Hall of Fame
As a basketball coach, Bill Odell transformed Azusa Pacific from a local competitor to a consistent national power, turning Cougar men's basketball into a gem of a program. He guided Azusa Pacific to 13 Golden State Athletic Conference Championships during his 16 years as the Cougar helm, including an unprecedented nine straight titles (1993-2001). Odell compiled a 454-112 record, averaging 28 wins a season, making Azusa Pacific college basketball's winningest program on all levels from 1993 to 2007. He led Azusa Pacific to 14 NAIA Championship Tournament appearances, coaching the Cougars into the "Elite Eight: seven times, the "Final Four" four times, and the national championship game once, in 2003. Odell was named the NAIA Coach of the Year in 2005, and the GSAC Coach of the Year six times. Throughout his career, he guided Azusa Pacific to five 30-win seasons, including a program best 35-3 record in 2001. Odell coached 20 NAIA All-Americans, including three first-team honors, and six GSAC Player of the Year selections. In 1996, Odell added duties as an athletic director to his resume. In his 15 years as an athletic director, he led Azusa Pacific to the pinnacle of NAIA competition. From 2004 to his retirement in 2011, Odell's Cougars captured an NAIA-unprecedented eight consecutive Directors' Cup titles, recognizing Azusa Pacific as the premier athletic program in the NAIA. In 2011 Odell was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame.
