Ritter is now in his 11th season as the Michael “Mickey” Heinecken Coaching Chair and as head coach of the Middlebury College football program. Ritter has earned a 46-34 mark in his first 10 seasons with the Panthers, including a 13-3 mark during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Following the 2007 NESCAC championship season, Ritter was named both the NESCAC Coach of the Year, as well as the Region I AFCA Coach of the Year.

In his time as a head coach with the Panthers, Ritter has coached 67 All-NESCAC selections, while seeing his players break 32 school records, including all 15 passing records held by Donald McKillop (2007–10). Sixty-four players have earned All-NESCAC Academic honors in his time, with an Academic All-Region selection, as well as 33 NESCAC players of the week.

The Holden, Massachusetts, native began his coaching career immediately following his graduation from Middlebury in 1982. That fall, he joined the coaching staff and spent six years as the defensive coordinator under Heinecken. Following his six years at Middlebury, Ritter took the head men’s- lacrosse and assistant football coaching position at Tufts University, where he worked as both the offensive and defensive coordinator.

Ritter returned to Middlebury in the fall of 1996 to take on duties as an assistant football and assistant men’s lacrosse coach. He was named the head coach of the football program in December of 2000.

Ritter continues to work as an assistant coach in the spring for the three-time NCAA championship men’s lacrosse team.