Ritchie McKay
{{Short description|American basketball coach (born 1965)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Ritchie McKay
| image = Ritchie McKay, 2024.jpg
| alt =
| caption = McKay in 2024
| current_title = Head coach
| current_team = Liberty
| current_conference = C-USA
| current_record = {{winpct|272|134|record=y}}
| contract =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|4|22}}
| birth_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1983–1987
| player_team1 = Seattle Pacific
| coach_years1 = 1988–1989
| coach_team1 = Washington (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1989–1990
| coach_team2 = Queens (asst.)
| coach_years3 = 1990–1991
| coach_team3 = Seattle Pacific (asst.)
| coach_years4 = 1991–1993
| coach_team4 = Bradley (asst.)
| coach_years5 = 1993–1995
| coach_team5 = Washington (asst.)
| coach_years6 = 1996–1998
| coach_team6 = Portland State
| coach_years7 = 1998–2000
| coach_team7 = Colorado State
| coach_years8 = 2000–2002
| coach_team8 = Oregon State
| coach_years9 = 2002–2007
| coach_team9 = New Mexico
| coach_years10 = 2007–2009
| coach_team10 = Liberty
| coach_years11 = 2009–2015
| coach_team11 = Virginia (assoc. HC)
| coach_years12 = 2015–present
| coach_team12 = Liberty
| overall_record = {{winpct|437|292|record=y}}
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 1–4 (NCAA Division I)
3–2 (NIT)
5–3 (CIT)
| championships = *MWC tournament (2005)
- 3 ASUN tournament (2019–2021)
- 4 ASUN regular season (2019–2021, 2023)
- ASUN East Division (2022)
- CUSA regular season (2025)
- CUSA tournament (2025)
| awards = * Jim Phelan Award (2019)
- Big South Coach of the Year (2016)
- 2× ASUN Coach of the Year (2020, 2021)
| coaching_records =
}}
Ritchie Lawrence McKay (born April 22, 1965) is an American basketball coach who is in his second stint as the head coach of the Liberty Flames of Liberty University. McKay for the previous six seasons had been the associate head coach to Tony Bennett for the Virginia Cavaliers at the University of Virginia. He had previously been the head coach of New Mexico, Oregon State, Colorado State, and Portland State.
On April 3, 2009, McKay was hand-selected by Bennett and lured from his head coaching position at Liberty to become associate head coach at Virginia.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/27/AR2010022703655.html Virginia assistant Ritchie McKay sees step down as a step up], accessed March 12, 2019 On April 1, 2015, he returned as head coach of the Liberty Flames.{{Cite web|url=http://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm?PID=10869&newsID=14470&TeamID=|title=Release on 4/1/15: McKay Returns to Liberty as Flames Men's Head Basketball Coach|access-date=22 April 2023}} McKay holds the Liberty school record for single-season wins, with his team attaining a record of 30–4 (as of March 9, 2020) in the 2019–20 season after winning the ASUN Conference regular season and tournament championships.
Life and sports
McKay got his first head coaching job with Portland State. After a poor first year, McKay led the team to a third-place conference finish in his second season. He used that success as a springboard to his next coaching job, this time at Colorado State. He stayed two seasons there before heading to Oregon State, and then another two at Oregon State before accepting the head coaching position at New Mexico. While there, he experienced mixed success. In 2005, his team won the Mountain West tournament and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. That successful season helped launch forward Danny Granger to an NBA career. Still, McKay couldn't turn New Mexico into a consistent program, and in February 2007, he was fired.
McKay then took a job at Liberty University, where he took the Flames to Big South Conference semifinals in back-to-back years. His second-year, with the help of Seth Curry, McKay led the LU to a Division I school-record 23 wins[http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/sports/college/article/mckays_departure_stuns_lu/14861/ McKay's departure] newsadvance.com {{dead link|date=April 2023}} and a bid to the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament After the season ended, Curry transferred to Duke University, and McKay's longtime friend Tony Bennett was hired as head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. Bennett then asked McKay to join his staff as his associate head coach, and McKay accepted. On April 1, 2015, McKay was selected to return to Liberty University as head coach.
En route to a school-record 28 wins, McKay's Flames defeated the storied UCLA Bruins on their home court in Los Angeles by 15 points, prompting the immediate firing of UCLA head coach Steve Alford in December 2018, before the Pac-12 Conference season even began.[https://nypost.com/2018/12/31/steve-alfords-ucla-run-ends-with-liberty-rockbottom/ Steve Alford's UCLA run ends with Liberty rock bottom], Retrieved March 12, 2019 Ironically, it was Alford who had replaced McKay at New Mexico after his firing there nearly 12 years earlier. The following year, he was the 2019 recipient of the Jim Phelan Award.{{cite web |last1=Ackerman |first1=Jon |title=Liberty University's Ritchie McKay given Jim Phelan Award for top Division I head coach |url=https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/basketball/2019/04/05/liberty-universitys-ritchie-mckay-given-jim-phelan-award-for-top-division-i-head-coach/ |website=Spectrum Sports |access-date=8 April 2019 |date=5 April 2019}}
=Personal life=
McKay graduated from Westwood High School, and played college basketball at Seattle Pacific University, where he set the single-season and career record for steals, and he was third in career assists. McKay has a wife, Julie, daughter, Ellie, and sons Luke and Gabriel.{{cite web |title=Ritchie McKay |url=https://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cfm?pid=37305&TeamID=6&CoachID=1507 |website=Liberty Flames |access-date=January 3, 2020}}
{{clear}}
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=no
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Portland State Vikings
|startyear=1996
|conference=Big Sky Conference
|endyear=1998
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1996–97
| name = Portland State
| overall = 9–17
| conference = 6–10
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1997–98
| name = Portland State
| overall = 15–12
| conference = 10–6
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Portland State
| overall = {{winpct|24|29|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|16|16|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Colorado State Rams
|startyear=1998
|conference=Western Athletic Conference
|endyear=1999
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998–99
| name = Colorado State
| overall = 19–11
| conference = 7–7
| confstanding = T–4th (Mountain)
| postseason = NIT Quarterfinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Colorado State Rams
|startyear=1999
|conference=Mountain West Conference
|endyear=2000
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999–00
| name = Colorado State
| overall = 18–12
| conference = 8–6
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Colorado State
| overall = {{winpct|37|23|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|15|13|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Oregon State Beavers
|startyear=2000
|conference=Pacific-10 Conference
|endyear=2002
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2000–01
| name = Oregon State
| overall = 10–20
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = T–9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001–02
| name = Oregon State
| overall = 12–17
| conference = 4–14
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Oregon State
| overall = {{winpct|22|37|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|8|28|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=New Mexico Lobos
|startyear=2002
|conference=Mountain West Conference
|endyear=2007
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002–03
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 10–18
| conference = 4–10
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2003–04
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 14–14
| conference = 5–9
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2004–05
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 26–7
| conference = 10–4
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Division I Round of 64
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005–06
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 17–13
| conference = 8–8
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2006–07
| name = New Mexico
| overall = 15–17
| conference = 4–12
| confstanding = T–8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = New Mexico
| overall = {{winpct|82|69|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|31|43|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Liberty Flames
|startyear=2007
|conference=Big South Conference
|endyear=2009
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007–08
| name = Liberty
| overall = 16–16
| conference = 7–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2008–09
| name = Liberty
| overall = 23–12
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = CIT Quarterfinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Liberty Flames
|startyear=2015
|conference=Big South Conference
|endyear=2018
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015–16
| name = Liberty
| overall = 13–19
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016–17
| name = Liberty
| overall = 21–14
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = CIT Quarterfinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017–18
| name = Liberty
| overall = 22–15
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason = CIT Semifinals
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name = Liberty Flames
|startyear = 2018
|conference = ASUN Conference
|endyear = 2023
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2018–19
| name = Liberty
| overall = 29–7
| conference = 14–2
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA Division I Round of 32
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2019–20
| name = Liberty
| overall = 30–4
| conference = 13–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA Canceled*
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2020–21
| name = Liberty
| overall = 23–6
| conference = 11–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division I Round of 64
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| season = 2021–22
| name = Liberty
| overall = 22–11
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 1st (East)
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2022–23
| name = Liberty
| overall = 27–9
| conference = 15–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NIT Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name = Liberty Flames
|startyear = 2023
|conference = Conference USA
|endyear =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023–24
| name = Liberty
| overall = 18–14
| conference = 7–9
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2024–25
| name = Liberty
| overall = 28–7
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Division I Round of 64
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Liberty
| overall = {{winpct|272|134|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|137|62|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall= {{winpct|437|292|record=y}}
}}
{{small|*The 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Conference USA men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{navboxes|list=
{{Portland State Vikings men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Colorado State Rams men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Oregon State Beavers men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{New Mexico Lobos men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Liberty Flames basketball coach navbox}}
{{Jim Phelan Award}}
{{Big South Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{ASUN Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Ritchie}}
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball coaches from Indiana
Category:Basketball players from Indianapolis
Category:Bradley Braves men's basketball coaches
Category:College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
Category:Colorado State Rams men's basketball coaches
Category:Liberty Flames basketball coaches
Category:New Mexico Lobos men's basketball coaches
Category:Oregon State Beavers men's basketball coaches
Category:Portland State Vikings men's basketball coaches
Category:Seattle Pacific Falcons men's basketball players
Category:Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball coaches