SusanLax

Susan Lax is in her 27th season with Kentucky Athletics, her eighth as the primary contact for the Wildcats’ football team. In the summer of 2016, Lax was named director of the newly-branded communications and public relations department after serving seven years as the associate director of media relations.

Lax has publicized the Wildcats’ football team through a school-record seven straight bowl games. Numerous Wildcats have been named All-America and all-conference while winning honors such as the Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Paul Hornung Award, Ronnie Lott Trophy, Ray Guy Award, Danny Wuerffel Trophy, Pop Warner Award, Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year, CSC Academic All-America and National Good Works Team, among others.

Lax’s efforts have been noted and recognized by the Football Writers Association of America, which twice has given UK the “Super 11” Award for being one of the top media relations operations in the country, most recently in 2020. The annual award was created in 2009 to honor departments and individuals who stood out in their performances in getting the job done and others who were nominated by FWAA media members for strong access.

Several of Lax’s publications have won awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America, including Best in the Nation for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 women’s basketball media guides and a second-place award for UK’s 2017 Franklin American Mortgage Music City postseason media guide.

In 2023, she earned the 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Achievement Award in the university (Division I) division and received her 25-year award.

Prior to serving as the primary contact for football, Lax spearheaded the publicity efforts for UK’s women’s basketball team and assisted Tony Neely with the public relations duties for the football team for 18 seasons.

Lax was promoted to associate director in 2002 after serving as the department’s assistant director for four years. The Murray, Kentucky, native joined the UK staff in 1997 after spending two years as the assistant media relations director at Murray State while attending graduate school.

Lax graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, where she was a three-year letter winner for the Lady Lions tennis team. She graduated in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

She is a member of College Sports Communicators (CSC) and the Football Writers Association. She also is on the board of the American Heart Association.