STAUNTON — Mary Baldwin University announced this week that it had hired Bradley Rideout as head coach of the women’s basketball program.
Mary Baldwin won’t play women’s basketball this year following the university’s decision this summer to suspend the program for the 2024-25 season. The school cited a lack of players as the reason for the decision, saying the last four recruiting cycles only brought in seven players for the program.
At the time of the announcement in July, there were seven players and recruits on the roster.
Mary Baldwin won a total of four games the past two seasons under two different coaches. Meghan Austin coached the program for two years before DeEarnest McLemore was hired in 2023, staying one season.
The program experienced unprecedented success under Ross James, who arrived in Staunton in 2017. Before James arrived the Mary Baldwin women’s team had won just two games over a five-year period. By his second year, James led the team to 17 wins and the postseason. The school even hosted a tournament game, the first since joining USA South. James left in 2021 and is now head coach of the University of Tennessee Southern, an NAIA program in Pulaski, Tenn.
Rideout joins the Mary Baldwin athletic program from Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smith’s, N.Y., where he was the head coach of the women’s team for three years, compiling a record of 35-35.
At the time the school suspended the program, it said the coach’s primary responsibility this year would be to recruit at least 12 student athletes to fill the roster in time for the 2025–26 season.
“Coach Rideout has the enthusiasm and the experience to build a very strong program in the USA South Athletic Conference,” said MBU Director of Athletics Tom Byrnes.
Prior to his stint at Paul Smith’s, Rideout has been the head women’s basketball coach at Green Mountain (Vt.) College and held positions as the men’s assistant basketball coach at Messiah College and at NCAA Division II Shippensburg University.
“I am looking forward to working with the Mary Baldwin student-athletes and their families to help them grow on and off the court,” Rideout said.
More: SAW United Way closed by board of directors
More: Man accused of raping student on Mary Baldwin University campus found not guilty
— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Mary Baldwin University hires new women’s basketball coach
