Athletics Communications and Public Relations Announces Rebrand

LEXINGTON, Ky. – To serve an evolving and growing appetite for digital content featuring the athletics department, its teams and their accomplishments, to strengthen and unify communication of the UK Athletics brand, and to continue to disseminate information to the UK fan base and media, the UK Media Relations office has been rebranded as Athletics Communications and Public Relations.
 
The Athletics Communications and Public Relations office will continue to serve as the primary liaison between the athletics department and the media while also communicating the stories and achievements of UK Athletics to our fans through social media and UKathletics.com.
 
“At our core, the role of sports information director has not changed,” said Tony Neely, Assistant Athletics Director for Athletics Communications and Public Relations. “The most important part of our responsibilities always has been and continues to be the external communication of information and content. That will remain at the center of everything we do as we evaluate how we most effectively distribute that information to our fans and the media. While we will continue to serve the media on a daily basis, the evolution of the news cycle has changed to a 24/7 model. We have adapted over the years by placing a stronger emphasis internally on providing coverage of teams, student-athletes and coaches. This rebrand more accurately reflects our growing roles.”
 
The Athletics Communications contacts work as a part of UK’s Brand and Content division to enhance the brand and the voice of the department and to provide cohesive content and communication strategies.
 
“We are extremely fortunate to have a rich diversity of thought, perspective and background represented in the Athletics Communications and Public Relations unit,” said Tim Bernal, Executive Associate Athletics Director and head of the UKAD Brand and Content Division. “That diversity serves us well as Tony’s unit builds on our rich athletic history by leveraging both new technology and established communication channels in telling our stories. While I’m excited about this rebrand, I’m even more excited about how dedicated the Athletics Communications and Public Relations team is to serving our students, coaches and fans.”
 
As a part of the transition, Susan Lax, who has been a part of UK’s communications arm since 1997, and Eric Lindsey, who joined UK in 2008, have been elevated to Directors of Athletics Communications and Public Relations. They will continue in their current roles as the primary contacts for football and men’s basketball, respectively, with Lindsey continuing to work with women’s golf.
 
Grant Gearheart and Cami Moore, who served as student assistants while earning their degrees from UK, have joined the staff as Athletics Communications and Public Relations Assistants. Gearheart will head up communications efforts for gymnastics and men’s tennis while assisting with volleyball. Moore will lead the efforts for swimming and diving, women’s tennis and assist with women’s basketball.
 
“I’m happy that Susan and Eric are being recognized for the leadership they are showing in their roles,” Neely said.  “We’re also pleased to have Grant and Cami take on greater responsibility following the many contributions they made as student assistants.” 
 
2018-19 Athletics Communications and Public Relations staff and sport assignments:
 

• Tony Neely – Assistant AD for ACPR (director of office, assist with football)
• Stephanie Guy – ACPR Office Coordinator (credentials)
• Susan Lax – Director of ACPR (primary football)
• Eric Lindsey – Director of ACPR (primary men’s basketball, women’s golf)
• Evan Crane – Associate Director of ACPR (primary women’s basketball, football assistant)
• Deb Moore – Associate Director of ACPR (secondary men’s basketball, volleyball, men’s golf)
• Matt May – Assistant Director of ACPR (baseball, secondary football)
• Jake Most – Assistant Director of ACPR (track and field, cross country, rifle, men’s soccer, men’s basketball assistant)
• Chris Shoals – Assistant Director of ACPR (softball, women’s soccer)
• Grant Gearheart – ACPR Assistant (gymnastics, men’s tennis, volleyball assistant)
• Cami Moore – ACPR Assistant (swimming and diving, women’s tennis, secondary women’s basketball)

 
Media members should still contact the appropriate sport contacts for all interview requests, statistical and informational needs, notes, etc. Media should never contact a player, coach, administrator or staff member directly.
 
The Athletics Communications and Public Relations Department would also like to use this opportunity to remind media of the continuing services it will provide with the 2018-19 athletics season underway:
 

• Stats, pregame notes and postgame notes will continue to be emailed and also available at UKathletics.com under each team’s page  
• Press releases and announcements (via email, on UKathletics.com and social media platforms)
• Receiving interview requests and arranging interviews and media availability
• Historical information (upon request and available on UKathletics.com)
• Record books (available on UKathletics.com for all sports; select sports will be printed)
• Quotes
• Video streaming (available on UKathletics.com)
• Manage media credential requests for home and away contests and championships events
• Photo services (select photos are available at https://ukphoto.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000c5mdOuN6sIE/UK-Athletics-for-Media under the password of ukmedia2018-19 (case sensitive); other photos are available upon request)