Richie Riley has served as head coach of the University of South Alabama men’s basketball program since 2018, leading a sustained resurgence of the Jaguars in the Sun Belt Conference. In seven seasons, he has guided the program to seven consecutive non-losing records — the longest such streak since 1983–89. His leadership reached new heights in 2024–25 when South Alabama captured the Sun Belt regular-season title for the first time since 2008. Picked 11th in the preseason coaches poll, the Jaguars defied expectations with a 21–11 record, marking Riley’s highest win total at South Alabama and the program’s most regular-season victories since 2008. The team established itself nationally as one of the most efficient and defensively disciplined squads, ranking among the top programs in field-goal percentage defense, scoring defense, turnover margin, and steals per game.
Riley’s tenure has been defined by steady growth and player development. He led the Jaguars to a 20-win season in 2019–20, the program’s first in over a decade, and followed with a 21-win campaign and postseason semifinal appearance in 2021–22. In 2022–23, South Alabama reached the Sun Belt Tournament championship game for the first time since 2009. Riley previously served as head coach at Nicholls State, where he led the Colonels to a share of the 2018 Southland Conference title. A Kentucky native, he has also held assistant coaching roles at Clemson, UAB, Eastern Kentucky, and Coastal Carolina. Riley earned his degree from Eastern Kentucky University and is recognized for building competitive, defense-oriented teams while developing players for professional opportunities.
