Ben Riley joined the Stanislaus State men’s basketball coaching staff in 2009. Riley has brought a wealth of experience to the Warriors as both a coach and a player. During the 2015-16 season, Riley served as the Associate Head Coach.
Despite his new post as a counselor at Modesto Junior College, Riley continues to be part of the Stan State coaching staff for the 2016-17 season.
Riley came to Stanislaus State after four years as head coach of the Lassen Community College men’s basketball squad. Riley led the team to a conference championship in 2007-08 and was named conference coach of the year for his and the team’s efforts. While at Lassen CC, Riley served for two years on the California Community College Men’s Basketball Coaches Association executive board as the Golden Valley Conference representative.
Riley worked locally for three years as an assistant coach at Modesto Junior College from 2002 to 2005, and before that, Riley was a graduate assistant at University of Pacific to former Cal State Stanislaus head coach Bob Thomason, who has led the Pacific Tigers to multiple NCAA Division I Tournament appearances, Big West Conference championships, and has been named Big West Conference Coach of the Year on five occasions.
Riley had a prolific playing career as a high-scoring shooter at Mendocino College in Ukiah, and at NAIA-member College of Idaho. He led his College of Idaho team to a total of 48 wins in two years and an appearance in the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Riley set the single-season school record for 3-pointers by hitting 106 shots from behind the arc. At Mendocino College, Riley led all California community colleges with 27.3 points per game as a sophomore and set single season records in scoring with 763 points and in free-throws by making a 168.
He is a member of the Mendocino College and Davis High School Halls of Fame.
Riley graduated from the University of Pacific in 2003 with a master’s degree in sports sciences. He received his bachelor’s degree in sports management from the College of Idaho in 2000.
