New Ferris State Hockey Coach Brett Riley Tabbed As Finalist For NCAA D1 National Coach Of The Year Honor
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Big Rapids, Mich. - New Ferris State University men's ice hockey head coach Brett Riley, who was officially introduced as the Bulldogs' sixth head coach in school history, has been chosen as a 2025 finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year.
Riley has honored this past year as the NCAA Independent Coach of the Year winner for his work at Long Island University and is now a national finalist for the prestigious award given to the top college hockey coach in the country. The award is selected by the nation's 64 NCAA Division I head coaches and presented by CCM and the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).
The winner of the Spencer Penrose Award will be announced on Tuesday, April 8.
Riley, who has served as the head coach at NCAA Division I Long Island University since 2020, follows legendary head coach Bob Daniels, who retired this year following 33 season at the Bulldog helm.
A third-generation hockey coach with a proven track record of leadership and passion for developing young talent, Riley led Long Island to the Sharks' winningest season in program history this past campaign, finishing the 2024-25 season with a 20-12-2 overall record while compiling the nation's best home mark with a 14-1 record at the Norewell Health Ice Center.
The nominees represent any coach who won or shared Coach of the Year honors in his conference this past season, as well as coaches whose teams have advanced to the 2025 NCAA Frozen Four. None of this year's finalists are past recipients of this award.
The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA championship hockey tournaments. The award will be presented on Sunday, May 4, at the 2025 AHCA Convention at the Hyatt Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, FL.
The CCM AHCA COACH of the YEAR AWARDS are sponsored by CCM HOCKEY and chosen by members of the AHCA. CCM is the legendary hockey brand dedicated to the endless pursuit of performance by delivering game-changing, head-to-toe innovative hockey equipment to players worldwide.
2024-25 AHCA Men's Ice Hockey Spencer Penrose Award Finalists
(CCM/AHCA Division I Coach of the Year)
David Carle, Denver, NCAA Semifinalist
Mike Cavanaugh, UConn, Hockey East Coach of the Year
Pat Ferschweiler, Western Michigan, NCHC Coach of the Year, NCAA Semifinalist
Guy Gadowsky, Penn State, NCAA Semifinalist
JF Houle, Clarkson, ECAC Coach of the Year
Jay Pandolfo, Boston University, NCAA Semifinalist
Bill Riga, Holy Cross, AHA Coach of the Year
Brett Riley, Long Island University, Independent Coach of the Year
Steve Rohlik, Ohio State, Big Ten Coach of the Year
Luke Strand, Minnesota State University, CCHA Coach of the Year