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21mbbcmRileyDavid_2219

David Riley

  • Title
    Head Men's Basketball Coach
  • Email
    driley3@ewu.edu
  • Experience
    Head Coach since 2021 (on staff since 2011-12)
  • Alma Mater
    Whitworth '11
At a Glance

Riley was promoted to the role of head coach in 2021 after 10 seasons as an assistant in the program. During his time in Cheney as a head or assistant coach, the Eagles have achieved unprecedented success, earning two trips to the NCAA Tournament and earning five Big Sky Conference MVP honors. As a player, Riley was a four-year starter and feared shooter at D-III Whitworth University in Spokane. He was born in Seattle and grew up on Stanford University’s campus in California. He graduated from Whitworth in 2011 with a degree in mathematical economics, then earned a master’s degree in physical education (sport administration) from Eastern in 2013. Born in 1988, Riley is the 4th-youngest head coach in Division-I men’s basketball for the 2023-24 season.

Coaching Summary
  • 2021-present: Head Coach (Eastern Washington)
  • 2014-21: Assistant Coach (Eastern Washington)
  • 2011-14: Graduate Assistant / Director of Basketball Operations (Eastern Washington)
Coaching Accolades & Accomplishments
  • 2022-23 Big Sky Coach of the Year
  • 2021-22 Joe B. Hall Award finalist (top D-I first year coach)
  • Five Big Sky MVPs (Jacob Wiley, 2016-17; Bogdan Bliznyuk, 2017-18; Mason Peatling, 2019-20; Tanner Groves, 2020-21; Steele Venters, 2022-23)
  • 13 First Team All-Big Sky selections (two as head coach)
  • Six (6) Second Team All-Big Sky (two as head coach)
  • Two (2) Third Team All-Big Sky
  • Six (6) Honorable Mention All-Big Sky (one as head coach)
  • One (1) Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year (Kim Aiken Jr., 2020-21)
  • One (1) Big Sky Top Reserve (Tyler Robinson, 2020-21)
  • Three (3) Big Sky Freshman of the Year (one as head coach)
  • Two (2) Big Sky Tournament MVPs
  • Nine (9) Big Sky All-Tournament Team
Playing Summary
  • 2007-11: Whitworth University (Division III; Spokane, Wash.)
Playing Accolades
  • Three-time All-NWC (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11)
  • D3hoops.com Third Team All-Region (2010-11)
  • 1,664 points (14.6 per game), 4th in Whitworth history at time of departure. 43.1% 3PT shooting.
Year-by-Year
 
Year Position Overall Pct. Conference Postseason
2022-23 Head Coach 23-11 .676 16-2 / 1st BSC QF / NIT R2
2021-22 Head Coach 18-16 .529 11-9 / t-5th BSC QF / TBC R1
2020-21 Assistant Coach 16-8 .667 12-3 / t-2nd BSC Champion / NCAA R1
2019-20 Assistant Coach 23-8 .742 16-4 / 1st    N/A (COVID)
2018-19 Assistant Coach 16-18 .471 12-8 / 3rd BSC CG
2017-18 Assistant Coach 20-15 .571 13-5 / t-3rd BSC CG / CBI R1
2016-17 Assistant Coach 22-12 .647 13-5 / 2nd BSC SF / CBI R1
2015-16 Assistant Coach 18-16 .529 10-8 / t-5th BSC QF / CBI R1
2014-15 Assistant Coach 26-9 .743 14-4 / t-1st BSC Champion / NCAA R1
2013-14 Dir. of Basketball Ops 15-16 .484 10-10 / t-6th
2012-13 GA / Dir. of Basketball Ops 10-21 .323 7-13 / 8th
2011-12 GA / Dir. of Basketball Ops 15-17 .469 8-8 / 4th BSC QF
Head Coach (2 seasons) 41-27 .603 27-11 (.711)
Assistant Coach (7 seasons) 141-86 .621 90-37 (.709)
On Staff (12 seasons) 222-167 .571 142-79 (.643)

Full Bio

David Riley joined the EWU men’s basketball staff for the 2011-12 season as a graduate assistant and steadily climbed the ranks, ultimately becoming the Eagles’ head coach ahead of the 2021-22 campaign. In his first two seasons at the helm, Riley led Eastern to a combined 41-27 record (27-11 in conference), including a Big Sky Regular Season Championships in 2022-23 (23-11, 16-2).

Riley earned Big Sky Coach of the Year honors in 2022-23 as the Eagles set program and conference records with an 18-game winning streak and 16-0 start to conference play. They lost at the Big Sky Tournament but earned a bid to the 2023 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), where they secured the second postseason win in program history, knocking off Washington State on the road in Pullman. They narrowly missed a second-round win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Guards Steele Venters and Angelo Allegri earned First Team All-Big Sky honors, with Venters named MVP as a unanimous selection. Forward Ethan Price earned Honorable Mention recognition.

The Eagles went 18-16 (11-9) in Riley’s first year as he was recognized as a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award for the top first-year head coach in NCAA Division I basketball. The Eagles competed in The Basketball Tournament (TBC) and Price was named Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Venters and Linton Acliese III were named Second Team All-Big Sky.

Prior to being named head coach, Riley served as an assistant under Jim Hayford from 2011-17, then Shantay Legans from 2017-21. During his time as an assistant, the Eagles began their current stretch of unparalleled success, earning four league MVP honors in five years (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020) as well as NCAA Tournament berths in 2015 and 2021.

As a player, Riley was a sharpshooting wing at D-III Whitworth University in nearby Spokane, Wash., earning First Team All-NWC honors in his final three seasons while starting 112 of 114 games in his career. He finished with 1,664 points (14.6 per game) to rank fourth in Whitworth history and made 43.1 percent of his three-point attempts (300-of-696). He averaged 16.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as a senior when he earned Third Team All-Region (D3hoops.com) honors. Riley drained a school-record 10 three-pointers and finished with 33 points in a 115-69 triumph over Willamette on Feb. 11, 2011. The Pirates finished 28-2 and advanced to the Elite Eight of the D-III Tournament for the first time in school history. The Pirates competed in the D-III tournament every year during his career.

Riley is formerly from Palo Alto, Calif., and graduated from Gunn High School in 2007. He was born on Nov. 28, 1988, in Seattle. He and his wife, Emily, were married in 2018.

Riley’s father, Edward Riley, is a Whitworth graduate and a physician and professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Riley’s uncle, Mike Riley, grew up in Wallace, Idaho, and went on to a successful football coaching career, including head coaching roles at Nebraska (2015-2017), Oregon State (1997-98, 2003-2014), the NFL’s San Diego Chargers (1999-2001) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (1987-1990). Riley’s grandfather, Bud Riley, was an assistant football coach at Idaho (1962-65), Oregon State (1965-72) and the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1974-77).

David Riley’s mother, Rev. Renee Riley, also graduated from Whitworth and was ordained in 1986. She was the Moderator of the Presbytery of San Jose in 1998. She passed away in 2005 at the age of 45.
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