TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida has found its new men’s head basketball coach.

USF has hired former Arkansas State head coach Bryan Hodgson to guide the Bulls program.

What You Need To Know

  • USF names former Arkansas State head coach Bryan Hodgson as its new men's basketball coach

  • Hodgson, 37, is USF’s 12th head coach in program history and comes to the Bulls after two seasons at the helm at Arkansas State

  • He inherited a team that lost 20 games and led Arkansas State’s turnaround in 2023-24, which included its first postseason appearance since 1999. 

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Hodgson, 37, takes over after a 13-19 season under interim coach Ben Fletcher. Fletcher guided the program after the death of Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led the Bulls to a program-first American Athletic Conference regular-season championship in 2023-24.

USF’s 12th head coach in program history, Hodgson comes to the university after two seasons at the helm of Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference.

"I am incredibly honored and excited to be the head coach at the University of South Florida," Hodgson said in a released statement. "From my first conversations with [Vice President for Athletics] Michael Kelly and the USF leadership, it was clear that this place is strongly committed to building a winning culture.”

Hodgson led Arkansas State to two of the most successful seasons in program history, with back-to-back 20-win seasons.

He inherited a team that lost 20 games and led Arkansas State’s turnaround in 2023-24, which included its first postseason appearance since 1999. 

In 2024-25, the Red Wolves finished with a 25-11 record, the best in Arkansas State program history. The season featured a top-20 victory, saw the Red Wolves secure the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title, and marked the team's first NIT appearance in more than 30 years. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Bryan Hodgson as the next head coach of USF men’s basketball," Kelly said. "Bryan has been a part of winning programs at every level, demonstrating a remarkable ability to recruit top talent, develop players and build championship-caliber teams.

“His passion, energy, and vision for USF basketball align perfectly with our commitment to excellence. We believe he is the right leader to take this program to new heights, and we can’t wait to see his impact on our student-athletes and the Tampa Bay community."

A western New York native, Hodgson and his fiancée, Jordan, have a son, Jett, who was born in 2024.