Susan Lax: Queen of Kentucky Football

"In high school, I played basketball, and my jersey had a 'S' and little period and Lax. So everyone called me Slax."

Susan Lax serves as the Kentucky football program's Director of Athletics Communications & Public Relations, but if you spend more than two minutes with her at the Joe Craft Training facility or Kroger Field, you will quickly learn she is way more than that. She's part of the team, a mother-away-from-home, a confidant, and more.

UK ATHLETICS

After college graduation, Slax was told she should become a Sports Information Director, so she returned to her hometown of Murray and worked two years with the Racers. After that, she made the move to Lexington, for a job she describes as "a liaison between the media, coaches, and players. A job that tells good stories about the program, nominates players for awards, and keeps up with the stats."

But football is not where her journey began - it was the women's basketball team.

"Going to the Elite 8 with Victoria Dunlap, Adia Mathies, Keyla Snowden, Amber Smith. That team, Matthew Mitchell, Mickie DeMoss, Bernadette Mattox," says Slax. "I have to give the women a shoutout."

She now enters her sixth season primarily working with the football program. Slax admitted that when she began, she was a little nervous being "a female in football." So, she focused on building relationships - with players, coaches, and staff.

/Britney Howard

"Coaches like Coach Stoops, who empower me in my job. He's never made me feel like I'm a woman in football. But he does empower me. I'm in the room when decisions need to be made. He calls and asks me for advice."

The work that she's done hasn't gone unnoticed in the UK Football offices.

Courtney Love, a former player now graduate assistant, says, "I think she means a lot. When you talk about player development, her role fits the criteria because she's someone who players see from the beginning on campus when it comes to being a voice for the team."

Putting in that much time in one spot has given Slax a chance to be part of some special things, and many have come when she's asked a player to speak up about something in their lives that could help others.

"Three stories stand out to me," Slax recalls.

Former quarterback Stephen Johnson has Tourette's Syndrome and met a young boy in Louisville, became friends, and built a relationship with the family.

"I still keep up with the dad to this day."

Josh Pascal found out he had melanoma cancer on his foot and raised awareness in the African American community about wearing sunscreen.

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Slax also mentioned current linebacker JJ Weaver and how sharing his story of having six fingers has impacted young fans.

All of Slax's work was honored recently when Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Tony Neely, nominated her for the 2023 CSC Achievement Award, traveling to Orlando to receive one of two honors from her peers.

"I have to give Tony Neely a shoutout because if anybody deserves an award it's Tony Neely! So get ready Tony, I'm about to nominate you for everything," she says with a smile. "But he's the great nominator. He can write so well, and he nominated me and so I have to give him a shoutout. I would not be where I am today without Tony. He's the boss of our office and has helped me along the way to teach me the football ways."

"Zero surprise. Well overdue. Each and every day she walks in this building there's an energy, focus on presenting UK in the best light possible," says Brad White.

Elliott Hess

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