Riley Named Assistant Director of Media Relations
Colorado State University on Wednesday named Joanna Riley, a native of the Rocky Mountain region, assistant director of media relations. Director of Athletics Paul Kowalczyk made the announcement.
The move completes the school’s athletic media relations office, which now can focus on several initiatives, including redeveloping the official Web site, CSURams.com.
Riley, who grew up in Laramie, Wyo., is one of several new administrative staff members.
“Every one of these people, including Joanna, has walked through the door and made us better,” said senior associate AD/external operations Gary Ozzello, who until this summer had worked in media relations full-time since 1978. “I’m very excited about the quality of people we’ve added.”
A 2003 graduate of Tulane University, Riley returns to the region from the University of New Orleans, where she had worked to publicize nearly every sport, but primarily volleyball and women’s basketball. She’s worked in five media relations offices, including the Sun Belt Conference, as well as with the Nokia Sugar Bowl and the men’s Final Four.
Riley will work with the Rams’ volleyball, men’s basketball, cross country and track and field programs, while Danny Mattie will continue to oversee publicity for women’s basketball and softball, as well as men’s and women’s golf. Director Zak Gilbert will serve as primary contact for football, women’s tennis, swimming and diving, and water polo. In addition, the staff will receive contributions from several undergraduate interns, each of whom will work primarily with an assigned sport. Gilbert will assist with men’s basketball and Mattie will assist with football.
One of several females who serves as contact for men’s basketball at a Division I school, Riley will work with new head coach Tim Miles. Last season, according to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Directory, at least 16 programs were publicized by women, including Alabama, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, South Carolina and Stanford. Six of those 16 teams were in the NCAA tournament. Riley has experience with men’s programs at Tennessee Tech (2003-04) and Appalachian State (2004-05), and worked at UNO with former CSU men’s assistant Buzz Williams.
Riley officially will begin work with Colorado State Aug. 3.