Riley Martello enters his fourth season coaching for the Bulldogs in the fall of 2025 after returning to Montana Western after stops at Carroll College, Loras College, and Montana State University.
Last season's Bulldog defense under Martello saw four Bulldogs earn All-Conference selections while allowing just 21.4 points per game and averaging 65.8 tackles per game. The Bulldog defense led the Frontier Conference in sacks with a season total of 39 (including non-conference games). Defensive lineman James Ochs landed at third in the Frontier for total sacks with 8.5. Linebacker Keegen Muffich finished in third in the Frontier for total tackles on the season with 98 total. Defensive back Braden Swank led both the nation and the Frontier in pass breakups after totaling 20 on the season.
In 2023, the Bulldog defense allowed just 22.1 points per game and averaged 63.2 tackles per game. Under Martello's leadership, Bulldog senior Tanner Harrell broke the UMW all time tackles for loss record and finished with 41 total across his career at UMW. Harrell also was selected as a first team all-conference selection alongside defensive lineman Reese Artz and linebacker Kameron Rauser.
In 2022, the Bulldog defense averaged 64.2 tackles per game and led the conference in sacks with a total of 32 on the season under Martello’s direction. Two Bulldog defensive lineman earned all-conference selections; Tanner Harrell who was second in the conference in sacks with 8.5 total and Reese Artz who was fourth in the conference in sacks with 7.
As a Bulldog, Martello was a standout linebacker from 2013-2018. He appeared in 29 total games and was a three-year team captain. He finished his career with 117 total tackles, nine and a half tackles for loss, four sacks and three interceptions including one for a touchdown. Martello was named the team's Special Teams Player of the year in 2015, earned Frontier Conference Defensive player of the week in 2018, and named the STEP player of the year (Team MVP) in 2018. Martello was also named to the NFF Hampshire Honor Society after maintaining a cumulative 3.2 GPA during his playing career.
A Bozeman, Mont. native, Martello earned his bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance from Montana Western in 2019. He is married to former Bulldog Taylor (Howlett) Martello who was a member of the Bulldog women’s basketball team for the 2016-17 season and they have one child together; Charlie.
