DeSales University Athletics

Head coach Fred Richter enters his 18th season in Center Valley as one of the most successful coaches in the entire Mid-Atlantic Region. He opens the season with a career record of 321-145 (.689) and is one of just two coaches in DeSales history (all sports) to garner 300+ wins.

Richter enters the season ranked 44th among all active NCAA Division III coaches in winning percentage and 37th among all active NCAA Division III coaches in career victories.

Throughout his 17 years he has led DSU to nine 20-win seasons and to the post-season in 16 of his 17 seasons. His Bulldogs joined one of the most prestigious Division III women’s basketball conferences (Freedom Conference) in 1997-98 and since that time have recorded the third best conference record (101-39 - .721), been to the playoffs all 10 years, won the conference championship twice (1997-98 and 1999-00) and advanced to the championship game six times.

Richter has also enjoyed both regional and national success during his first 17 years. In addition to the four conference championships he has won including two Pennsylvania Athletic Conference titles (1996, 1997) and the two MAC/Freedom titles (1998, 2000), DSU has made five trips to the NCAA Tournament (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003) and won four ECAC South Region Tournament Championships (1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005). Richter has been named Coach of the Year three times including once in the Freedom Conference (2003-04), once as the WBCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year (2003-04) and once by the Eastern States Athletic Conf. (ESAC) Coach of the Year in 1992-93.

Prior to taking over at DeSales in 1990, Richter was a highly successful girls’ varsity coach at Quakertown High School. He finished with a record of 145-80 in nine seasons and his teams qualified for the district playoffs each season. The Panthers captured one league championship and reached the state championship tournament twice during Richter’s tenure. He also coached the boys’ teams at Quakertown and at Central Bucks East High School in Buckingham, PA.

Richter was also an outstanding scholastic and collegiate player. He was twice an all-league pick and Most Valuable Player at Quakertown before moving on to East Stroudsburg University. While at ESU, he was a two-time selection for team captain, named MVP following his junior season, and named to the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Team after his senior campaign. Richter has been inducted into both the Quakertown/Pennridge Area Sports Hall of Fame and East Stroudsburg University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Coach Richter is three years removed from being a full-time high school social studies teacher at Quakertown Senior High School for 34 years. He coached the Bulldogs as a part-time coach for the first 15-years and will be entering his third season as a full-time staff member. He resides in Coopersburg, PA, with his wife, Vicky.