Middlebury head football and assistant men's lacrosse coach Bob Ritter '82 will step down from the helm of the football program at the end of the 2022 season, Director of Athletics Erin Quinn announced on Friday, August 12. Ritter, who is entering his 40th season on the sidelines, will transition into a new position with the athletic department senior administrative staff.
 
"Bob represents the best of Middlebury, NESCAC, and Division III football," Quinn said. "His teams are always prepared and competitive, and in 2019 they were the first NESCAC team to win nine games in an undefeated 9-0 season. More importantly, through the art of his coaching, he has mentored countless student-athletes, who have discovered the best versions of themselves under his guidance."
 
During his tenure as the Michael G. Heinecken Head Coach, Ritter guided the team to three NESCAC Championships and became the second coach in program history–following Mickey Heinecken–to eclipse the 100-career wins mark during the 2019 season. Ritter, who is a three-time NESCAC Coach of the Year honoree, is currently at 105 wins. 
 
Ritter said he is grateful for the many opportunities he has had in his four decades of coaching. 
 
"I have coached so many incredible student-athletes, and worked alongside numerous talented colleagues over the course of my career," he said. "I am excited to be on the sidelines for one more season–my 40th–and I am also looking forward to a new challenge. I am glad I can pursue that while staying on to serve the Middlebury Athletics community when I transition into my new role next year."
 
Quinn noted that Ritter will continue to contribute to the Athletics Department in his new role. 
 
"While we will miss his coaching contributions, Bob has also been a leader in the department and on campus, and he will thrive as an athletics administrator at Middlebury," Quinn said. "We look forward to Bob having the opportunity to bring the wisdom he has gleaned through his coaching experience into this next phase of his career."
 
Middlebury will share more information about plans to name the next head football coach, details about Ritter's new role, and plans to celebrate all of his accomplishments at a later date.