Maryland men's basketball announces hires of four staffers, including strength and conditioning coaches

Ahmed Ghafir
Jul 8
3 min read

Maryland men’s basketball has continued to fill out the rest of the coaching staff under head coach Buzz Williams as the program has announced four new additions this week.

Josh Chambers and TJ Ryan were announced by the program on Monday with Chambers taking over as ‘director of process’ and Ryan as ‘director of basketball strategy and analytics.’ Maryland will now have two new faces leading the strength and conditioning program with Eddie Benion and Steve Gephardt announced, with Benion serving as ‘program director for basketball sports medicine’ and Gephardt as ‘director of strength and resilience’.

The additions of Ryan and Gephardt were previously reported by IBG.

Chambers joined the Buzz Train in 2016 at Virginia Tech where he started as a graphic designer before shifting into a recruiting role, then joining Buzz Williams at Texas A&M where he served as the team’s director of creative.

"Josh brings one of the most unique skill sets I've seen in my coaching career. He's a problem solver at every level of our operation. Because of how his mind works, it's often essential that his perspective involved in any high-leverage decision we make," said Williams via release. "He's a clear thinker with a creative eye, and has quickly become a trusted confidant for me, our staff, and our players. His impact touches every part of our culture — from our in-game strategy to our player's mental performance, helping us adapt and evolve without losing the foundation that makes us who we are. I'm fired up to have him joining us here in Terpsville."

Like Chambers, Ryan also joined the Buzz Train at Virginia Tech where he stepped into a grad manager role in 2018-19 before moving onto Texas A&M as director of scouting “where he oversaw the team's video analysis software, managed team analytics, and oversaw recruiting content.”

"TJ is the smartest person on our staff and has quietly turned his role into a real competitive advantage. When it comes to analytics and strategy, there's no one in the country better than TJ Ryan," said Williams via release. "He takes pride in being a trailblazer in every area he touches. His ability to manage critical parts of our program — video, practice planning, analytics, and even some operations — not only takes an immense stress off me, but it allows our entire organization to operate at an elite level."

Benion joins the program in his eighth year alongside Buzz Williams after previously serving as Virginia Tech’s assistant athletic director for sports medicine before moving onto Texas A&M as the program’s athletic trainer.

"Everyone in our program loves Eddie B. Coaches, players, everyone. Not just because of the value he brings to their bodies and availability on the court, but because of the human being he is," said Williams via release. "He genuinely cares about every part of this organization and the success we're working toward. He is among the elite in his very competitive field and it is an honor that he chose to follow us from Texas A&M here to Maryland."

Gephardt now enters his sixth season alongside Buzz Williams after spending the previous 13 years at TCU. At Texas A&M, Gephardt had “direct oversight” of the strength and conditioning program where he’ll get a chance to fill the shoes left by Kyle Tarp, who is no longer with Maryland after 15 seasons.

"We believe deeply in the benefits of our players having time spent in the weight room, and Coach Gep has done an incredible job since he's joined our staff in giving our student-athletes the best chance to succeed when it comes to their bodies," said Williams via release. "His credentials speak for themselves, but it's his ability to earn the player's respect and demand accountability that truly sets him apart. You won't find a more selfless servant in college basketball than Coach Gephardt. He's just as intentional about developing our players as he is about helping our coaches and their families — often sacrificing his own time to serve others. I'm extremely grateful he's with us."

Via release:

Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are now on sale starting as low as $199. Fans can purchase tickets at www.UMTerps.com, by calling the XFINITY Center Ticket Office (301-314-7060), or visiting the Ticket Office on Monday through Friday between 9 AM and 4 PM.

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