Football
Sepich, R.J.
R.J. Sepich
- Title:
- Director of Football Communications and Digital Strategy
FB, WRES
- Email:
- rsepich@athletics.pitt.edu
- Phone:
- 412-452-1992
R.J. Sepich returned to his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, in July 2016 and has promoted the Pitt football team throughout that time and assisted with the media relations efforts for several of Pitt's other athletic programs, including stints as the primary contact for wrestling and swimming & diving.
In 2022, Sepich was elevated to Director of Football Communications and Digital Strategy. He works closely with Executive Associate Athletic Director E.J. Borghetti on the daily promotion of the Panthers' football program while also handling media requests, leading strategic and creative initiatives and serving as the voice of Pitt football on social media.
The Panthers' football social media handles have seen tremendous growth with Sepich collaborating alongside Pitt's video and recruiting staff, graphic designers and photographers to produce quality, engaging content throughout the year and especially each fall. The @Pitt_FB accounts have grown by more than 120,000 total followers on Twitter and Instagram combined since 2016, with the channels regularly among the national and conference leaders in engagement rate.
Sepich helped Pitt capitalize on its 2021 ACC Championship football campaign, with the team's Twitter account accumulating nearly 100 million impressions - almost double its previous best for a single season. The Panthers' accounts gained nearly 40,000 followers for a 24-percent gain in total following - the third-best increase in the Power 5.
In 2021, he helped the promotional efforts for Heisman Trophy finalist, Davey O'Brien Award winner, ACC Player of the Year and All-American quarterback Kenny Pickett, Biletnikoff Award winner and All-American wide receiver Jordan Addison, Disney Spirit Award winner Tre Tipton and Mannelly Award winner and All-American long snapper Cal Adomitis.
Since becoming a full-time employee at Pitt, Sepich has worked with seven of Pitt's 97 all-time first team All-Americans in football, three wrestling All-Americans and two swimming & diving All-Americans. He has also assisted in the strategic promotion of Pitt's 2020 Burlsworth Award winner Jimmy Morrissey, 2016 Disney Spirit Award winner James Conner and 2016 Piesman Trophy winner Brian O'Neill, in addition to dozens of All-ACC players and 16 NFL Draft selections.
In addition to his athletics communications and social media duties, Sepich also serves as the primary editor for several annual publications, including the media guide and game programs for football, and helps maintain PittsburghPanthers.com.
Prior to returning to Pittsburgh, Sepich spent two years at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., as a Graduate Assistant for Athletics Communications.
During his spell in the Mid-American Conference at NIU, Sepich served as the primary contact for five Huskies athletics programs: wrestling, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s track & field and women’s cross country. He contributed to the media relations efforts for NIU’s successful football program, which won its fifth and sixth consecutive MAC West titles during his time in DeKalb. In 2015, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) recognized the NIU Athletics Communications office as one of its “Super 11” sports information departments, deeming it among the nation’s best.
In addition to his primary working duties and graduate studies, Sepich emerged as the chief social media content producer for NIU Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. He also regularly inputted game statistics for both NIU basketball programs and volleyball, and traveled with the football team to two MAC Championship Games against Bowling Green at Ford Field in Detroit, the 2015 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl versus Boise State and an upset victory at Northwestern.
Sepich began his career in collegiate athletics as a student intern for the Pitt Media Relations office during the 2013-14 season, writing football game program features, posting social media content and earning the distinction of co-editor for the football media guide. As an intern, he worked closely with Borghetti on promoting Pitt’s star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who won every major national defensive award in 2013, including the Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.
From 2012-13, Sepich served as the sports editor and lead columnist of The Pitt News, managing a staff of 10 student writers to cover Pitt’s 19 varsity athletics programs. Prior to that, he also spent time as the student newspaper’s beat writer for the Pitt football, men’s basketball and softball teams.
Sepich earned a master’s degree in Sport Management from Northern Illinois University (2016) and bachelor’s degrees in Communication and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh (2014).
From Saxonburg, Pa., Sepich is a proud 2010 graduate of Knoch High School, where he served as sports editor of The Knight Times and played varsity golf and ice hockey.
He lives in Wexford with his dog, Blitz.
Beyond the Bio
Favorite sports moment at Pitt?
The entire 2021 Pitt football season. From the early September victory at Tennessee to an unforgettable December night in Charlotte with thousands of Pitt fans celebrating a win in the ACC title, that year created so many amazing memories for me. Being in New York with Kenny Pickett for the Heisman Trophy ceremony was incredibly special, too.
What do you love the most about the University of Pittsburgh?
This university represents everything that is amazing about the city of Pittsburgh; it has a vibrant, unique personality and strives for excellence in education, research, athletics and more. There is a proud history to look back on while simultaneously working hard in the present to ensure that we create more impactful history in the future.
Favorite quote?
"100 percent of the shots you don’t take don’t go in.” – Wayne Gretzky
In 2022, Sepich was elevated to Director of Football Communications and Digital Strategy. He works closely with Executive Associate Athletic Director E.J. Borghetti on the daily promotion of the Panthers' football program while also handling media requests, leading strategic and creative initiatives and serving as the voice of Pitt football on social media.
The Panthers' football social media handles have seen tremendous growth with Sepich collaborating alongside Pitt's video and recruiting staff, graphic designers and photographers to produce quality, engaging content throughout the year and especially each fall. The @Pitt_FB accounts have grown by more than 120,000 total followers on Twitter and Instagram combined since 2016, with the channels regularly among the national and conference leaders in engagement rate.
Sepich helped Pitt capitalize on its 2021 ACC Championship football campaign, with the team's Twitter account accumulating nearly 100 million impressions - almost double its previous best for a single season. The Panthers' accounts gained nearly 40,000 followers for a 24-percent gain in total following - the third-best increase in the Power 5.
In 2021, he helped the promotional efforts for Heisman Trophy finalist, Davey O'Brien Award winner, ACC Player of the Year and All-American quarterback Kenny Pickett, Biletnikoff Award winner and All-American wide receiver Jordan Addison, Disney Spirit Award winner Tre Tipton and Mannelly Award winner and All-American long snapper Cal Adomitis.
Since becoming a full-time employee at Pitt, Sepich has worked with seven of Pitt's 97 all-time first team All-Americans in football, three wrestling All-Americans and two swimming & diving All-Americans. He has also assisted in the strategic promotion of Pitt's 2020 Burlsworth Award winner Jimmy Morrissey, 2016 Disney Spirit Award winner James Conner and 2016 Piesman Trophy winner Brian O'Neill, in addition to dozens of All-ACC players and 16 NFL Draft selections.
In addition to his athletics communications and social media duties, Sepich also serves as the primary editor for several annual publications, including the media guide and game programs for football, and helps maintain PittsburghPanthers.com.
Prior to returning to Pittsburgh, Sepich spent two years at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., as a Graduate Assistant for Athletics Communications.
During his spell in the Mid-American Conference at NIU, Sepich served as the primary contact for five Huskies athletics programs: wrestling, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s track & field and women’s cross country. He contributed to the media relations efforts for NIU’s successful football program, which won its fifth and sixth consecutive MAC West titles during his time in DeKalb. In 2015, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) recognized the NIU Athletics Communications office as one of its “Super 11” sports information departments, deeming it among the nation’s best.
In addition to his primary working duties and graduate studies, Sepich emerged as the chief social media content producer for NIU Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. He also regularly inputted game statistics for both NIU basketball programs and volleyball, and traveled with the football team to two MAC Championship Games against Bowling Green at Ford Field in Detroit, the 2015 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl versus Boise State and an upset victory at Northwestern.
Sepich began his career in collegiate athletics as a student intern for the Pitt Media Relations office during the 2013-14 season, writing football game program features, posting social media content and earning the distinction of co-editor for the football media guide. As an intern, he worked closely with Borghetti on promoting Pitt’s star defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who won every major national defensive award in 2013, including the Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.
From 2012-13, Sepich served as the sports editor and lead columnist of The Pitt News, managing a staff of 10 student writers to cover Pitt’s 19 varsity athletics programs. Prior to that, he also spent time as the student newspaper’s beat writer for the Pitt football, men’s basketball and softball teams.
Sepich earned a master’s degree in Sport Management from Northern Illinois University (2016) and bachelor’s degrees in Communication and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh (2014).
From Saxonburg, Pa., Sepich is a proud 2010 graduate of Knoch High School, where he served as sports editor of The Knight Times and played varsity golf and ice hockey.
He lives in Wexford with his dog, Blitz.
Beyond the Bio
Favorite sports moment at Pitt?
The entire 2021 Pitt football season. From the early September victory at Tennessee to an unforgettable December night in Charlotte with thousands of Pitt fans celebrating a win in the ACC title, that year created so many amazing memories for me. Being in New York with Kenny Pickett for the Heisman Trophy ceremony was incredibly special, too.
What do you love the most about the University of Pittsburgh?
This university represents everything that is amazing about the city of Pittsburgh; it has a vibrant, unique personality and strives for excellence in education, research, athletics and more. There is a proud history to look back on while simultaneously working hard in the present to ensure that we create more impactful history in the future.
Favorite quote?
"100 percent of the shots you don’t take don’t go in.” – Wayne Gretzky
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