| Brett Riley | |
| Current Title: | Head coach |
| Current Team: | Long Island |
| Current Conference: | Independent |
| Current Record: | 42–73–5 |
| Birth Date: | 25 January 1991 |
| Birth Place: | Needham, MA, USA |
| Alma Mater: | Hobart College |
| Player Years1: | 2005–2010 |
| Player Team1: | The Governor's Academy |
| Player Years2: | 2010–2014 |
| Player Team2: | Hobart |
| Player Positions: | Forward |
| Coach Years1: | 2014–2017 |
| Coach Years2: | 2014–2016 |
| Coach Team2: | Charlottetown Islanders (Scout) |
| Coach Years3: | 2017–2019 |
| Coach Team3: | Wilkes |
| Coach Years4: | 2019–2020 |
| Coach Team4: | Colgate (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 2020–Present |
| Coach Team5: | Long Island |
| Overall Record: | 58–81–7 |
Brett Riley is an American ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Long Island and was previously an assistant at Colgate.[1]
Riley began his college hockey career as a player at Hobart. In four years with the Statesmen Riley played only sparingly, appearing in just 22 games and scoring twice, but was a three-time academic All-American. After graduating with degree in history, Riley began his coaching career at The Albany Academy, leading the program while also serving as a scout for the Charlottetown Islanders, a team in the QMJHL. In 2017 he returned to college hockey, becoming the first head coach for Wilkes University, and had a full year to prepare for its inaugural season in 2018–19.
When Wilkes hit the ice, the team performed well, finished in a tie for 3rd in the UCHC, but lost their quarterfinal game in the conference tournament. After just one season with Wilkes, Riley was hired as an assistant coach by Colgate, working under one of the most respected men in Division I hockey, Don Vaughan. Riley's tenure with the team saw the Raiders achieve moderate gains, rising from 10th in ECAC Hockey to 8th and won its first playoff round in five years. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colgate's season ended prematurely.[2]
Despite his brief tenure at the top level of competition, Riley was brought in to be the first head coach for yet another program. This time he signed on to lead the LIU Sharks beginning with the 2020–21 season.
Riley is part of a legendary college hockey family, with his father, uncle and grandfather all having coached Army since 1950. His father Rob also won a Division III National Championship in 1984 while his grandfather Jack coached the US National team to a gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics.