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—his teams have won 168 games at home over the past 12 seasons—Marty Richter has been named the 11th head coach of the USC Upstate men’s basketball program.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Marty Richter as our new men’s basketball coach. Marty has a proven track record as a winner and a program builder,” said Vice Chancellor of Intercollegiate Athletics Matthew Martin. “His enthusiasm is infectious, and his passion for developing strong relationships with our student-athletes, campus, and community make him a great fit here at USC Upstate. We’re ecstatic to welcome Marty, his wife Brynn, and their children to the Upstate family.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Coach Marty Richter and his family to USC Upstate. Coach Richter brings a wonderful energy and a proven track record in guiding teams toward Greater Heights on and off the court. We are thrilled to open a new era for USC Upstate Basketball, and we look forward to the journey ahead,” remarked chancellor Dr. Bennie Harris.
“I’d like to thank Matt Martin and Dr. Bennie Harris for selecting me to lead the next chapter of Spartan Men’s Basketball. I’m honored to join the USC Upstate and Spartanburg community,” said Richter. “My family and I are eager to become an integral part of our men’s basketball program’s transformative future and contribute to the success of the overall athletic department and institution. We are gonna have fun.”
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. An integral part of former Drake and current West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries’ staff, Richter tutored 15 Bulldogs to 47 total All-Missouri Valley Conference honors with at least one Bulldog winning each of the league’s six major postseason awards at least once during his tenure.
This past season, Richter helped Drake to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, winning a second consecutive Arch Madness title behind a program-record-tying 28 wins. Leading the way, his protégé Tucker DeVries garnered his second straight Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award—becoming the first player since Creighton’s Doug McDermott to win in consecutive years –to headline a group of five all-conference selections.
During the 2022-23 season, the Bulldogs captured Drake’s first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship since 2008, winning 27 games—the second-most in program history. Tucker DeVries earned his first Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year honors, Drake’s first winner since Adam Emmenecker in 2008, leading a group of six all-conference honorees.
In 2020-21, Richter and Drake earned the top seed in that season’s College Basketball Invitational, advancing to the quarterfinal round. Taking home Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year honors, Tucker Devries headlined a quintet of all-league players.
Behind Missouri Valley Newcomer of the Year ShanQuan Hemphill and Sixth-Man of the Year Joseph Yesufu, the Bulldogs earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21 where Richter helped Drake to its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1971 with a 53-52 victory in the First Four over Wichita State. Following the season, five players garnered All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.
During the 2019-20 season, the Bulldogs finished with 20 wins, giving Drake consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 1969-70 and 1970-71. Three Bulldogs earned all-conference honors following the season.
In Richter’s first campaign in Des Moines, Drake captured a share of the Missouri Valley regular season championship as the team’s first 20-win season since 2007-08 resulted in the program’s first conference championship since the 2007-08 campaign. The season culminated in an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament as Nick McGlynn took home Missouri Valley Defensive MVP and Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades, headlining a group of four all-conference players.
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, he led the program to a 56-10 record and a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament appearances during his tenure while 11 of his former players transferred to compete at four-year institutions.
In his final season leading the Purple and Aqua, he guided the program to a record 30 wins, finishing 30-3 en route to earning the No. 6 Overall seed in the event—the highest seeding among at-large bids. Led by Suncoast Player of the Year Tremell Murphy, his team’s efforts earned him conference Coach of the Year honors.
In his first season, he guided Florida SouthWestern State to a 26-7 overall record and finished the season ranked No. 31 in the final NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball rankings. He led the Buccaneers to a Suncoast Conference Tournament championship in the team’s first season, winning 16 of their final 18 games to close the year.
Richter joined the Buccaneer program following a successful four-year stint at Florida Gulf Coast, helping build the program’s “Dunk City” teams. During his time in Fort Myers, the Eagles advanced to three ASUN Men’s Basketball Championship games during his four seasons, capturing a pair of conference championships—a regular season title in 2013-14 and a tournament title in 2012-13.
In each of his final three seasons, FGCU made three national postseason appearances, featuring in the NCAA Tournament (2012-13), National Invitational Tournament (2013-14), and CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (2014-15). Captivating the nation behind their “Dunk City” moniker, the 2012-13 Eagles—in just their second season of NCAA Division I postseason eligibility—became 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.
Between his two stints at Chipola, he served as an assistant coach for Ukrainian Superleague team Budivelnyk Basketball Club, carrying multiple roles and responsibilities with the club. He also spent time at Indiana, serving as the Hoosier’s video coordinator under interim head coach Dan Dakich, joining the program for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.
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, Simpson 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.
All hires by the University of South Carolina Upstate athletic department are subject to an approved background check.
Testimonials for Coach Marty Richter
Chad Buchanan, General Manager, Indiana Pacers
“Marty’s passion for people and the game of basketball is what makes him special. Players love playing for him and his teams all play with toughness, unselfishness, and heart. Every program he’s been a part of has won at an extremely high level and that is no coincidence. Marty is a proven winner.”
Paul Biancardi, Recruiting Director, ESPN
“Marty Richter is a remarkable basketball coach who has consistently excelled throughout his career. His exceptional ability to identify and recruit talented players is a testament to his expertise as a talent evaluator. Moreover, his dedication to his craft and unwavering work ethic make him an invaluable asset to both the campus and the community. With his outstanding track record, there is no doubt in my mind that Marty will transform USC Upstate into a winning program.”
Andy Enfield, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, SMU
“Coach Richter is an outstanding basketball coach and we look forward to following the success of the Spartans!”
