Eastern Connecticut State University

Described as passionate, energetic and knowledgeable, John N. “Riz” Risley coached three sports and served the University in a part-time capacity in four different decades during a colorful career which spanned 33 years.  The longtime area resident joined the Eastern coaching staff in 1972-73 as freshman men’s basketball coach under Hall of Fame coach Clyde Washburne and went on to serve as head and assistant softball coach and assistant baseball coach. Risley served four seasons on the basketball staff under Washburne and 18 seasons on the baseball staff under Hall of Fame coach Bill Holowaty. In 1985, he re-joined head coach Washburne on the staff of the fastpitch softball program. He tutuored the softball pitchers from 1985 through 1993 before taking over as head coach for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. With Risley, the baseball program won two NCAA Division III national titles (1982, 1998) and seven regional championships, qualifying for post-season play in all but three seasons. The softball program won three national titles (1985-86, 1990) and eight straight regional championships with Risley and qualified for NCAA tournament play in ten of 11 seasons. Risley complied a two-year record of 50-29 as head softball coach, leading the Warriors to their 13^th straight NCAA tournament appearance in 1994. The popular coach tutored baseball pitchers who earned All-America honors a total of 12 times – among them eventual major league hurlers John Caneira and Scott Chiasson – and softball pitchers who garnered All-America honors five times.