USCB Athletics

Ron Fudala enters his third season at USCB in 2025–26.

In just the program’s second year of existence, Fudala built the Sand Sharks into a Peach Belt Conference force, leading USCB to a 21–10 overall record and their first-ever Peach Belt Conference Championship Game. Fudala’s Sand Sharks were the only team in the NCAA Southeast Region with wins over the No. 1 and No. 2 regionally ranked teams. His stellar 2024–25 campaign produced many historic milestones, including the most wins in program history, first win over a top-10 nationally ranked opponent, three top-25 victories, leading the conference in three statistical categories for the second straight season—scoring (89.5 ppg), steals, and turnover margin—and producing the school’s first two PBC All-Tournament Team athletes. The Fudala-led Sand Sharks hosted and won their first Peach Belt Conference playoff game in USCB history, defeating Lander 62–57 in front of an electric, sold-out crowd.

Fudala was responsible for an 11-win improvement from USCB’s competitive inaugural campaign in 2023–24 to its stellar 2024–25 year. The major step forward resulted in a 21–10 overall record and an 11–7 mark in Peach Belt play. The Sand Sharks recorded key conference wins over North Georgia, USC Aiken, Lander, Augusta, and No. 1-ranked Columbus State. They earned their first-ever Peach Belt Conference Tournament berth as a No. 4 seed and advanced to the Championship Final, falling to USC Aiken, who they had defeated two weeks prior.

In only two seasons, Fudala produced three All-Conference players, including freshman standout Second Team All-League forward Dominic Eason and Third Team All-League guard Kenny Gaines. The two also earned spots on the Peach Belt All-Tournament Team. Fudala also coached sophomore forward Dylan Lewis, who earned the PBC Elite 18 Award.

Entering the 2024–25 season, Fudala faced and successfully accomplished a significant challenge. He revamped the roster and replaced 60% of the Sand Sharks’ scoring and 50% of their rebounding from Year 1 to Year 2.

In USCB’s debut season under Fudala (2023–24), the Sand Sharks immediately blitzed the Peach Belt Conference. USCB stunned perennial power Augusta 114–112 in its first-ever PBC match up and defeated Columbus State in a four-overtime classic, 123–118. Fudala’s first-year Sand Sharks delivered some thrilling moments, including five 100+ point performances in non-conference play, setting a school record with 130 points in the first basketball game in school history. The Sand Sharks finished with double-digit wins, 10–16 overall in their debut season, during which Fudala recruited and helped develop PBC Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-Conference player Marcus Overstreet.

Fudala was named the first head coach in program history in October 2022, coming to USCB from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where he served as Associate Head Coach. During his four seasons at IUP, he helped guide the Crimson Hawks to their best stretch in school history—three consecutive PSAC tournament and regular-season championships, three straight No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Atlantic Region, and a trip to the 2022 NCAA Division II Elite Eight and Final Four. When he left for USCB in October 2022, the IUP team he helped develop and recruit ranked No. 1 nationally in the NABC DII rankings for the first time in IUP’s history. The squad won a fourth straight PSAC regular-season and tournament championship, a fourth straight No. 1 seed in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament and compiled a four-year record of 123–10 (.925 winning percentage).

At IUP, Fudala coached and played a pivotal role in the development of eight All-Conference players, four PSAC Players of the Year, and four All-Americans: Jacobo Diaz, Malik Miller, Armoni Foster, and Shawndale Jones. He helped recruit and develop PSAC Tournament MVP Ethan Porterfield, the school’s second all-time scorer (1,934), third all-time rebounder (885), and second all-time shot blocker (165). Fudala also helped recruit PSAC Freshman of the Year Tomiwa Suliman and First Team All-Conference player Dave Morris.

Coach Fudala’s prior stops include serving as Director of Basketball Operations at Division I Portland State, where he helped the Vikings to a 20-win season and a postseason berth, and as a graduate assistant at Santa Clara University under Herb Sendek.

A native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Fudala was a four-year starter at Laurel Highlands High School before significant knee injuries ended his playing career. He completed his undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University, earning a B.S. in Economics and Statistics, and is nearing completion of his M.S. in Business Analytics from Santa Clara University.

Fudala is a proud uncle to his niece Camille and nephew Trey. He resides in Bluffton, SC, with his girlfriend Kamrynn Wantz.