FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO – University of Montevallo President Dr. John W. Stewart III announced the hiring of Mark Richard on Thursday, June 12 as the ninth full-time Director of Athletics at the University.

Richard, who has 26 years of collegiate sports administration experience, just completed his fifth year as the Director of Athletics at Gannon University, an NCAA Division II institution in Erie, Pennsylvania.

“The University of Montevallo is proud of our athletics legacy and our thousands of athletic alumni,” Stewart wrote in a release. “I am confident Mark will build on that legacy to make our athletics program one of the best in the Peach Belt Conference. Mark’s impressive background is an asset to our 14 NCAA Division II teams and the coaching staff. Mark brings to our campus the leadership we need to continue our focus on the academic success of our student-athletes, increasing graduation rates and developing our student-athletes to be leaders in our communities.”

The Meadville, Pennsylvania, native and former Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) student-athlete came to Gannon after spending 10 years at Auburn University, including the final four years as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Team Support, where he was an integral part of the leadership and strategic planning group at Auburn University.

Richard spent three years at Vanderbilt University as Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance prior to his tenure at Auburn. Richard has also served as the Director of NCAA Compliance and Student Services and the Coordinator of Game Operations at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Director of Student-Athlete Services at North Carolina State University and an Operations and Facilities Advisor at the University of Florida during his administrative career.

“I am grateful for this incredible opportunity to lead an outstanding NCAA Division II program,” Richard wrote. “I look forward to working with a proven coaching staff and talented student-athletes at the University of Montevallo. The University has a reputation for strong academics and a commitment to a dynamic student experience. I am excited to be the next Director of Athletics at the University of Montevallo.”