LA VERNE, CA — Eric Riehle has announced his resignation as head coach of the University of La Verne men's and women's golf teams.
Riehle leaves La Verne as one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of the University of La Verne. Riehle led the men's golf program to national prominence since returning to La Verne in 2015 and guided the women's team in the first few years after its inaugural season. Riehle previously led the men's golf program at La Verne from 2009-12.
In his eight total seasons as head coach, Riehle led the Leopards to four SCIAC titles, five NCAA Division III Championships appearances, seven All-American honors, nine All-Region accolades, three SCIAC Athletes of the Year, and 14 First Team All-SCIAC awards.
"We are greatly appreciative of Eric's work and devotion to the men's and women's golf program and the University of La Verne," said Director of Athletics Scott Winterburn. "He continued the proud tradition of La Verne golf and grew the national relevance of the men's golf program while helping to establish the women's squad. Eric treats people with respect and dignity and has garnered the highest level of respect from his players and colleagues. His teams were extremely successful academically and consistently boasted some of the top team GPAs in the department. We will miss Eric and wish him luck in his future endeavors."
In his second stint in charge, Riehle led the men's team to back-to-back NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships appearances in 2018 and 2019 and guided the Leopards to a SCIAC Championship in 2019. A pair of golfers earned All-American honors under Riehle's tutelage, Connor Davis in 2018 and Alec Spencer in 2017.
In addition, the Leopards earned six All-West Region honors during Riehle's second time at the helm with Pitiluk Phanomchai, Hisham Hussein, and Spencer each picking up the honor twice. Phanomchai was named the West Region Freshman of the Year in 2018.
The Leopards grabbed a host of conference accolades during Riehle's second run. Hussein was named the 2018 Lee Fulmer SCIAC Athlete of the Year and Phanomchai earned the 2018 Ken Sherman SCIAC Newcomer of the Year award. The Leopards picked up seven First Team All-SCIAC honors and Riehle and his staff earned the 2019 SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year award. In his first stint, he was named the 2011 Division III West Region Coach of the Year.
"With a complexity of thoughts and emotions I am retiring from collegiate coaching," said Riehle. "I'll be moving on through 19 years of a participatory understanding in NCAA athletics and higher education and a lifetime of residence in Southern California to pursue other aspirations, now in northeast Washington.
"To my fellow staff members, I constantly enjoyed our meetings and relationships. Thank you, I appreciate you. To my fellow golfers, teammates, and former players, our lessons together learning about aplenty things and ourselves by ways of this great and wonderful thing called team-golf is beyond explanation for me. What I will say, is that I have witnessed those of you who have displayed excellence in grand arenas, mental and physical, and it is beauty. Go spread good."
The University of La Verne will launch a search to find the program's next head coach.