Raised in Letts, Iowa Ryan graduated high school from Louisa-Muscatine in 1990.
As a senior, Ryan earned First-Team All-State and was the leading scorer (35 pts/game) and 3-point shooter (90 made) in Iowa. His college basketball playing career started at University of South Dakota from 1991-1993 where he was part of two North Central Conference Championships and a berth in the NCAA Division II Elite 8. He transferred to Teikyo Marycrest College for 1994-95 seasons and while there was one of the leading scorers and rebounders for the Eagles. Ryan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 at the University of South Dakota as a member of the winningest team in 1992-93. He played two sports in college as a pitcher on the baseball teams during his time at both schools.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1995 in English from Teikyo Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa and his Master of Arts degree in Physical Education from University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.in 1997.
Ryan began his coaching at the University of South Dakota as a graduate assistant coach from 1996-97. Upon returning home he volunteered at Moline High School in 1998 at the sophomore boys’ basketball level as assistant coach. He quickly became head sophomore coach the following year as well as assistant coach under Moline’s Frank Dexter and was part of the coaching staff that led the program to the Illinois High School Class AA Elite 8 in 2001. During that same time Ryan led sophomore teams to back-to-back Western Big 6 Conference champions. After a few years of coaching at Moline, Ryan took a break to coach all three boys in various youth basketball programs for the next 15 years or so before returning as an assistant coach under at Moline High School on sophomore and freshman teams from 2017-2024 and enjoyed watching the Maroons win the 2023 Illinois Class 4A State Championship under Moline coach Sean Taylor.
In addition to his coaching duties, Ryan has worked for John Deere the last 26 years and currently is Corporate Business Manager in the Construction and Forestry Division. His wife, Chris, and three boys Dawson, Maddux and Banks live in Moline, Ill..
