Mercer defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University men’s basketball 77-61 Saturday night at the ICI Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. The NCAA Division I Bears opened Steve Ridder’s final season as Embry-Riddle’s head men’s basketball coach by winning the Ridder Showdown exhibition. The game also placed Ridder across the court from his son, Ryan Ridder, Mercer’s head men’s basketball coach.
Ryan Ridder returned to the program where he played and later served as a volunteer assistant coach. Before tip-off, he presented Steve Ridder and his mother with a Mercer uniform and a signed basketball. Daytona State men’s basketball and head coach Reed Ridder also joined Embry-Riddle and Mercer in commemorating the occasion.
A final season shaped by family
Steve Ridder announced in September that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season. He took over the Embry-Riddle program in 1989-90, and his documented career resume includes more than 800 victories, 20 conference championships, 19 national tournament appearances and the 2000 NAIA Division II national championship. The exhibition began the final campaign of a tenure that has spanned nearly four decades.
Ridder’s coaching philosophy is identified as the Student-Person-Player philosophy, which emphasizes academic achievement, personal development and athletic excellence. Those priorities provided the broader context for an exhibition centered on his final season and his family’s connection to the program. The event connected Embry-Riddle’s competitive history with the people shaped by Ridder’s leadership.
Ryan Ridder’s Daytona Beach return
Ryan Ridder completed his collegiate playing career under his father and earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace studies from Embry-Riddle in 2008. He returned to Daytona Beach as an Embry-Riddle volunteer assistant coach in 2009-10. That experience extended his relationship with the program beyond his time as a player.
Ryan Ridder later coached at Campbell, Daytona State, Bethune-Cookman and UT Martin. Mercer named him its 30th head men’s basketball coach in March 2024. His return as the head coach of Mercer gave the exhibition a direct connection to the next stage of a coaching career that began at Embry-Riddle.
Mercer left the ICI Center with the victory, while the Ridder Showdown opened Steve Ridder’s final season with a tribute to his career and relationships. Ryan Ridder’s return and Reed Ridder’s participation expanded the occasion beyond the two teams competing in the exhibition. The event also highlighted the family and coaching connections associated with the Embry-Riddle program.
FSB Take
Embry-Riddle’s final season under Steve Ridder began with a loss, but the exhibition established a clear legacy focus for the campaign. His son returned as an opposing head coach after playing and coaching at Embry-Riddle, while Reed Ridder joined the commemoration through Daytona State men’s basketball. Those verified connections make the 2026-27 season a transition point for a program shaped by Ridder’s academic, personal and athletic philosophy.
Source: Original report