NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (pacatletics.org)--Westminster College has hired Patrick Riley as its head baseball coach for the 2020 season.
"I would like to thank Director of Athletics Jim Dafler and President Dr. Kathy B. Richardson for this great opportunity," Riley said. "I'm extremely excited about the future direction and vision of both the College and athletic department. I feel incredibly fortunate to become the next head baseball coach at Westminster College."
Riley was the assistant coach for the Titans the past two seasons. Recently, he was the head coach of the North Fork Ospreys in the Hamptons Collegiate League this past summer. Riley replaces Kelly Swiney, who stepped down after two seasons to pursue another head coaching position.
"Coach Riley has been here from the beginning two years ago with Kelly Swiney and I believe he will work hard to continue the progress the program has made both on the field and off the field under their direction," Westminster's Director of Athletics Jim Dafler said. "Patrick has been a key figure in the recruitment process the past two years that has produced excellent results both in talent and providing depth to the team. I am confident Patrick is ready for the challenges of being the head baseball coach at Westminster."
Prior to Westminster, Riley gained coaching experiences across the United States and internationally. He was the head coach for the Fort McMurray Giants (Western Major Baseball League) in Canada and the Bristol Blues in the Futures Collegiate League in Connecticut. Riley has also been on the coaching staff at the College of St. Joseph in Vermont, Iowa Wesleyan University and Adirondack Community College in New York. While Riley was the pitching coach at the College of St. Joseph, the team won the USCAA National Championship and the pitching staff produced three USCAA All-Americans and one National Player of the Year.
As a player, Riley pitched for NCAA Division III Castleton University where he earned All-North Atlantic Conference (NAC) honors. He was an integral part of two North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) title teams (2010, 2012), which both qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship. Riley also earned academic honors at Castleton.
Riley, a native of Strafford, Vt., earned a bachelor's degree in sociology at Castleton. He also earned a master's degree in education from the College of St. Joseph, where he was a member of the Most Outstanding Staff Award in 2016.