BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State Bulldogs hockey team introduced Brett Riley as the teams’ next head coach on Monday morning. Riley spent the last 5 years at Long Island University where he was the school’s first and only hockey coach with the division 1 program beginning in 2020. He led the team to a 14-1 record at home this year, the best of any D1 team. Riley will become the 6th head coach in the history of the FSU hockey team, taking over for the legendary Bob Daniels who spent the last 33 years at the helm.
Riley is a young coach, only 34 years old, he’s got large goals for the program, such as getting back to the frozen four, but knows that type of success won’t come easy.
“Our goal is progress here. I know that seems a little clichéd and kind of old school, but eventually when you commit to that process and you keep taking steps forward, we will look up and we’ll like the outcome.” Said Riley. “So that’s a lofty goal and one that we’ll aspire towards. But that’s, you know, putting in the work in the weight room that’s doing extra work like we talked to the guys about last night, lifting, skating and training. Those are prerequisites, everyone does that. So, what’s the standard that we’re going to do it at preparation throughout the week. Great team practices, tight team culture and again willing to go where the others aren’t and that will be a daily challenge and one, I’m excited for.”
Coach Riley’s grandfather, Jack led the USA Olympic team to a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics.