- October 14, 2026
Embry-Riddle’s Steve Ridder, one of the top 30 winningest men’s basketball coaches of all time, has announced that he will retire after this season, his 37th as head coach of the Eagles.
“When making the difficult decision to step away, I look back with an overwhelming sense of gratitude as this journey at Embry-Riddle is coming to an end," Ridder said in an article on Emby-Riddle’s athletic website.”Thirty-eight years ago, Vicky and I never imagined what was ahead of us, coming to a place with so much potential, but very little in place for athletics. What we had was an opportunity, a belief that something special could be built, and people who were willing to believe in that vision.”
Ridder has won 811 games, which ranks 29th all-time among college men's basektball coaches on all levels. He is sixth among active coaches, behind Kelvin Sampson of Houston, who has 829 wins.
Ridder has led Embry-Ridder to 20 NAIA and NCAA Division II conference titles, 19 national tournament appearances and the 2000 NAIA Division II national championship.
“What an amazing journey it has been," Ridder said. "I am not only proud of what we've been able to accomplish as a basketball program, but as an athletics department as a whole.”
Ridder was also the school’s athletic director before it joined the Division II Sunshine State Conference.
Ridder has two sons who are also college basketball coaches. Ryan Ridder is the head coach at Mercer University and Reed Ridder is beginning his first year as the head coach at Daytona State College.
