Mercyhurst University Men's Football

Ryan Riemedio mans the helm for the third year as the Head Coach at Mercyhurst University. He was named the Head Coach in waiting at the beginning of the 2021 season, taking on the head coaching duties in January 2022 after the retirement of 20-Year Head Coach Marty Schaetzle. Riemedio's second season with the Lakers saw the team go 2-9 while holding a record of 1-6 in the PSAC with Riemedio's first conference win proving to be a last-second win over Clarion on the road, 36-35. Coach Riemedio became the first coach in program history to have three games in which the Lakers score 40 or more points in three games over their first two seasons leading the charge after a 41-29 win over Lock Haven in their home opener on Septemebr 9th. The team's offensive success came in large part to their passing attack with their team completion percentage of 59.85 being the highest for a single season while having the fifth-most touchdowns with 23. In Riemedio's first season, the Lakers finished 2-9, going 0-6 in the PSAC. The sixth coach in program history won each of his first two games, defeating Alderson Broaddus 45-28 and Lock Haven 49-7, for a margin of 94-35 in his first to career games. The team had two All-PSAC team members in Dustin Shoaf and Jacob Holl with Holl being named to D2Football.com Top 100. The 2022 season marks 11 years for Riemedio at Mercyhurst. He led a defense this past season that ranked in the top 50 in all of Division II in Total Defense, Rushing Defense, Passing Yards Allowed, and 4th Down Conversions. The Defense had four PSAC West All-Conference Defensive Players (Keith Brickman (DB), Jehrod Gregory (DL), Jacob Holl (LB) and Tommy Zacharyasz (LB)). Along with his Defensive Coordinating duties, Riemedio will continue his role as the Assistant Head Coach and Coordinate Social Media, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, & Community Engagement opportunities for the football program. In 2020, Riemedio was named the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach. The Lakers had an abbreviated COVID season in the Spring 2021. Even without a full season, Coach Riemedio was busy off the field. He was selected for the NCAA Leadership Collective in January of 2021. The Collective serves as a tool to progress towards an environment of diverse representation in collegiate coaching and athletics administration. After the Spring Season, Riemedio was one of 36 participants selected to participate in the NCAA | NFL Coaches Academy. The NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy provides current, full-time intercollegiate football coaches at NCAA member institutions an educational opportunity to build connections and develop leadership acumen to pursue their career aspirations, expand their knowledge and insight into the world of intercollegiate and NFL coaching. Riemedio also holds seats on multiple committees across the Mercyhurst campus. He served on the Presidential Search Committee, the Equity, Inclusion and Justice Initiative Committee, and Mercyhurst BEYOND Scholarships Committee. He is also a member of the Staff Senate and chairs the AthL.E.A.D. (Learn, Educate & Advocate for Diversity) Student-Athlete committee. In his eighth season, Riemedio lead the defensive line in 2019 that ranked 13th Nationally vs the Rush giving up 96.2 yards per game. Under his tutelage, Bradley Burrows and Ayron Thompson were named PSAC West All-Conference Players. In 2018, he helped the defense that ranked 2nd in the PSAC / 35th in NCAA in Scoring Defense which allowed only 20.4 points per game. The defense also ranked 3rd in the PSAC / 44th in NCAA for total yards allowed with 331.7 yards per game. Following the season, Riemedio was selected by the PSAC to participate in the Minority Opportunities in Athletic Administration (MOAA) / D2 Governance Academy at the annual the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Conference. The MOAA/D2 Governance Academy provides intense training on Division II governance issues and strategic initiatives, introduce attendees to NCAA committee work and prepare young minority administrators for Division II committee service. In his sixth season, Riemedio was a part of the Defensive Unit turnaround with first year Defensive Coordinator - David Kotulski. The 2017 defensive unit vastly improved giving up 14.2 less Points per Game and 40 less 1st Downs from 2016. In Rushing Defense, Mercyhurst gave up 12 less rushing touchdowns, 25.3 Less Rushing Yard Averaged per Game, and -1.2 Yards per carry compared to the 2016 season. Following the season, Riemedio was elevated to the Assistant Head Coaching Position by Head Coach Marty Schaetzle. The 2016 season started a few weeks earlier for Riemedio as he had the opportunity to be an NFL Coaching Intern through the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship Program with Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles. During his coaching fellowship, Riemedio gained valuable knowledge and experience while assisting with the Defensive Line and Special Teams. During the 2016 season, Riemedio help guide Defensive Linemen Ryan Carroll to an All-PSAC West Second Team Selection. Riemedio was elevated in the Spring of 2015 to the Recruiting Coordinating Position along with Kickoff, FG, and FG block Special Teams responsibilities by Head Coach Marty Schaetzle. He will also be responsible for the Programs Social Media Campaign and Community Service Programing. In 2014, Riemedio was elevated to the full-time defensive line coach succeeding previous DL Coach Matt Gueguen who moved on to St. Francis Universitys (DI FCS) Football Program. The 2014 Lakers were Co-PSAC West Champions and was the only team in the country (FBS, FCS,Division II, Division III) to start the season with four losses in its first four games and then win out the rest of the season to finish with a 7-4 overall record. In his second year as a Graduate Assistant (2013), Riemedio guided R.J. Miller and John Matarazzo to breakout campaigns. Miller was second on the team in receptions and was third on the team in receiving yards, earning a First Team All-PSAC West Team Selection and an ECAC All-Star Selection. Matarazzo excelled both in the classroom and on the field, he finished third on the team with Yards per Catch while splitting time with Miller at the tight end position. Matarazzo also maintained a 4.0 GPA and was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Second Team and Capital One Academic All-District First Team. Offensively, Mercyhurst saw its first back-to-back 1000 yard rusher when Brandon Brown-Dukes surpassed the milestone once again. Mercyhurst finished the year with 2,616 yards rushing as RB Allen Jones II also surpassed the 1000 yard mark and selected as an All-PSAC West Second Team Member. Riemedio was hired as a Graduate Assistant working with the Tight Ends, Full-Backs, and assisted with the Offensive Line in the Spring of 2012. Riemedio also took on the role as the programs strength and conditioning coordinator. The 2012 Lakers finished 9-2 and was Co-PSAC West Champions and named the ECAC Division II Team of the Year. Offensively, RB Brandon Brown-Dukes Surpass 1000 yards rushing and named PSAC West Freshmen of the Year and First Team All-PSAC West. The Marina/Seaside, California native came to Mercyhurst after spending three years coaching at Monterey Peninsula College (JUCO) in Monterey, California. With the Lobos, Riemedio was involved with many aspects of the football program- coaching the defensive backs, linebackers, defensive line, and coordinating the punt return & kickoff special teams. He also was involved with the strength & conditioning program. In his final season, Riemedio was promoted as the defensive coordinator and helped lead the defense to a Coast-Conference Championship and a berth in the Sierra Central Credit Union Bowl in Yuba, California. Monterey Peninsula finished in the Top 25 in the state and had a #12 ranking in Northern California. In three years coaching at MPC, Riemedio coached two All-State and 12 All-Coast Conference defensive players. He has also helped place more than 40 players to four-year colleges. In addition to coaching at MPC, Riemedio was a physical education instructor and an instructors aide with the Adaptive Physical Education programs. Riemedio graduated from Minot State University with a bachelors degree in corporate fitness. While at Minot State, he was a two-year starter at inside linebacker, as well as the long/short snapper on special teams. In his two years at MSU, Riemedio was part of a Dakota Athletic Conference Championship team and named a team captain his senior year. Before heading to Minot State, he earned an Associates Degree in General Education and played two years of junior college football at Monterey Peninsula College. Riemedio was part of MPCs 19-3 record, two Coast Conference Championship (2004, 2006), two Bowl Appearances (2004 Graffiti Bowl, Modesto, Ca and 2006 Holiday Bowl in Butte, California), a State-Section Title (2004 Graffiti Bowl, Modesto, Ca), and named a Team Captain (2006). He is also a member of the American Football Coaches Association. Riemedio resides in Erie with his fiancé Morgan, 10-year-old daughter, Amelia (Boogie), and 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, Kona.

Herman will begin his 44th year of coaching and his 18th season at Mercyhurst in 2015 - the longest-tenured coach on the staff. During his career, Herman has coached on both sides of the ball, but has concentrated on the offensive line in recent years. In 2015, the Laker offensive line allowed just 10 sacks in 11 games - the second lowest total in the conference. The Lakers gave up 17 in 2012, fifth best in the PSAC. Mercyhurst had allowed at least 28 sacks in the previous two seasons. Last season, Ben Gysin was chosen was named to the All-PSAC West First Team while Dustin Rogalla was selected ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. Hermans offensive line allowed the fewest sacks in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 2009 -ten - and allowed just 18 (tied for third) during the 2010 campaign. In 2013, the offensive line also helped to pave the way for running back Brandon Brown-Dukes to become the first player in school history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. The Lakers, in fact, finished second in the conference (behind only Bloomsburg) in yards rushing after averaging 237.8 yards on the ground. That figured included 407 rushing yards against Gannon - the highest total by a Laker team since becoming a Division II program and the third-highest total in school history. Most importantly, under the tutelage of Herman, Mercyhurst has had at least one offensive lineman named All-Conference in each of the past ten seasons and in 12 of his 16 seasons on the staff. The native of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, joined Mercyhurst after serving the previous ten years as the head football coach at Gannon University. There, he was responsible for resurrecting the Gannon football program. The Knights progressed quickly and compiled a 6-3 record in Hermans second season. Herman began his coaching career as an assistant at Cambridge Springs High School and at Edinboro University in 1972. At Edinboro, Herman coached spring football, performed in-season film breakdowns, scouted opponents, and led off-season workouts. He was also an assistant coach at Cambridge Springs during that time. Herman moved to Marshall University in 1974, where he served as a graduate assistant and earned his Masters degree in health and physical education. He returned to Edinboro in 1975 as a defensive line coach and was moved to offensive line coach the following year. In 1979, he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator where he stayed until 1985. After serving as Edinboros interim head coach in the spring of 1985, Herman accepted a position at the University of New Hampshire as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. A 1972 graduate of Edinboro, Herman received his bachelors degree in secondary social studies. He was a two-and-a-half year starter with the Fighting Scots and participated on both the offensive and defensive lines. Herman and his wife Trisha reside in Millcreek with their daughters Lindsey and Amanda.