Merritt Returns to Richmond as Associate AD for Basketball Development
08/28/2025 | General, Women's Basketball, Men's Basketball, Spider Athletic Fund
RICHMOND, Va. — Jim Merritt, a former Spider student-athlete who served Richmond Athletics in a variety of leadership roles in advancement and marketing for more than 30 years following his graduation, has been hired as Richmond's first Associate Athletics Director of Basketball Development, Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt announced Thursday.
In this new role, Merritt will be charged with helping the Spider men's and women's basketball programs develop the resources required to continue to compete at a championship level in the Atlantic 10. That includes acquiring the capital to support direct payments to men's and women's basketball student-athletes, which Richmond announced it would begin this season following the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement.
Merritt, a former Spider baseball player, began his professional career as Richmond Athletics' Coordinator for Athletic Marketing immediately following his graduation from UR in 1988. Over the next 30 years, he held various leadership positions across both Spider Athletics and the University. He served as the Director of the Spider Club from 1991 to 1994 before becoming Richmond's Director of Athletic Marketing & Alumni Programs. In 1998, he ascended to the role of Assistant AD for Marketing, a position he held until 2003.
From 2004 to 2009, he managed Richmond Athletics' corporate partnerships as the Assistant AD for Corporate Marketing before moving into University advancement, first as a Regional Development Officer (2009-15) and then as a Major Gifts Officer (2015-22). For the last three years, he's served as the Vice Chancellor for Principal Gifts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Merritt was also an advancement staff representative on the Robins School of Business' Executive Advisory Council for 13 years (2009-22) and has been a member of the Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame Committee since 2015. In July, Merritt was named to the Board of Trustees for the College Baseball Foundation, which manages the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Overland Park, Kans.
Jim Merritt Joins Richmond as Associate AD for Basketball Development
Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt
"We're thrilled to have someone with Jim's expertise and experience stepping into this critical role. His knowledge of the University of Richmond community, his record of success in both higher education and intercollegiate athletics, and his passion for the Spiders will help our basketball programs in their continued pursuit of competitive excellence at the highest possible levels."
Associate Athletics Director for Basketball Development Jim Merritt
"I have experienced some of the great moments in Richmond men's and women's basketball history from a number of different perspectives over the years as a student-athlete, alumnus, and staff member. So I recognize the terrific impact basketball success can have on the entire University of Richmond community. And I am excited to come back home to Richmond and help play a part in the University's full commitment to the future success of Spider basketball."
Richmond Men's Basketball Coach Chris Mooney
"Jim Merritt is the ultimate Spider, and his unique skill set and deep relationships will help us thrive in the evolving world of college basketball. He is the perfect choice to lead our efforts to respond to this new landscape and unite our Spider fans, friends, and family behind our basketball program. We are so excited to bring Jim back to Richmond. Welcome home!"
Richmond Women's Basketball Coach Aaron Roussell
"We are incredibly grateful for this position and excited about what it will mean for the future of our women's basketball program. Revenue generation and enhanced fundraising are essential in this new NCAA landscape, and this is an important hire as we strive to remain one of the top women's basketball programs in the country."
In this new role, Merritt will be charged with helping the Spider men's and women's basketball programs develop the resources required to continue to compete at a championship level in the Atlantic 10. That includes acquiring the capital to support direct payments to men's and women's basketball student-athletes, which Richmond announced it would begin this season following the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement.
Merritt, a former Spider baseball player, began his professional career as Richmond Athletics' Coordinator for Athletic Marketing immediately following his graduation from UR in 1988. Over the next 30 years, he held various leadership positions across both Spider Athletics and the University. He served as the Director of the Spider Club from 1991 to 1994 before becoming Richmond's Director of Athletic Marketing & Alumni Programs. In 1998, he ascended to the role of Assistant AD for Marketing, a position he held until 2003.
From 2004 to 2009, he managed Richmond Athletics' corporate partnerships as the Assistant AD for Corporate Marketing before moving into University advancement, first as a Regional Development Officer (2009-15) and then as a Major Gifts Officer (2015-22). For the last three years, he's served as the Vice Chancellor for Principal Gifts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Merritt was also an advancement staff representative on the Robins School of Business' Executive Advisory Council for 13 years (2009-22) and has been a member of the Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame Committee since 2015. In July, Merritt was named to the Board of Trustees for the College Baseball Foundation, which manages the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Overland Park, Kans.
Jim Merritt Joins Richmond as Associate AD for Basketball Development
Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt
"We're thrilled to have someone with Jim's expertise and experience stepping into this critical role. His knowledge of the University of Richmond community, his record of success in both higher education and intercollegiate athletics, and his passion for the Spiders will help our basketball programs in their continued pursuit of competitive excellence at the highest possible levels."
Associate Athletics Director for Basketball Development Jim Merritt
"I have experienced some of the great moments in Richmond men's and women's basketball history from a number of different perspectives over the years as a student-athlete, alumnus, and staff member. So I recognize the terrific impact basketball success can have on the entire University of Richmond community. And I am excited to come back home to Richmond and help play a part in the University's full commitment to the future success of Spider basketball."
Richmond Men's Basketball Coach Chris Mooney
"Jim Merritt is the ultimate Spider, and his unique skill set and deep relationships will help us thrive in the evolving world of college basketball. He is the perfect choice to lead our efforts to respond to this new landscape and unite our Spider fans, friends, and family behind our basketball program. We are so excited to bring Jim back to Richmond. Welcome home!"
Richmond Women's Basketball Coach Aaron Roussell
"We are incredibly grateful for this position and excited about what it will mean for the future of our women's basketball program. Revenue generation and enhanced fundraising are essential in this new NCAA landscape, and this is an important hire as we strive to remain one of the top women's basketball programs in the country."
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