Daytona State College has made a homecoming hire that's turning heads in the basketball community. The Falcons announced on May 4 that Reed Ridder, a local product with deep ties to the sport, will take over as the new men's basketball head coach.
Ridder steps into big shoes, succeeding Joey Cantens, who left for Florida International in March after an impressive five-year run that included a 121-41 record. But if anyone's ready for this challenge, it's Ridder. He's got basketball in his blood—literally. The Ormond Beach native is the son of Embry-Riddle legend Steve Ridder and the younger brother of Ryan Ridder, who made his own mark as head coach at both Daytona State and Bethune-Cookman.
For the past four seasons, Reed has been working alongside Ryan at UT Martin and Mercer, honing his craft as an assistant coach. That experience paid off, as Mercer posted a solid 19-13 record this past winter. Now, he's ready to lead his own program.
"I am honored to be named the head men's basketball coach at Daytona State College," Ridder said in a statement. "This is a tremendous opportunity to work with committed student-athletes and to build upon a program that represents the college with pride. I look forward to connecting with our players, staff, alumni and the Daytona Beach community."
Ridder knows what it takes to compete at a high level. As a Division II college player, he scored 1,003 career points, starting at Lynn University before transferring to Embry-Riddle for his final three seasons. After graduating from ERAU in 2016, he took his game overseas, playing professionally in Australia and Spain for two years before transitioning into coaching.
His coaching journey is a testament to his dedication. He started as a graduate assistant at Georgia from 2018 to 2020, then moved to Georgia Southern for a recruiting and player development role. His first full-time assistant job came at Daytona State under Cantens in 2021-22, giving him firsthand experience with the program he now leads.
"We are excited to welcome Reed back to Daytona State College, this time as our head coach," said Associate Director of Athletics Alison Mohr. "Coach Ridder has demonstrated the leadership, basketball knowledge and vision necessary to guide our men's basketball program forward."
For Falcons fans, this hire feels like a full-circle moment—a local kid with a winning pedigree coming home to build on a proud tradition. With his playing experience, coaching chops, and family legacy, Reed Ridder is poised to make his own mark on Daytona State basketball.