Ryan Pedon just completed his third season as an assistant coach with Toledo’s basketball program.

      “Ryan is a tremendous recruiter, a great communicator and a talented coach,” Kowalczyk said. “He’s already done a tremendous job for us, and is playing a big role in helping us take this program to another level.”

      In his first three seasons on the Toledo bench, Pedon has helped UT implement a culture of discipline and accountability and rebound from back-to-back 4-28 campaigns. The 2011-12 season saw the Rockets produce the second-best turnaround (+15 wins) in the nation with their 19-17 win-loss mark. This past year, UT captured a share of the MAC West Division title while facing a NCAA post-season ban due to low APR scores from previous staffs.

      Pedon also has played a key role in the development of two-time All-MAC honoree Rian Pearson as well as 2011-12 MAC Freshman of the Year and 2012-13 third-team All-MAC member Julius Brown.

      Pedon has been involved with Mid-American Conference basketball for the last decade and previously served as an assistant at Miami (2005-10) and on the Kent State coaching staff (2002-05) prior to coming to the Rockets.

      Pedon joined the RedHawks’ staff as an assistant coach in 2005 and was promoted in 2007 to the program’s recruiting coordinator. Pedon’s familiarity with the MAC also extends to a three-year stint (2002-05) at Kent State where he served as the Golden Flashes’ Director of Basketball Operations. During his time at Miami and KSU, Pedon was a part of six teams that made postseason appearances, including one NCAA Tournament, four National Invitational Tournaments and one College Basketball Invitational.

      In addition to his numerous day-to-day coaching and recruiting responsibilities with the RedHawks, Pedon was critical in the creation and cultivation of the program’s Sixth Man Club as well as being a catalyst behind the upgrades to the locker room and Millett Hall’s practice gymnasium.

      Pedon earned his master’s degree at Miami in sport organization in May 2002 when he served as the program’s administrative assistant during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. During that time, he handled the day-to-day administrative duties, assisted with team travel and meals and coordinated the film exchange with opponents.

      In his three-year stint with the Golden Flashes, Pedon handled all of the travel arrangements, monitored team study tables, coordinated film exchange, assisted with on-campus recruiting and was the director of the program’s summer basketball camp.

      Pedon was a three-year letterwinner at NCAA Division III powerhouse Wooster and helped the Scots win three regular-season North Coast Athletic Conference championships (1998, ‘99, ‘00) and three NCAC Tournament titles (1997, ‘99, ‘00) during his career. In his junior and senior seasons, the Scots advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Tournament and finished with a No. 5 national ranking both years.

      Elected one of the Scots’ team co-captains as a senior, Pedon was bestowed Wooster’s annual “Bear Award,” given to the player who demonstrates the best enthusiasm and leadership. He played in 67 games during his career, including 25 during his senior season.

      A second-team All-Ohio honoree at Bexley High School in suburban Columbus, Pedon graduated from the College of Wooster with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2000.

            Pedon and his wife Stephanie reside in Maumee and became the parents of a son, Maddox, last May.