Who is the voice of Jesuit athletics? The man over the loudspeaker in Knight Gym and Cronin Field?
That would be Mr Rich Ulring.
Ulring worked on the administrative team at Jesuit from 1976 to 1979. After his departure, he decided to stay connected to Jesuit–in particular, athletics. Athletic Director, Mr. Colin Griffin’s father, Coach Bill Griffin, was the football coach at the time.
“He was my friend,” Ulring said. “I helped coach freshman football, and he said, when I told him I was leaving, he said, why don’t you become our announcer?”
He then began announcing football in 1979, then expanded to track and field in 1980. At this time, Mr. Mike Wendt had been announcing women’s sports since Jesuit went coeducational in 1993.
In 2006, Wendt had to step away from his role which left women’s sports without an announcer. Campus Ministry Director, Mr. Mike Hughes, who was the Athletic Director at the time, asked Ulring if he would be able to help.
Ulring then took up women’s sports, and worked alongside Mr. Steve Mueller. With Mueller covering men’s basketball and baseball, Ulring and Mueller announce for nearly every varsity sport, with the exceptions of soccer, softball, and lacrosse.
“He was my counselor when I was a student here. He then started to announce sports, and he’s done it ever since,” Hughes said. “That’s all volunteer, so just tremendous generosity and a spirit of volunteerism and love of Jesuit. His kindness is overwhelming to the school.”
Ulring never ran track himself, and had only attended one track meet prior to announcing for them, but he has not missed a single home track meet in over 40 years.
Announcing was Ulring’s way of connecting back to Jesuit High School. His three children graduated from Jesuit in 2017, 2010, and 2008. In this time, Ulring worked in insurance until 2023 before returning back to Jesuit.
“Friends of mine told Kathy Bartz, the alumni director and Diane Salzman, Development Director, and said, you know, Rich is bored. You might want to talk to him about coming on board to Jesuit”, Ulring shared.
Ulring is now working with alumni events, legacy gifts, and overall development work. Staying busy, he is also on the Blanchet House board which he describes as a “labor of love”.
In the winter season, you can catch Mueller still announcing for men’s basketball, and Ulring announcing women’s basketball–covering Jesuit athletics for his 46th year and counting.
