Two-time GSAC Coach of the Year Bill Odell, who is in his eighth season at Azusa Pacific, is the architect of one of college basketball's most dramatic program turn-arounds in the past 10 years. In what would seem to be a blink of an eye, Odell has transformed Azusa Pacific from a local "also-ran" into a national small college power, guiding the Cougars to their best 8-year period in program history. Earlier this season, a 103-69 win over Claremont-Mudd gave Odell his 200th career win. Odell's .783 winning percentage ranks in the Top 10 of active NAIA coaches.
In the 8 years prior to Odell's arrival, Azusa Pacific posted a 97-158 (.380) record, but in Odell's 8 years as head coach Azusa Pacific has gone 214-59 (.783) on the hardwood and collected 7 straight GSAC crowns, its first-ever conference titles.
After spending 20-plus years as a successful high school head coach, Odell, 56, made a career change that brought him to Azusa Pacific in the summer of 1991. To say his impact on the Cougar basketball program was immediate would be something short of an understatement. In his initial 1992 season, he led the Cougars to a 17-14 record, only the second winning season for Azusa Pacific in 10 years. He followed that with an amazing 1993 campaign in which the Cougars posted a school-best 30-4 record, including a perfect 12-0 Golden State Athletic Conference mark (the first and only undefeated GSAC season ever). The program's first-ever 30-win season and a school-record 16-game winning streak propelled the Cougars into the NAIA Coaches Poll Top 5 for the first time ever, and eventually made the Cougars the NAIA's No. 1-ranked team in the nation for 3 weeks (Feb. 1 - Feb. 21). They closed the season ranked No. 2 in the nation with a berth in the NAIA tourney for the first time in 19 years.
Odell led Azusa Pacific to a near identical repeat in 1994, piloting the Cougars to a 29-5 record and a second consecutive berth in the NAIA Tourney (first back-to-back appearances ever by a GSAC team). His Cougars won 11 of 12 GSAC contests and clinched their second straight conference crown to become the first GSAC program to win back-to-back titles outright. They finished the season ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Top 25 poll. In 1995, the Cougars again won the GSAC championship, winning 11 of 14 conference games to lead the way to a 23-10 overall record. Odell was named 1995 GSAC Coach of the Year. In 1996, he pulled off what could be his most impressive feat, taking a team some said had "no business winning the GSAC title" to just that -- an unprecedented fourth straight GSAC championship, winning 11 of 14 conference games while posting a 26-8 overall record. In 1997, the Cougars once again captured the GSAC crown, finishing 12-2 in conference and 29-8 overall. The Cougars also won 4 of 5 postseason games, advancing to the second round of the NAIA Tourney.
The 1998 season was the most successful in the Odell regime. He led the Cougars to a final NAIA ranking of No. 3, and they entered the NAIA National Tournament with a No. 1 seeding record. The Cougars advanced to the NAIA National Semifinals, losing to eventual champion George-town College (Ky.). The final record of 34-5, is the best in program history and the 34 wins are the most by any Cougar team. The 1998 Cougars also tied a GSAC record with 13 conference wins. Odell was named GSAC Coach of the Year for the second time.
This season, Odell won his 200th game and led the Cougars to their seventh straight GSAC title, becoming the first program in any sport in the conference to win the GSAC 7 straight times. The Cougars advanced to the NAIA National Semifinals for the second consecutive season, losing to eventual national champion Life University (Ga.). They are the only team in GSAC history to make consecutive trips to the NAIA Final Four.
In the past 8 seasons, Odell has navigated the Cougars to victories over eventual 1993 NAIA national champ Hawaii Pacific and eventual 1994 NCAA Division II national champion Cal State Bakersfield. He also led the Cougars to the championship of the prestigous CS Bakersfield tournament, the first team besides the Roadrunners to ever win the title.
"I believe that basketball is a microcosm of life," said Odell. "It is my responsibility to put players in situations where they can succeed."
The facts powerfully speak of his ability, but the numbers are more succinct. In 8 years, Odell has coached Azusa Pacific to a 214-59 record and 8 consecutive winning seasons (a program record). Even more impressive, he owns a 197-45 record the past 7 seasons and has put the Cougars' into 59 of the past 64 NAIA polls, including 4 Top 5 finishes. His Cougars have won 82 of their past 94 GSAC games and have won 98 of their past 107 home games.
"I'm the kind of coach that likes a fast-paced, uptempo, full-court offense," added Odell. "Dictating the tempo of a game, I believe, leads to team success. We try to take advantage of mismatches and create a lot of off-the-ball movement."
Odell came to Azusa Pacific from Millikan High in Long Beach, Calif., where he served as varsity basketball coach from 1971-1991 and as athletic director from 1976-1991. During his 20-year tenure, Millikan compiled 350 victories, making Odell the winningest coach in Long Beach high school history. Counting a 3-year stint at Northview High in Covina (1968-1970), Odell notched a 402-199 (.669) record in his 23 years on the prep level. In addition to his exceptional record, Odell coached Millikan to a dozen 20-win seasons, 6 Moore League titles, 13 CIF playoff berths, 4 CIF title game appearances, and the 1989 CIF Southern Section 5A Championship. For his efforts, he was named the 1989 CIF Coach of the Year, the Los Angeles Times South Coast Coach of the Year twice, and was the first ever 2-time winner of the YMCA High School Coach of the Year (1974 and 1989). He was also named Moore League Coach of the Year 6 times.
Odell began his career in 1965 as an assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach at Westmont College, serving famed Warrior coach Tom Byron for 3 years.
Odell was a star athlete at Huntington Park, (Calif.) High, earning letters in basketball and baseball.
In basketball, he won All-L.A. City honors and was named 1960 Eastern League Player of the Year. He played his collegiate ball at Westmont, where he was an All-NAIA District guard. He received a bachelor's degree in 1964, and in 1972 earned his master's in physical education administration at USC.
Bill and his wife, Gayle, live in La Verne, Calif. They have 2 children, a son Dave, who played basketball for his dad at Millikan and then was a 4-year letterman at Westmont, and a daughter, Susie Maga, who earned her master's at Azusa Pacific, was an All-American volleyballer at Westmont and is currently the girls' and boys' varsity head volleyball coach at St. Margaret's High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The Odells have 1 grandaughter, Raynee Odell (2 months), and 2 grandsons, Walker Odell (2) and Jacob Maga (1).
