Doug Richards Position: Director of Athletics Communications

Doug Richards joined the UCF Athletics staff in January 2005 and currently leads the day-to-day media and community relations efforts for the athletics communications office. He serves as the media relations contact for the men's basketball, men's soccer, men's golf and men's tennis programs, while also assisting with football duties. He was promoted to director of athletics communications in July 2011.

Richards provides communications support to UCF's revenue-generating units, including marketing, ticket sales and development. He also supervises three full-time employees and a staff of 20 student assistants.

Richards serves as the editor of UCF's annual Knights Insider football preview magazine, and the football gameday program. He also manages all media credential requests for football home games at Bright House Networks Stadium.

He has also worked with UCF's rowing, cross country and volleyball teams.

Prior to working with the Knights, Richards served as an assistant manager of athletic media relations at Maine. While at Maine, he managed the publicity for the Black Bear football, women's basketball and volleyball teams.

Before moving to Maine, he spent a year as a communications assistant at the BIG EAST Conference in Providence, R.I. Richards directed the league's publicity efforts for women's soccer, cross country, softball, track and field, women's rowing and women's lacrosse. He also assisted with men's basketball and football.

Richards earned his bachelor's degree in advertising/public relations from UCF in 2003. During his time as a student at UCF, he managed media relations for the men's and women's tennis programs.

Richards and his wife, Jessica, have a son, Gordon, who was born July 2007 and a daughter, Winnie, who was born April 2012.