Ryan Riemedio, former Head Coach at Mercyhurst, is in his first season as Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach for Head Coach Doug Phillips.
Riemedio spent the past four seasons as the Head Coach of the Lakers and oversaw their transition from Division II to the FCS ranks. Overall, he was part of the program for 14 seasons with 10 coming in an assistant coaching capacity.
In 2025, Mercyhurst picked up five victories, including four in conference play. Youngstown State saw first-hand what Riemedio’s defense could do as the Lakers were one of just three opponents to hold the high-powered Penguins to fewer than 24 points out of 13 games.
At Mercyhurst, 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.
In 2025, the Lakers closed the season, winning two of their final three games and four of the final seven. On defense, MU held seven of 12 opponents to 22 points or less, including limiting FCS National Champion Montana State to 17 points.
The year prior in 2024, the program made the leap from Division II to FCS and was able to have success. Mercyhurst won its final two games and played four contests decided by just one point while two others were decided by one possession.
In 2023, he became the first coach in program history to have three games in which the Lakers scored 40-or-more points in three games over their first two seasons leading the charge after a 41-29 win over Lock Haven. Riemedio's first conference win was a last-second victory over Clarion on the road, 36-35.
The sixth coach in program history, he won each of his first two games in 2022 by a margin of 94-35, defeating Alderson Broaddus 45-28 and Lock Haven 49-7.
From 2012 to 2021 he was an assistant in numerous positions for the Lakers for head coach Marty Schaetzle.
He was the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator in fall of 2021. In 2021 spring season, his roles were Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach. He served as the Defensive Line coach from 2014 through 2019. He worked with the special teams in 2015 and worked on the offensive side in his first two years with the program.
In the summer of 2021, 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.
In 2018, he 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.
Ahead of the 2016 season, he had the opportunity to be an NFL Coaching Intern through the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship Program with Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Marina/Seaside, Calif., native spent three years coaching at Monterey Peninsula College (JUCO) in Monterey, Calif., before moving onto the Mercyhurst staff. 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 on special teams.
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.
Riemedio graduated from Minot State University with a bachelor’s 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 MPC’s 19-3 record, two Coast Conference Championship (2004, 2006), two Bowl Appearances (2004 Graffiti Bowl and 2006 Holiday Bowl), a State Section Title (2004 Graffiti Bowl), and named a Team Captain (2006).
