After serving as the assistant coach for the past 10 seasons, J.J. Riehl begins her first season as head coach of the Hilltoppers.
Riehl has played an instrumental role in the program’s production of one conference championship (2005–2006), six conference tournament appearances (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), 24 all-conference players, one conference player of the year, one defensive player of the year and two players signing contracts overseas to play professional basketball in the past 10 seasons. This past year, Brittany Ward received the highest honor any Hilltopper student can receive when she was recognized by the university with the Presidential Award for her excellence and dedication in the classroom and serving the local community.
Riehl’s prep playing experience includes four years at nearby Dripping Springs High School. She helped lead the team to state runner-up finishes twice and was named first-team all-state her junior and senior seasons.
Riehl first arrived on the hilltop in 1998 as a member of the basketball team. Riehl was a three-year starter, a two-year team captain for the Hilltoppers and a two-year all-conference honoree, and she helped guide the team to an NAIA Championship appearance. In addition to scoring over 1,000 points, her name appears in the record book 11 times, including 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.
Riehl received her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology in 2002 and earned her Master of Human Services with a Sports Management concentration in the summer of 2004, both from St. Edward’s University.
