St. Edward’s Athletic Director Debbie Taylor announced Monday that J.J. Riehl has been named the head coach for the women’s basketball team, effective immediately. Riehl served as the interim head coach for the 2012-2013 season.
“I am very pleased to announce J.J. Riehl’s promotion from interim coach to head coach of the women’s basketball program.” Taylor said. “As an alumnus that holds 11 records in the SEU record book, as a member of the 35th Anniversary of Women’s Sports All Era Team, and with 14 years on the Hilltop as a student-athlete and employee, J.J. understands the rich history of SEU athletics. Additionally, her leadership this season moved the program forward and provided a great experience for our student athletes. I am looking forward to watching this program under J.J.’s leadership.”
During her season as the Interim Head Coach, Riehl led the Hilltoppers to a 13-14 overall record and a 6-6 Heartland Conference record. In her first season at the helm, Riehl finished tied for third in the conference and made an appearance in the Heartland Conference Semi-Finals. She coached two All-Conference players, DAWN KIEL (Houston, Texas) and ERIKA ROUSCULP (Worthington, Ohio), and an All-Heartland Tournament player in SARAH KENDRICK (Van, Texas). The 13 wins are most since the 2008-09 season. St. Edward’s also won nine more games than the previous season, which is tied for the biggest turnaround in program history. The 1987-88 team also improved nine games from the previous season.
Riehl first arrived on the hilltop in 1998 as a member of the basketball team and just completed her first season as the interim head coach for St. Edward’s. Riehl was a three-year starter and a two-year team captain for the Hilltoppers and received all-conference honors in 1999–2000 and 2001–2002. In addition to scoring over 1,000 points, her name appears in the record book eleven times, including being the all-time leader in career three-point field goal percentage. Riehl was also recognized as a member of the St. Edward’s University Women’s Athletics All-Era Team in 2010.
“I am ecstatic for the opportunity to continue to lead this program.” Riehl said. “I remain humbled and honored by the administration’s belief in my abilities and my vision for the future of this program.”
Riehl has played an instrumental role in the program’s production of 26 all-conference players, one conference player of the year and one defensive player of the year in the past 11 seasons.
Riehl received her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2002 from St. Edward’s and earned her Master of Human Services with a Sports Management concentration in the summer of 2004 on the Hilltop.
Stay with HoopDirt for the latest college basketball coaching news and rumors.
