The University of Denver has promoted Erich Bacher to director of media relations, it was announced today by Director of Athletics and Recreation Peg Bradley-Doppes. Bacher assumes the new position immediately after serving as the school’s interim director of media relations since February of 2005. He replaces Marla Rodriguez, who served as director of media relations for the past five years.
"I am pleased to announce Erich as my first hire at the University of Denver," Bradley-Doppes said. “He is a high-energy person who has proved to be a valuable member of our athletic administration the past three years.”
Bacher will begin his fourth year at the University of Denver and direct the overall operation of Denver's 17-sport NCAA Division I media relations department. He handles all media relations responsibilities for the back-to-back NCAA national champion Pioneer hockey program and men and women’s tennis teams.
The Stevens Point, Wis., native arrived in Denver after a two-year stint as a venue press services supervisor with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002. Bacher managed all of the facilities and services for over 3,000 written and photographic press at five ice venues and served as the venue press chief for men and women's ice hockey. Prior to his Olympic experience, Bacher was an assistant to the associate director of athletics at the University of Illinois. He was promoted to the position after working two years in the Illinois sports information office.
Bacher interned at the University of Minnesota media relations office from 1996-97. He was the main contact for baseball, wrestling, men's track and field and cross country. Bacher has worked many NCAA tournaments, international sporting events and was a press officer for the National Hockey League at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey in Helsinski, Finland and Cologne, Germany. Bacher was also a press officer for Team USA at the 1996 Paralympic Games. He earned an organizational communication degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1992 and a sports management master's degree from St. Cloud State University in 1996. Bacher is a member of the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), Metro Denver Sports Commission and National Sports Marketing Network.