelli said Friday in Cleveland. “They rewrote history at Bryant. They've made their mark.
“I could not be more proud of a group. I just told them in 22 years of coaching, I don't know if I've had more fun coaching a team than this group right here.”
Martelli’s family is a known commodity at VCU. His brother, Jimmy, was on staff with the Rams from 2017-23 and followed former head coach Mike Rhoades when he was hired away to Penn State. Fox Sports reported Martelli could be joined on the VCU staff by his father, Phil, the longtime head coach at Saint Joseph’s and recent assistant coach at Michigan.
“I just think it’s the calm and the idea that it’s his,” the elder Martelli said Thursday in Cleveland. “Is that exactly the way I would play? No, but I never purported myself to be this X-and-O genius.
“I’m fascinated by how calm he is with how fast they play and the switching that they do. That does take a level of patience that a lot of young coaches don’t have.”
Martelli could also attempt to bring associate head coach Chris Cole with him back to the Mid-Atlantic. Cole was hired onto the Bryant staff from small Maryland prep power Rock Creek Christian, a place where he coached Timberlake, Kansas standout Hunter Dickinson and former University of Rhode Island forward Jermaine Harris. That would give Martelli both local and Philadelphia ties as a recruiting base.
The Rams were conference regular-season and tournament champions last season, claiming the only bid from their league. They’ve reached the NCAA Tournament under their last six coaches – Odom, Rhoades, Will Wade, Shaka Smart, Anthony Grant and Jeff Capel. Odom was hired back to his home region from Utah State prior to 2023-24, signing a deal through the 2028-29 season that paid him more than $1.5 million per year.
Keyshawn Mitchell committed over the weekend to a return to the Bulldogs in 2025-26, but that could be subject to reevaluation going forward. Bryant was also waiting on decisions from Barry Evans, Jakai Robinson and Aaron Davis, three members of a potential starting lineup next season. Martelli’s departure – and a potential exit from Cole – could change the calculus in Smithfield.
[email protected]
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bryant basketball coach Phil Martelli Jr. reportedly top contender for VCU
Continue reading...
