Men's basketball coach Tra Arnold has turned Blinn College's basketball fortunes around. Now he's looking to take another program to new heights.

Arnold announced today that he is leaving Blinn to take the head coaching position at Odessa College. Arnold, who was also a Blinn assistant coach for five seasons, is coming off a 27-7 season with the Buccaneers in which the team set a new program record for wins and advanced to the Region XIV Tournament championship game for the first time.

"I'm very proud of what I've accomplished here at Blinn, both as a head coach and an assistant coach," Arnold said. "I've had the opportunity to coach some outstanding young men and I'm thankful to Blinn College and the Brenham community for all their support."

A native of Houston, Arnold is a graduate of Clear Creek High School. He played for the College of Southern Idaho, which was ranked as the No. 1 junior college program in 2000-2001, before continuing his playing career at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif.

Arnold received an associate in arts degree from College of Southern Idaho in 2002. He then earned his bachelor's in kinesiology from Biola University in 2005, and his master's in physical education from Prairie View A&M University in 2009.

Arnold takes the reins of an Odessa program that has produced more than 100 Division I signees, been ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA in three different seasons and has produced five NJCAA All-Americans.