Army West Point Athletics
Passing the Torch: Zach McKelvie Takes the Reins as Head Hockey Coach
May 01, 2025 | Hockey
WEST POINT, NY - Army West Point hockey has completed its leadership transition, as 2009 USMA graduate Zach McKelvie has officially begun his tenure as head coach of the program after 11 seasons on the bench under Brian Riley.
McKelvie has served as Associate Head Coach for the past nine seasons and was named the next head coach of the program in August 2024 when Brian Riley announced that the upcoming campaign would be his final season at the helm of Army Hockey.
The Black Knights ended the 2024-25 season as one of the strongest teams in the nation, winning 13 of 16 games in the second half to earn the five seed in the AHA Tournament before knocking off Niagara on the road in a quarterfinal series. Sophomore defenseman Mac Gadowsky earned First Team All-American honors under the tutelage of McKelvie while leading all defensemen in the nation in goals with 16.
"I am honored to be the head coach of this historic program. As a former player and a grad, West Point holds a special place in my heart" stated McKelvie on being named the head coach. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Coach Riley and his family for their unwavering commitment to this school and the Army Hockey program. His belief in me has been a cornerstone of my journey, and for that, I will be forever grateful. I am excited to embark on this next chapter and am confident we have a program capable of winning at the highest level and continuing to produce leaders of character ready to serve our Nation."
McKelvie first arrived at West Point as a plebe in 2005 before going on to have one of the most successful playing careers in Army Hockey history. A native of New Brighton, Minn., McKelvie was a two-time Atlantic Hockey Association First Team selection for the Black Knights on the blueline. He was a team captain as a senior and an assistant captain as a junior. He finished his career with 56 points on 14 goals and 42 assists.Â
McKelvie was honored in 2008 as the league's Defenseman of the Year along with receiving the AAA Award from the Army West Point Athletic Association, the most recent winner of the prestigious award from the program. Following the season, he also received team MVP honors along with another significant off-ice award from the Academy – the Mike Krzyzewski Teaching Character Through Sport Award. The award is presented annually to "West Point athletes and coaches for their outstanding commitment to the development of noble character through athletic participation and leadership."Â
McKelvie will become the 21st head coach in program history and just the fourth since 1956. He joins sprint football's Mark West '91 and golf's Chad Bagley '95 as current head coaches at Army to have graduated from the Academy.Â
Brian Riley amassed 258 wins across his 21 seasons at the helm, ranking fifth on Atlantic Hockey America's all-time wins list. He collected Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year a record four times during his tenure including three straight from 2006-08 before receiving the honor again in 2021. He has led 22 cadet-athletes to receive all-conference recognition along with Atlantic Hockey's first-ever two-time All-American in Colin Bilek.
The Riley family legacy began at West Point in 1951 with eventual USA and International Hockey Hall of Famer Jack Riley taking the reins. He went on to guide Army to 29 winning seasons and earned a pair of NCAA Coach of the Year awards in both 1957 and 1960. Riley served as head coach of the United States Olympic team in 1960 and directed the squad to its first gold medal. His 542 wins ranks second in Army Athletics history for a head coach and was second in NCAA hockey history at the time of his retirement, with the mark standing 19th all-time.
Both Rob and Brian Riley succeeded their father's head coaching position for the past 40 seasons as the 2025-26 season will mark the end of a 75-year run of the Riley family holding the head coaching role within the program. However, the Riley family will continue to have its fingerprints on the program with current assistant coach Jack Riley entering his fourth campaign with the program and third on the bench as an assistant coach.
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McKelvie has served as Associate Head Coach for the past nine seasons and was named the next head coach of the program in August 2024 when Brian Riley announced that the upcoming campaign would be his final season at the helm of Army Hockey.
The Black Knights ended the 2024-25 season as one of the strongest teams in the nation, winning 13 of 16 games in the second half to earn the five seed in the AHA Tournament before knocking off Niagara on the road in a quarterfinal series. Sophomore defenseman Mac Gadowsky earned First Team All-American honors under the tutelage of McKelvie while leading all defensemen in the nation in goals with 16.
"I am honored to be the head coach of this historic program. As a former player and a grad, West Point holds a special place in my heart" stated McKelvie on being named the head coach. "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Coach Riley and his family for their unwavering commitment to this school and the Army Hockey program. His belief in me has been a cornerstone of my journey, and for that, I will be forever grateful. I am excited to embark on this next chapter and am confident we have a program capable of winning at the highest level and continuing to produce leaders of character ready to serve our Nation."
McKelvie first arrived at West Point as a plebe in 2005 before going on to have one of the most successful playing careers in Army Hockey history. A native of New Brighton, Minn., McKelvie was a two-time Atlantic Hockey Association First Team selection for the Black Knights on the blueline. He was a team captain as a senior and an assistant captain as a junior. He finished his career with 56 points on 14 goals and 42 assists.Â
McKelvie was honored in 2008 as the league's Defenseman of the Year along with receiving the AAA Award from the Army West Point Athletic Association, the most recent winner of the prestigious award from the program. Following the season, he also received team MVP honors along with another significant off-ice award from the Academy – the Mike Krzyzewski Teaching Character Through Sport Award. The award is presented annually to "West Point athletes and coaches for their outstanding commitment to the development of noble character through athletic participation and leadership."Â
McKelvie will become the 21st head coach in program history and just the fourth since 1956. He joins sprint football's Mark West '91 and golf's Chad Bagley '95 as current head coaches at Army to have graduated from the Academy.Â
Brian Riley amassed 258 wins across his 21 seasons at the helm, ranking fifth on Atlantic Hockey America's all-time wins list. He collected Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year a record four times during his tenure including three straight from 2006-08 before receiving the honor again in 2021. He has led 22 cadet-athletes to receive all-conference recognition along with Atlantic Hockey's first-ever two-time All-American in Colin Bilek.
The Riley family legacy began at West Point in 1951 with eventual USA and International Hockey Hall of Famer Jack Riley taking the reins. He went on to guide Army to 29 winning seasons and earned a pair of NCAA Coach of the Year awards in both 1957 and 1960. Riley served as head coach of the United States Olympic team in 1960 and directed the squad to its first gold medal. His 542 wins ranks second in Army Athletics history for a head coach and was second in NCAA hockey history at the time of his retirement, with the mark standing 19th all-time.
Both Rob and Brian Riley succeeded their father's head coaching position for the past 40 seasons as the 2025-26 season will mark the end of a 75-year run of the Riley family holding the head coaching role within the program. However, the Riley family will continue to have its fingerprints on the program with current assistant coach Jack Riley entering his fourth campaign with the program and third on the bench as an assistant coach.
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Players Mentioned
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