USC Upstate head coach introduced

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (USC UPSTATE ATHLETICS) - Boasting 21 seasons of experience coaching at the collegiate and international levels and bringing a resume that features 12 postseason appearances, 10 conference players of the year, 72 all-conference selections, and teams with a penchant for winning at home, Marty Richter will be formally introduced as the 11th head coach of the USC Upstate men’s basketball program Wednesday morning.

Richter joins the Spartan program following a historic six-season stint as an assistant coach at Drake, helping the Bulldogs to 150 victories, five postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament appearances, and three Missouri Valley Conference Championships as an integral part of former Drake and current West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries’ staff.

Before returning home to the Hawkeye State, Richter spent three seasons as the head coach at Florida SouthWestern State College, leading a resurgence of the university’s men’s basketball and athletic programs, helming the Buccaneers, who began play during the 2016-17 season, to 56 wins and a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament appearances during his tenure.

Richter joined the Buccaneer program following a successful four-year stint at Florida Gulf Coast, helping build the program’s “Dunk City” teams, captivating the nation in 2013—in just their second season of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility—becoming the first No. 15 seed to advance to the Sweet 16 with victories over No. 2 Seed Georgetown and No. 7 Seed San Diego State.

Before rejoining the coaching ranks, he spent a season as a basketball analyst and recruiting evaluator for ESPN, helping build the national network’s Recruiting Nation service. Prior to joining ESPN, he spent two seasons at Chipola College, helping the Indians to a pair of NJCAA National Tournament appearances, including a third-place finish at the event during the 2008-09 season.

Richter also spent three seasons working under Dakich at Bowling Green (2003-04) with stops at South Dakota (2001-02) and Simpson College (1999-01).

A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Richter graduated from Simpson College in 1999 before earning his master’s from South Dakota in 2001. He and his wife, Brynn, have four children, Avery, Harper, Morgan, and Emerson.

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