VCU hires Phil Martelli Jr. as men’s basketball coach
Martelli, 43, joins the Rams after leading Bryant to its second NCAA Tournament appearance. There is a chance that his father will join his staff at VCU.
Phil Martelli Jr. is the new men’s basketball coach at Virginia Commonwealth University, confirming reports that widely suggested the Rams would be his next stop.
The school confirmed the news, which was first reported by CBS Sports, on Wednesday afternoon. Martelli, the son of former St. Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli, is coming off a year in which he led Bryant University to its second NCAA Tournament appearance, where it lost to Michigan State in the first round.
He also led Bryant to the America East Conference championship this season behind a 14-2 record (23-12 overall). He takes over at VCU for Ryan Odom, who departed for the Virginia job after leading the Rams to the NCAA Tournament as well, along with an Atlantic 10 championship. The Rams fell to Brigham Young in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The move to VCU returns Martelli, 43, to the A-10, where he played for his father for four seasons (1999-2003). CBS Sports reported that the elder Martelli is set to join his son’s staff in some capacity.
The younger Martelli was 43-25 in two seasons as Bryant’s head coach, having served as an associate head coach before being promoted. Before that, he was an assistant at Delaware, Central Connecticut State, and Niagara. The Drexel Hill native also spent time in the professional ranks as an assistant for the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League when they were known as the 87ers.
» READ MORE: Phil Martelli Sr. will watch his son Phil Jr. coach in the NCAA Tournament: ‘Stressful is the right word’