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MONROE — For Ryan Cross, being Louisiana-Monroe's newest men's basketball coach took 31 years of perseverance.
His association with the university started when former coach Mike Vining was recruiting some of his Chipola Junior College players. Cross gained even more respect for the program Vining built following seven Southland Conference tournament titles and seven NCAA Division I tournament appearances. The 81-year-old Vining retired in 2005 as the conference's all-time winningest coach.
After six seasons at Alabama-Birmingham, coaching alongside Keith Richard at ULM and Louisiana Tech and leading Caldwell to four LHSAA playoff appearances, the time was right for Cross to lead his own program again.
He was formally introduced as the ninth coach in ULM men's basketball history at a press conference on March 26 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Mentors and fans came out in support, and Cross and Warhawks athletic director SJ Tuohy held up a white jersey at the end of the conference.
"I want to get this program back to where we're playing meaningful basketball in March," Cross said. "It's not just the NCAA Tournament. That means when we're in late February and we're playing (Sun Belt Conference) games, we're still battling for seeding in the conference tournament. That is, in a nutshell, my vision (for this program)."
Cross credited Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes as the man who gave him his start in the college ranks. The two men were together at Barton Community College in Kansas until Forbes became an Idaho assistant in 1998. Cross succeeded Forbes as Barton coach, leading it to a 35-3 record and an NJCAA national championship appearance.
"If it's not for (Forbes), I'm not here," Cross said.
ULM sports: Here is football's schedule for the 2026-27 season
Cross also has tremendous respect for UAB coach Andy Kennedy, calling him "one of the best coaches in college basketball," and Richard, who gave the then-30-year-old his first Division I coaching job at Tech in 2003.
"I learned so much working for him, just how to prepare a team, how to operate and run a Division I program," Cross said. "And then he gave me the opportunity to come back to (ULM) in 2012 as a little older, more mature, hopefully wiser adult. It really goes hand in hand.
"When I came here, this program was really, really on hard times. And I just remembered what it took to get back. And I've got no doubt in my mind that we can do it again. We will do it again."
One of the biggest things Cross aims to bring to the community and university is excitement back to Fant-Ewing. ULM ranked last in the Sun Belt in attendance in 2025. Cross particularly remembers the 2016 College Basketball Invitational championship against Loyola-Chicago and how Fant-Ewing was packed to the brim.
"You fans, you deserve that," Cross said. "Coach Vining and Coach Richard, guys that have poured their hearts and their souls into this program, you deserve to see that."
The Warhawks finished 4-28 for the 2025-26 season, and 1-17 in Sun Belt play. Phil Cunningham was let go after his lone season leading the program. Bringing excitement back to ULM men's basketball in 2026 starts with finding the right coaching staff and players that share the same vision as Cross.
"If their vision (doesn't) align with mine, that's fine," Cross said. "I'm not for everybody. But we're going to find the right players. We're going to look under every rock across the country. Players ultimately win championships. We've got to recruit the right players with a goal in mind of everybody being the best versions of themselves. When you do that collectively, you do more."
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: New coach Ryan Cross sees path to excitement for Louisiana-Monroe basketball
Continue reading...
His association with the university started when former coach Mike Vining was recruiting some of his Chipola Junior College players. Cross gained even more respect for the program Vining built following seven Southland Conference tournament titles and seven NCAA Division I tournament appearances. The 81-year-old Vining retired in 2005 as the conference's all-time winningest coach.
After six seasons at Alabama-Birmingham, coaching alongside Keith Richard at ULM and Louisiana Tech and leading Caldwell to four LHSAA playoff appearances, the time was right for Cross to lead his own program again.
He was formally introduced as the ninth coach in ULM men's basketball history at a press conference on March 26 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Mentors and fans came out in support, and Cross and Warhawks athletic director SJ Tuohy held up a white jersey at the end of the conference.
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"I want to get this program back to where we're playing meaningful basketball in March," Cross said. "It's not just the NCAA Tournament. That means when we're in late February and we're playing (Sun Belt Conference) games, we're still battling for seeding in the conference tournament. That is, in a nutshell, my vision (for this program)."
Cross credited Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes as the man who gave him his start in the college ranks. The two men were together at Barton Community College in Kansas until Forbes became an Idaho assistant in 1998. Cross succeeded Forbes as Barton coach, leading it to a 35-3 record and an NJCAA national championship appearance.
"If it's not for (Forbes), I'm not here," Cross said.
ULM sports: Here is football's schedule for the 2026-27 season
Cross also has tremendous respect for UAB coach Andy Kennedy, calling him "one of the best coaches in college basketball," and Richard, who gave the then-30-year-old his first Division I coaching job at Tech in 2003.
"I learned so much working for him, just how to prepare a team, how to operate and run a Division I program," Cross said. "And then he gave me the opportunity to come back to (ULM) in 2012 as a little older, more mature, hopefully wiser adult. It really goes hand in hand.
You must be registered for see images attach
"When I came here, this program was really, really on hard times. And I just remembered what it took to get back. And I've got no doubt in my mind that we can do it again. We will do it again."
One of the biggest things Cross aims to bring to the community and university is excitement back to Fant-Ewing. ULM ranked last in the Sun Belt in attendance in 2025. Cross particularly remembers the 2016 College Basketball Invitational championship against Loyola-Chicago and how Fant-Ewing was packed to the brim.
"You fans, you deserve that," Cross said. "Coach Vining and Coach Richard, guys that have poured their hearts and their souls into this program, you deserve to see that."
The Warhawks finished 4-28 for the 2025-26 season, and 1-17 in Sun Belt play. Phil Cunningham was let go after his lone season leading the program. Bringing excitement back to ULM men's basketball in 2026 starts with finding the right coaching staff and players that share the same vision as Cross.
"If their vision (doesn't) align with mine, that's fine," Cross said. "I'm not for everybody. But we're going to find the right players. We're going to look under every rock across the country. Players ultimately win championships. We've got to recruit the right players with a goal in mind of everybody being the best versions of themselves. When you do that collectively, you do more."
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: New coach Ryan Cross sees path to excitement for Louisiana-Monroe basketball
Continue reading...
