Mark Risbridger enters his ninth season with the Navy men’s soccer program in 2026, his fifth as the associate head coach. With Risbridger in the fold, Navy has produced 35 All-Patriot League selections and eight major award winners.
Brought on as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2018 spring season for the Midshipmen, Risbridger was then named a full-time assistant coach in August 2018, earning the promotion to associate head coach in February 2022.
During his tenure with the program, Risbridger helped orchestrate a resurgence defined by disciplined defensive play, historic winning streaks, and elite player development, highlighted by Navy's 2022 Patriot League championship and the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2013.
Most recently, Risbridger helped guide a youthful 2025 squad to Navy’s first victory over service academy rival Air Force in 18 years. He has also mentored multiple academic standouts, with Andrew Schug earning College Sports Communicators First-Team Academic All-America honors in 2025 and Charlie Kriel claiming third-team honors in 2024. The 2024 team ranked fourth nationally in fewest fouls (8.38 per game), continuing a trend of high discipline.
Risbridger was instrumental in a storybook 2022 season where the Mids finished 7-5-9, tallying three straight postseason shutouts to claim the league title before playing Georgetown in the NCAA Tournament. The team ranked 17th nationally in save percentage (.793) and fourth in fewest yellow cards (19). That title run followed a 12-win 2021 campaign in which Navy produced its highest goal total (33) since 2013 while allowing just 1.05 goals per game.
Risbridger's impact at Navy was immediate. In his second season in 2019, Risbridger helped Navy to a 12-4-1 record and an 11-0 start, the program's best since 1964. The run extended the team's winning streak to 15 matches and saw the Mids rank in the top five nationally across multiple defensive categories. Navy maintained that momentum through the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, which included an upset road victory over North Carolina State.
During Risbridger's time with the program, Navy players have hauled in unprecedented individual accolades. He helped oversee Matt Nocita, who became the first three-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year before the New York Red Bulls selected him seventh overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft — making Nocita the highest draft pick in league and program history. Risbridger also aided in the development of two-time Patriot League Midfielder of the Year David Jackson, who in 2023 became Navy’s first All-American in nine years, and 2021 PL Offensive Player of the Year Jacob Williams.
Risbridger was previously a member of the coaching staff at Division III Springfield College. He served as the associate head coach from 2016-17 after serving as an assistant coach from 2013-15, also serving as Springfield’s recruiting coordinator for all five seasons. Springfield was 15-1-3 in 2017 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round, as Risbridger helped Springfield to its first United Soccer Coaches top-15 ranking in program history at No. 12 on Oct. 24, 2017 and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win on Nov. 11, 2017 against Endicott College, 1-0. Risbridger also helped the Pride advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2016.
Springfield won the NEWMAC Regular Season Championship in 2017 and the NEWMAC Tournament Championship in 2016, with the program also winning ECAC New England Championships in 2013 and 2015. Overall, Springfield had a record of 72-18-12 (.765) during Risbridger’s five years with the program.
Risbridger was a four-year starter at Division II Post University from 2009-12. He helped the Eagles earn their highest national ranking in program history at No. 5, as Risbridger was Post’s Student-Athlete of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2012. Risbridger was also a Southampton Football Club Academy Scholar during his youth in England.
Risbridger earned master’s degrees in business administration and sports management from Springfield College, while he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Post University in 2013.
