1998 Hall of Fame Honorary Inductee

PETE RIEHLMAN - Magalia, CA
Head Football Coach - 1968 through 1973

Pete Riehlman was the Chico State head football coach from 1968 through 1973. During his tenure, Coach Riehlman compiled a record of 42 - 18. While at Chico State, Riehlman's record ranked him 21st in the nation's list of winningest college division active coaches. As the Conference Coach of the Year in 1971, Coach Riehlman was named the Miracle Worker. By his fourth year, he had won two straight conference co-championships, posted a 9-1 season in 1971, and proudly escorted the Wildcats into the Camellia Bowl that same year. Pete is extremely proud of the 1973 team, which completed a 7-3 record and was also co-champion of the conference.

Coach Riehlman's teams were well known for being fundamentally well coached, well conditioned, and well disciplined. Pete always understood what it took to produce a winning program. His winning attitude is still emulated by coaches in the community and at the University. Most notable has been the quality and success of the young men that Coach Riehlman brought through the Chico State football program. Most are graduates and many still remain in the Chico area as successful and productive members of our community.

Before coming to Chico State, Pete served as assistant football coach at University of California, Santa Barbara, for five years under Cactus Jack Curtice. He played for Coach Curtice as a tackle at University of Utah for two years. He graduated with a B.S. in 1956. He later completed requirements for his M.A. at San Jose State in 1966. Following his graduation, Coach Riehlman was freshman line coach for one season at Utah. He moved to Lander High School in Battle Mountain, Nevada, for the 1957-58 academic year and to Los Altos High School for 1958-59. He became head football coach at San Lorenzo High School in the fall of 1959 and served there until he joined the University of California, Santa Barbara coaching staff.

After leaving Chico, Coach Riehlman served as the head coach at Weber State. He has coached and been involved in several additional capacities with the World Football League and has also been active in teaching American football as a visiting coach and consulting coach in Europe. He was the head coach at Bologna and Revenna, Italy, and at Wolfsburg and Salsgitter, Germany, during the 1990s.

Coach Pete Riehlman and his wife, Peggy, are the proud parents of five children and seven grandchildren.