Atlantic Hockey has announced that its tournament championship trophy will be named after legendary hockey icon Jack Riley.
The Jack Riley Memorial Trophy will be presented for the first time in Rochester, N.Y., to the winners of the 2018 Atlantic Hockey tournament.
Riley, who passed away in Feb. 2016, is the winningest coach in Army West Point hockey history and a two-time winner of the NCAA Coach of the Year Award.
He spent 36 years on the bench of the Black Knights, retiring from coaching in 1986 with a 542-343-20 record. Two of his sons, Rob and Brian, succeeded him as coach of Army West Point, with Brian, a three-time Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year, serving in that capacity since 2004.
“Bestowing the honor of naming the new Atlantic Hockey tournament championship trophy after Jack Riley is one of the proudest moments in Atlantic Hockey history,” said AHC commissioner Robert DeGregorio in a statement. “Jack was an iconic figure at Army West Point and he exemplified the characteristics we, as a conference membership, value most of all — leadership, integrity, and respect. We cannot think of anyone better suited to name our championship trophy after.”
“On behalf of the Riley family, I would like to thank Commissioner DeGregorio and the administrators for naming the Atlantic Hockey championship trophy after our Dad,” added Brian Riley. “He truly loved college hockey and was thankful for having had the opportunity to be part of it for so many years. There is no doubt that he would be both humbled and honored with having his name connected with not only the trophy, but also with Atlantic Hockey. Once again, on behalf of the entire Riley family, thanks to all those that made this happen.”
Jack Riley was also head coach of the United States Olympic Team in 1960, leading the Americans to their first gold medal in Olympic hockey history. He was recognized twice with the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to U.S. hockey, in 1986 and 2002, and is a member of both the U.S. (inducted in 1979) and International Hockey Halls of Fame (1998).
