Less than two months into the season, Central College has elevated Conor Riordan to head men’s basketball coach, removing the interim tag that had originally been in place since June 25th.

Eric Van Kley, vice president for athletics, made the announcement to the team in the locker room following Central’s 91-72 victory over Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.) Saturday, telling the players before they left campus for a short Christmas break. Riordan, who joined the Dutch staff as an assistant coach in 2022, replaced Joe Steinkamp after he resigned in June after nearly 20 years with the program as a player and staff member.

A two-time CSC Academic All-America® honoree at Simpson College, Riordan was a finalist for the Jostens Trophy as the NCAA Division III player of the year. He was a three-time American Rivers all-conference guard, finishing with 1,533 points. A three-year team captain at Ankeny High School, Riordan returned there as sophomore team coach in 2020-21 before becoming a graduate assistant at Midland University (Neb.), where he earned a master’s degree.

“I’m very honored and very thankful for our athletic director Eric Van Kley and all the coaches in this athletic department who have really kind of put their arm around me and nurtured me as a 28- year-old, first-time head coach. It’s a cool moment, and I’m glad to be able to do it on a win and go into Christmas with this kind of moment and opportunity, but I told the guys in the locker room I really wasn’t thinking about the tag. Just getting to be around these guys, it makes my job the best job in the world, and it’s not about me it’s about those guys in that locker room and love those guys and I can’t wait to keep building with them.”

Following a short Christmas break, Riordan and the Dutch head to Las Vegas for the D3hoops.com Classic next Monday and Tuesday. Hear more from Riordan about the elevation to head coach of the Central men’s basketball team on Today’s Lely Radio Sports Page.