Oglethorpe Director of Athletics Becky Hall has named Oglethorpe graduate Alex Richey to the position of head women’s basketball coach, replacing previous head coach Aaron Nester, who resigned in February after serving three seasons in the role. Richey comes to the position after serving as a men’s basketball assistant coach under head coach Philip Ponder over the last two years, including this past year as the lead assistant coach on the staff.
Richey graduated from Oglethorpe in 2011 with a degree in business administration. After a year away from campus, he returned in 2012 as a men’s basketball assistant coach and university admissions counselor. Ponder elevated him to the full-time, lead assistant coach role entering the 2013-14 season.
"I am thrilled to have Alex join our staff in this new role," said Hall. "His passion, enthusiasm, and tireless work ethic will serve him well as he leads a young and talented Petrel basketball program. Coach Richey has a big job to do; however I am confident that his basketball knowledge coupled with his ability to recruit top notch scholar-athletes will lead us back, up to near the top of the conference and beyond in the years to come."
A native of the Metro Atlanta area, Richey attended Centennial High School in Roswell, Ga., where he was a two-time AAAAA All-State basketball player, Richey continued his playing career at Oglethorpe under the guidance of Ponder, where he was named All-SCAC Third Team as a junior and was an All-SCAC Honorable Mention selection in his senior season. Currently, Alex ranks among the school leaders in three-pointers made and attempted and is also the school’s latest member of the 1,000-point club, totaling 1,147 career points.
During his two-year tenure under Ponder, the men’s program compiled a 38-17 overall record, entered the D3hoops.com Top 25 for the first time in program history this past season, and came within a single point of an SAA championship. Richey looks to bring his unmatched enthusiasm and energy to the women’s program at his alma mater in order to develop a winning culture both on and off the basketball court.
"The last 48 hours have been a dream come true. I have the greatest job in the world. I get to coach basketball every day. Not only do I get to do something I love, I get to do it somewhere that I love, as well," said Richey. "Oglethorpe University changed my life from the moment I came onto campus as an undergrad and the support I have been shown throughout my involvement with OU to this day is indescribable. This is a very special time in my life as well as the life of my family and without the support of AD Hall, my mentor Coach Ponder, as well as the hard work of the young men that I have worked with over the past two seasons, this would not be possible."
The women’s basketball program received NCAA Tournament bids in four consecutive years from 2006-09, including advancing to the national semifinals in 2008 and to two consecutive sectionals from 2008-09. In addition, the program secured its first and only SCAC championship in 2009. The program has fallen on harder times in recent years, however, and hasn’t enjoyed a double-digit win season since 2009-10.
"Moving forward, I am excited to be working with this group of young women, who have expressed their desire to work hard and give there best effort everyday," Richey continued. "As a coach, that is all you can ask for from your players and I can promise them that I will do the same in return. It is my goal to lead this program to the national prominence that it once held. Through hard work and the support of all of those involved in the Petrel Nation, it is my firm belief that we can do it!"
"We are extremely excited for the direction that our women’s basketball program is headed with Coach Richey leading that charge," said Hall. "Alex is well respected and admired here, and we are excited to get this next chapter of Petrel basketball started."
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