Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

IN 2021
Phil Steele Third-Team All-ASUN ... ASUN Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 27) ... played in all 11 games ... punted 62 times for an average of 40.6 yards per punt ... landed 15 punts inside the 20-yard line ... eight punts of at least 50 yards ... averaged 43.4 yards on seven punts against Jacksonville State (Nov. 20) ... recorded a 60-yard punt against Central Arkansas (Oct. 16) ... placed three punts inside the 20-yard line against Stephen F. Austin (Nov. 6) ... punted nine times against Austin Peay (Sept. 25).

AS A JUNIOR IN 2020
Saw action in all nine games … served as EKU’s holder on extra-points and field goals … punted 20 times for an average of 38.1 yards per punt … placed seven of his 20 punts inside the 20 yard line … had two punts of 50 or more yards … punted nine times in the final two games of the season for an average of 40 yards per punt, with two punts of 58 yards … averaged 40.7 yards on three punts at West Virginia (Sept. 12).

AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2019
Appeared in all 12 games … punted 51 times for an average of 38 yards per punt … placed 14 punts inside the 20 yard line and had four punts of 50 or more yards … punted six times for an average of 40.7 yards at Louisville (Sept. 7) … put three of his seven punts against Tennessee-Martin (Oct. 5) inside the 20 yard line … averaged 43.7 yards on three punts in heavy rain and on a saturated field at Eastern Illinois (Oct. 26) ... earned a spot on the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

AS A FRESHMAN IN 2018
Played in all 11 games … punted 54 times for a total of 2,133 yards and an average of 39.5 yards per punt … he had four punts of 50 or more yards and placed 12 inside the 20 yard line … punted four times, putting two inside the 20, for an average of 40.2 yards per punt at Marshall (Sept. 8), his second collegiate appearance … punted 10 times for an average of 42.4 yards against No. 8 Jacksonville State (Oct. 6) … had a season-best 54 yard punt against JSU … when he stepped on the field in the season-opener against Morehead State (Aug. 30), not only was it the first official football game he has ever played in at any level, it was the first game of American football that he had ever attended ... earned a spot on the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 2013 … played Australian rules football and soccer … was a goalkeeper for Monbulk soccer clubs … has trained with Prokick Australia for the past 14 months … all three finalists for the 2016 Ray Guy Award (nation’s top FBS punter) were former students of Prokick Australia … joins former Colonels Jordan Berry (2009-13) and Keith Wrzuszczak (2014-17) as Australian punters for EKU … Berry has been the punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers the last three seasons and Wrzuszczak has an excellent chance to join the NFL as well.
 
PERSONAL
Full name is Phillip Leigh Richards ... son of Leigh and Mareesa Richards … has two sisters – twins Alexandra and Gemma … majoring in history.