Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Men's Basketball

Biography For over three-and-a-half decades Steve Ridder has guided the Embry-Riddle men’s basketball program, developing and sustaining one of the premier college basketball cultures in the nation. With 800 career victories, 20 conference titles, 19 national tournament appearances and the 2000 NAIA II National Championship, Ridder’s results speak for themselves, but it has been his Student-Person-Player philosophy that has impacted every single player, coach, staff member, fan and supporter that call themselves Eagles. Steve Ridder took the reins of the Embry-Riddle men's basketball program prior to the 1989-90 season and built a fledgling program into a small college basketball powerhouse. Ridder has posted a career record of 799-341, all at Embry-Riddle, putting him 31st all-time in career wins among college men’s basketball coaches, while his .705 winning percentage is currently 8th-best among active coaches with at least 600 victories. Ridder trails only Dave Holmquist of Biola (Calif.) among active NCAA II men's basketball coaches, and is the winningest college coach in Florida history   Ridder, a native of basketball-rich Kentucky, went to Berea (Ky.) where he played for coaching legend Roland Wierwille for four seasons, serving as team captain for the Mountaineers before graduating in 1981. Ridder immediately moved from the court to the bench following his graduation, spending eight seasons as Wierwille’s top assistant. He helped Berea to a 148-76 record with a conference championship and national tournament berth along the way.   Ridder inherited an Embry-Riddle program that went winless on the court in its inaugural season in 1988-89. The Eagles won four games in Ridder’s first season (4-24) before an NAIA record turnaround in 1990-91, posting a 22-8 overall record and an 11-3 mark in conference play.   Since taking over at ERAU, Ridder has recorded over two decades worth of 20-win seasons, including five campaigns with 30 or more victories. From 1990-2015, Ridder posted a Sun Conference record of 241-83 (.744), which represents the most wins and best winning percentage in league history. Ridder's program has quickly acclimated to the NCAA II level, qualifying for the NCAA II National Tournament in four straight campaigns (2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024), including a run to the NCAA II Sweet 16 in 2022.   The Eagles reached the NAIA pinnacle in 1999-00, claiming the ERAU athletic department’s first national championship with a 75-63 win over national tournament host College of the Ozarks (Mo.). The national title proved to be the culmination of 11 years of Ridder’s guidance at the helm of the Embry-Riddle program.   Embry-Riddle has claimed nine conference regular seasons titles and 11 conference tournament crowns during Ridder’s tenure, additionally, the Eagles made at least one appearance in the NAIA Top 25 rankings in 24 consecutive seasons, dating from 1991-2015. The Eagles’ 21 mentions as the No. 1 team in the country ranks as the second-most in NAIA II history, and in total, Embry-Riddle was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 210 times, including 128 top-10 rankings.   Ridder took the Blue and Gold to 15 NAIA II National Tournaments, the fourth-most appearances by any program, going 18-14, advancing to the national semifinals twice, and national quarterfinals five times.   During Ridder’s tenure, 38 players have earned All-America honors, including eight NAIA first team All-Americans, while 68 Eagles have garnered All-Conference accolades. Just as importantly, Ridder has seen more than 200 student-athletes garner either Academic All-Conference, Academic All-District, Academic All-America our NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors.   The success of Ridder’s Embry-Riddle program has not gone unnoticed as he has earned eight different Coach of the Year honors and five separate Hall of Fame inductions. Following his team’s national title in 1999-00, Ridder was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year, and less than 10 years later, was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame (2009). Ridder is also enshrined in the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Berea College Hall of Fame, the Northern Kentucky Hall of Fame and the Bellevue High School Hall of Fame. In the spring of 2019, Ridder earned one of the highest distinctions in basketball coaching, the NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Leadership. The award, which includes honorees like Eddie Sutton, Harry Statham, Don Meyer and Lorenzo Romar, is awarded to giants of the game that provide moral and ethical leadership on issues affecting the game of basketball and society. Ridder was presented the award at the 2019 NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2022, shortly after leading Embry-Riddle to the NCAA II Sweet 16, Ridder was honored with the Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award by Small College Basketball. The award honored Ridder for using the power of the coaching platform to make a positive impact on players, coaches and others.  The Fellowship of Christian Athletes named Ridder their 2023 winner of the John Lotz "Barnabas" Award, an award given annually to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement to others, and lives a balanced life.   Ridder is also a highly sought after clinician and speaker at basketball camps worldwide. He has traveled to Belgium, Switzerland and Ireland among others, teaching and coaching the game of basketball, and in the summer of 2007, Ridder earned the distinction of being selected as one of three court coaches for the USA Basketball Men’s Pan American Games Team Trials.   In addition to his coaching role, Ridder served as Embry-Riddle’s Director of Athletics for 20 years (1993 – 2013), overseeing major growth in the department. Under his watchful eye, the Embry-Riddle Athletic Department transformed into one of the elite athletic programs in the nation, including 14 consecutive top 25 finishes in the NACDA/Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup and 14 straight Sun Conference Commissioner’s Cup, awarded to the best overall athletic program in the league.   Ridder was the architect of the Embry-Riddle Athletic philosophy of “Student, Person, Player,” which is a commitment to academic achievement, campus and community involvement, personal holistic growth and a drive to excel in sport. Starting in 2000, the entire athletic program has consistently posted a higher grade point average than the rest of the Embry-Riddle student body. During Ridder’s tenure, 59 ERAU student-athletes earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and 263 student-athletes garnered NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors.   For his leadership as Director of Athletics, Ridder earned the highest NAIA athletic administration honor in 2006 when he was named the NAIA Athletics Director of the Year. Ridder also earned Sun Conference Athletic Administrator of the Year accolades eight times and NAIA Southeast Region Athletic Administrator of the Year honors three times.   In 2004-05, Steve and his wife Vicky were honored by many loyal athletic supporters with the establishment of the Steve and Vicky Ridder Endowed Scholarship. Through fundraised dollars, a scholarship is awarded annually to a student-athlete who best represents the philosophical mode of “Student, Person, Player.” Coach Ridder and his wife, Vicky, have four children: Ryan (Jen), Rachel (Tyler DeBord), Rob and Reed and eight grandchildren: Crew, Case, Copeland, Collier, Capri, Brixton, Remi and Marlee. Ryan is the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Mercer, while Reed serves as an assistant coach for the Bears. The Ridder family resides in Ormond Beach and attends Tomoka Christian Church. Coaching History Year Ovr. Pct. Conf. Pct. Postseason 35 Seasons 798-340 .701 312-152 .672 1989-90 4-24 .143 - - 1990-91 22-8 .733 11-3 .786 NAIA District 25 Playoffs 1991-92 25-7 .781 10-4 .714 NAIA District 25 Playoffs 1992-93 27-8 .771 11-3 .786 NAIA National Tournament - Sweet 16 1993-94 23-10 .697 10-4 .714 FSC Tournament 1994-95 19-14 .576 10-4 .714 FSC Tournament 1995-96 25-11 .694 11-3 .786 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament - 2nd Round 1996-97 25-8 .758 11-3 .786 FSC Tournament; NAIA National Tournament - 2nd Round 1997-98 23-12 .657 9-5 .643 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament 1998-99 27-9 .750 12-2 .857 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament - 2nd Round 1999-00 31-7 .816 8-4 .667 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA II National Champions 2000-01 32-4 .889 10-2 .833 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament Quarters 2001-02 24-7 .774 9-3 .750 FSC Tournament 2002-03 19-12 .613 6-4 .600 FSC Tournament 2003-04 19-12 .613 4-4 .500 FSC Tournament 2004-05 26-8 .765 8-2 .800 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament - 2nd Round 2005-06 31-3 .912 9-1 .900 FSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament - 2nd Round 2006-07 25-8 .727 7-5 .583 FSC Tournament  2007-08 27-7 .794 10-4 .714 FSC Tournament; NAIA National Tournament 2008-09 25-8 .758 9-5 .643 TSC Tournament 2009-10 30-6 .833 14-2 .875 TSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament - Quarters 2010-11 29-5 .853 13-3 .813 TSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament 2011-12 18-14 .531 7-9 .438 TSC Tournament 2012-13 25-9 .735 9-7 .562 TSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament 2013-14 24-8 .750 13-5 .722 TSC Tournament; NAIA National Tournament 2014-15 35-2 .946 17-1 .944 TSC Tournament Title; NAIA National Tournament Semis 2015-16 16-10 .615 - - 2016-17 16-10 .615 - - 2017-18 11-17 .393 5-15 .250 2018-19 13-18 .419 6-14 .300 2019-20 20-10 .667 11-9 .550 SSC Tournament; NCAA II National Tournament 2021-22 24-10 .706 14-6 .700 SSC Tournament; NCAA II National Tournament Sweet 16 2022-23 19-12 .613 10-10 .500 SSC Tournament; NCAA II National Tournament 2023-24 22-10 .688 14-6 .700 SSC Tournament; NCAA II National Tournament 2024-25 17-12 .586 11-9 .550 SSC Tournament PERSONAL Hometown Bellevue, Ky. Family Wife: Vicky; Children: Ryan, Rachel, Rob, Reed; Grandchildren: Crew, Case, Copeland, Collier, Capri, Brixton, Remi, Marlee Education B.S. in Business Administration (Berea); M.S. in Physical Education/Sports Administration (Eastern Kentucky) ACCOLADES National Champions NAIA II (1999-00) 800 Career Wins - 32nd in Men's College Basketball History 20 Conference Championships 24 20-win seasons; 5 30-win seasons 19 National Tournament Appearances 7 Sweet 16s Inducted into 5 Halls of Fame 8x Coach of the Year NABC Guardian of the Game - Leadership (2019) Harry Statham Coach of Impact Award (2022) FCA's John Lotz "Barnabas" Award (2023) 38 All-Americans 68 All-Conference selections MILESTONES AT EMBRY-RIDDLE First Victory: Florida Bible, 108-26 (Jan. 31, 1990) First vs. Conference Opponent: Flagler, 94-93 (Jan. 12, 1991) First Postseason Win: St. Thomas, 86-77 (March 1, 1993) First National Tournament Win: vs. Caldwell, 76-70 (March 11, 1993) 100th Win: at Florida Memorial, 96-73 (Feb. 18, 1994) 200th Win: St. Francis (Ind.), 95-90 (Nov. 28, 1998) NAIA II National Championship: at Ozarks (Mo.), 75-63 (March 14, 2000) 300th Win: Palm Beach Atlantic, 91-79 (Jan. 19, 2002) 400th Win: Flagler, 76-66 (Feb. 15, 2006) 500th Win: Johnson & Wales, 71-67 (Feb. 5, 2010) 600th Win: Warner, 59-58 (Jan. 25, 2014) 700th Win: Spring Hill, 109-76 (Nov. 15, 2019) Total Top-25 Polls Appeared In: 343 Total Poll Top-10s: 236 Total #1 Rankings: 21 Longest Win Streak: 20 - twice (Feb. 22, 2000 - Dec. 7, 2000; Nov. 19, 2005 - Jan. 28, 2006) @ERAUCoachRidder

After a five-year career on the hardwood, Cj Henagan joins the Embry-Riddle Men's Basketball coaching staff as a graduate assistant. Henagan, a native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, earned his undergraduate degree in Human Factors Psychology from Embry-Riddle and is currently pursuing his Master's in Human Factors Psychology. Henagan was a two-time SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll awardee for the Eagles, appearing in 74 games with 16 starts over the course of his career. Henagan averaged 6.4 points, and 3.0 rebounds for the Blue and Gold.

Kellers 13th season as an assistant coach with the Embry-Riddle mens basketball team. Keller joined the Embry-Riddle coaching staff in August of 2004 after serving as the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Leesburg High School from 2001-04. During Kellers tenure, the Eagles have posted an overall record of 300-89, have won six conference tournament championships and four conference regular season titles and have made eight trips to the NAIA National Tournament, including a national tournament semifinal appearance in 2015. Keller has played a key role in the Eagles recruiting efforts. He has established a number of contacts within the state of Florida and has built a strong recruiting network within in the United States. He has teamed up with Coach Ridder to bring in All-American players Tyler DeBord, David Butler, Blake Touchard, DeForest Carter, Ray Graham and Cesar Pastrana. Kellers first season at Embry-Riddle in 2004-05, saw the Eagles capture the conference tournament title with a dramatic win over his alma mater, Flagler. Kellers coaching efforts are concentrated primarily on the Eagles defense and that season, his hard work paid off as the ERAU defense finished second in the country in defensive field goal percentage (.391) en route to the Sweet 16 at the national tournament and a 26-8 overall record. The following year, the Eagle defense took it up another notch and led the nation in defensive field goal percentage, limiting opponents to 36.0 percent from the floor in 2005-06. The Eagles won the leagues regular season and tournament titles for the second straight year and earned the No. 1 seed going into the national tournament before closing out the year at 31-3. Keller has transitioned from working with perimeter players to focusing on post player development over the course of his collegiate coaching career. The Embry-Riddle big men have been a staple in the programs success over the years and under Kellers guidance. Keller has also been responsible for the coordination and administration of the very successful Embry-Riddle Mens Basketball Team Camps. One of the top team camp programs in the Southeast, the Embry-Riddle Team Camps attract more than 50 high school programs for week-long and weekend programming each year. The camps have helped the Eagles recruiting effors significantly as a number of ERAU letterwinners were former campers. Prior to joining the Eagles staff, Keller served as the head coach at one of the top high school programs in the state of Florida, guiding Leesburg to a 155-47 overall and six consecutive Sweet 16 appearances from 1998-2003 during his seven years working with the program. His teams were part of a string of 11 consecutive 20-win seasons and in 2002, Kellers Yellow Jackets (29-6) advanced to the State Final Four for the first time in more than 25 years. Leesburgs success in 2002 earned Keller Florida Dairy Farmers Class 5A Florida Coach of the Year honors. In addition, Keller coached two McDonalds All-American nominees and three All-State players. However, Keller was most proud of his teams achievements in the classroom as his team elevated their academic prowess with a 3.15 grade point average in 2004. This commitment to blend academics and athletics is further evidenced by seven players signing college scholarships in Kellers four seasons including two NCAA Division I players in Marlyn Bryant (South Florida) and Francis Cuyler (Middle Tennessee State). A 1997 graduate of Flagler, Keller served as team captain his junior and senior seasons with the Saints. During his collegiate career, Keller was a starter for FC helping them post three straight 20-win seasons. He led the Florida Sun Conference in assists per game from 1995-97 and as a senior finished in the top 20 of the NAIA in assists per game. He closed out his career third on Flaglers all-time assists list and second among single-season leaders. Keller attended St. Cloud High School where he was an All-Orange Belt Conference selection and holds the school record for assists in a season and in a game (18). He has been inducted into the St. Cloud High School Basketball Alumni Hall of Fame. Keller is also very active in the local community. He is often asked to speak at a variety of functions and makes frequent visits to local elementary and middle schools. A member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches since 2004, Keller is extremely proud of the strong relationships he has built, which includes providing mentorship to several individuals who have gone into the coaching profession, including Brandon Scott (Head Coach, Limestone), Jake Pickett (Asst. Coach, Flagler), Ryan Ridder (Head Coach, Daytona State), Daniel Kiesling (Asst. Coach, Embry-Riddle), Denver Cobb (Asst. Coach, Rocky Mountain College), Nick Miller (Head Coach, Pinellas Park High School) and Mark Isenhour (Head Coach, Brookwood High School). Keller graduated from Flagler with a degree in Business Administration and completed his masters in Sports Coaching at the United States Sports Academy in 2006. He resides in Ormond Beach with his three children Kiley, Colby and Caden.

Henagan has been an assistant coach for the Eagles since August of 2024 after serving two years as a graduate assistant coach. Under his leadership, he has assisted in the coaching and development of All-Conference selection Dru Nickson. Under his tutelage as assistant, the men's basketball program produced 10 individuals to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, five to the NABC Honors Court, and four D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award Winners. Prior to being on the sidelines as a coach, the Hopkinsville, Kentucky native completed a five-year stint on the court for Embry-Riddle. A two-time SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll awardee for the Eagles, Henagan appeared in 74 games with 16 starts over the course of his career. He averaged 4.4 points, and 3.0 rebounds for the Blue and Gold. Henagan earned his undergraduate degree in Human Factors Psychology and his Master's in Human Factors Psychology from Embry-Riddle.