Zach Richardson started as the assistant coach for the UT Dallas cross country and track & field programs in August 2024.
In his first season, the Comets competed in two indoor track & field meets for the first time. The outdoor teams combined to break 12 records in 2025.
Richardson came from East Texas Baptist University, where he spent three seasons as the head track & field coach and two years at the helm of the Tiger cross country squads. In three seasons of track & field in Marshall, Texas, he coached two All-Americans and 16 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship qualifiers across 16 events. Richardson guided the ETBU men to back-to-back second place finishes at the American Southwest Conference Championship in 2023 and 2024 and the women were third in 2023. He also coached 22 ASC champions and 29 all-conference selections.
ETBU women's cross country had back-to-back third place finishes with Richardson at the helm. Between men's and women's, he coached six All-ASC picks in two seasons.
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Prior to ETBU, Richardson spent three years coaching at APEC.
Richardson attended and competed at the University of Texas at Tyler. He was the 2018 ASC Track Athlete of the Year, a two-time All-ASC selection and held seven Patriot records. He won ASC titles in the 4x400 meter relay and the 400-meter dash and was the former holder of the conference record for the 400-meter dash (47.88). Richardson also qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship.
The Waxahachie, Texas native graduated from the UT Tyler in 2019 with his degree in Kinesiology. He is married to Jordyn.
