Richie Riley became head coach of the South Alabama men’s basketball program in 2018. In his seven seasons, he has led the Jaguars to seven straight non-losing seasons, the program’s longest streak since 1983–89. In 2024–25, Riley guided South Alabama to the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title, its first since 2008.
Picked to finish 11th in the league’s preseason coaches poll, Riley’s squad defied expectations by posting a 21-11 overall record, the most wins in a season under his leadership and the most regular-season victories by any Jaguar team since 2008. South Alabama also earned four wins over teams ranked in the top 150 of the NCAA NET rankings.
Riley’s 2024–25 Jaguars were one of the most efficient and defensively sound teams in the nation, ranking sixth nationally in field-goal percentage defense (.384), 17th in scoring defense (64.3 points per game) and 15th in steals per game (9.3). The Jaguars also ranked in the top 10 nationally in several key categories: seventh in fouls per game (13.3), sixth in turnover margin (+4.9), seventh in turnovers per game (9.2) and 17th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.59). South Alabama led the Sun Belt in each of those categories and won four league games by 25 points or more which the most in a single season since 1998–99.
In the 2023–24 season, Riley became just the third head coach in program history to reach 100 career wins at South Alabama. The Jaguars closed the regular season by winning six of their final eight games and secured the No. 8 seed in the Sun Belt Tournament for the second consecutive year.
Following the 2023–24 season, two of Riley’s players signed professional contracts. Forward Samuel Tabe, a Division II transfer from Seton Hill, signed with BC Psychiko of the Greek Elite League after earning Sun Belt Player of the Week honors on Feb. 26. Tabe capped his season with four straight 25-point games, including a conference-best 35-point performance against Arkansas State on Feb. 24. Veteran guard Tyrell Jones also went on to play professionally, signing with Enosis Neon Paralimni in the Cypriot Elite League. Jones, a three-year starter for the Jaguars, averaged 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 2023–24.
In 2022–23, Riley led the Jaguars to a 19-16 record and a memorable late-season surge, winning 11 of their final 14 games en route to the program’s first appearance in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game since 2009. Riley coached two all-conference selections: Isaiah Moore (first team) and Kevin Samuel (third team), with Samuel also earning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors after setting a single-season school record with 86 blocks.
The 2021–22 campaign saw Riley guide South Alabama to a 21-12 record — the program’s highest win total since 2007–08 — and a run to the semifinals of The Basketball Classic. The Jaguars finished in the top three in the Sun Belt in both scoring offense and scoring defense, the only team to do so. Three players earned All-Sun Belt honors, and the team posted a 15-3 home record, the second-best in Mitchell Center history.
In 2020–21, Riley’s Jaguars posted a 17-11 mark, including an eight-game Sun Belt winning streak. The season was highlighted by the performance of Michael Flowers, who led the league in scoring (21.0 ppg) and was named first-team All-Sun Belt and the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.
Riley’s second season, 2019–20, marked a breakthrough with a 20-11 record, the program’s first 20-win season since 2008–09. The Jaguars were led by All-Sun Belt selections Josh Ajayi and Trhae Mitchell. Ajayi topped the league in field-goal percentage, while Mitchell ranked second in blocks per game.
Riley’s debut campaign in 2018–19 saw South Alabama feature five double-figure scorers — a first for the program since 1996–97 — while improving offensive efficiency and establishing a fast-paced identity built around transfers and player development.
Before arriving in Mobile, Riley spent two seasons as head coach at Nicholls State, where he led the Colonels to a 21-11 record and a share of the 2018 Southland Conference regular-season title — their first in two decades. Nicholls ranked among the national leaders in steals, scoring and turnovers forced under Riley’s leadership.
As an assistant, Riley held stints at Clemson, UAB, Eastern Kentucky and Coastal Carolina. At Clemson, he helped the Tigers win 10 ACC games in 2016–17 and recruited top-100 prospect Ty Hudson. At UAB, he helped sign a top-25 recruiting class and contributed to a victory over No. 16 North Carolina in 2013–14.
A native of Kentucky, Riley began his coaching career at Georgetown College and later coached at Hawaii Pacific and Pikeville. He earned his degree in special education and human behavior from Eastern Kentucky University in 2005.
Riley and his wife, Jess, have three sons: Reese, Rock and Rush.
