Anchorage native Ryan McCarthy takes over at the helm of the Seawolf program in 2012-13, coming to UAA from Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Northwest Nazarene.

In five seasons at NNU from 2007-12, McCarthy served as an assistant, interim head coach and associate head coach, helping the Crusaders to two NCAA Tournament berths and a .633 winning percentage during that stretch.

After helping NNU to a 56-27 record as assistant coach from 2007-10, McCarthy stepped up as acting head coach in 2010-11 while Kelli Lindley took a leave of absence. He led the Crusaders to a 14-13 overall record that season, including a 9-9 mark in conference play and a bid to the inaugural GNAC postseason tournament.

Following Lindley's return in 2011-12, McCarthy was named associate head coach and helped pilot NNU to an 18-10 season and another GNAC Tournament appearance.

McCarthy played professionally for Tus Bramsche in Bramsche, Germany, in 2006-07, where he led the league in three-pointers and free throw percentage. He spent 2006 with the Central Oregon Hotshots of the International Basketball League, averaging 16 points, four assists and four rebounds per game.

A 4-year starter and 3-year captain for the Crusaders from 2002-06, McCarthy was named NNU's Orrin Hills Male Athlete of the Year for 2005-06. He ranks third in program history with 256 treys over his career, setting the GNAC single-season record with 102 three pointers in 2005-06. Overall he posted 1,161 career points for the Crusaders.

McCarthy graduated from NNU in 2006 with a B.S. in social science education. He and his wife Jenny have one son, Donovan.