UMD Athletics

AS A BULLDOG:
2018-19:  Rocketed to prominence with breakout season that included a 255 percent increase in his point production and NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year citation  ... also collared All-NCHC second team honors and the Mike Sertich Award (UMD's Most Improved Player) after wrapping up the year 32 points -- the second highest output of any Bulldog and 21 more points than what he accumulated the previous winter ... ranked third on the club in goals (12), assists (20) and plus-minus rating (+20) and trailed only Parker Mackay in shot percentage (.176) ... assembled the longest scoring streak of any UMD skater during the season, striking for at least one point in eight straight games from Dec. 28 to Jan. 26 ... scored for the first time (in his 49th lifetime appearance) against Maine on Oct. 19 -- the first of his seven multiple-point nights as a sophomore ... joined four other teammates on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team ... became the first Bulldog to convert a penalty shot since Oct. 15, 2010 by getting the best of Miami goaltender Jordan Uhelski at 7:38 of the second period on Jan. 19 in Oxford, Ohio ... received NCHC Offensive Player of the Week recognition following the NCHC road series with Denver (Feb. 16-17 ... exited the season having skated in all 86 games since joining the Bulldogs .. a qualified for the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team... took part in the Boston Bruins' Development Camp in the summer of 2019.
2017-18: Was a model of consistency during his rookie year and showed that a player’s value can not always be measured by statistics alone ... cracked the UMD lineup in all 44 outings  and had nine points (all assists) and a +9 plus-minus rating to show for it ... marked on the score sheet in eight different games, seven of which were Bulldog victories ... helped set up two goals in UMD’s 5-0 throttling of Yale in the first round of the Ledyard Classic on Dec. 29 ... was one of 18 Bulldogs to pick up a point on the power play and one of eight to do so on the penalty kill (one assist in both situations) ... achieved NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete status in 2017-18 ... received an invitation to the Columbus Bluejackets' Development Camp the summer following his debut UMD season.
BEFORE UMD: Spent the 2016-17 season sharpening his skills as a member of the United States Hockey League's Lincoln Stars ... generated 30 points on 10 goals (including four with the man advantage) and 20 assists in 59 regular season games while going a +2 in his lone go-around in Lincoln, Neb. ...skated for the Ohio Bluejackets U18 (2015-16) and U16 clubs (2013-14 and 2014-15) the previous three years ... is a 2016 graduate of Upper Arlington (Ohio) High School.
BULLDOG MILESTONES: First Game - vs. Minnesota (Oct. 6, 2017). First Goal - 1 vs. Maine (Oct. 19, 2018). First Assist - vs Michigan Tech (Oct. 7, 2017).  Most Goals, Game - 2 vs. Providence (April 11, 2019) and vs. Denver (Feb. 15, 2019). Most Points, Game - 2  (9 Times). Most Shots, Game - 5 vs Merrimack College (Oct. 21, 2017). Longest Scoring Streak - 8 Games (Dec. 28, 2018-Jan. 26, 2019).
PERSONAL: Born Justin Todd Richards in Orlando, Fla. ... is the son of Todd and Maryann Richards ... has one older brother (Zac) ... his father, Todd, is a former University of Minnesota (1985-89) and National Hockey League defenseman (Hartford Whalers, 1990-92) who served as head coach with both the NHL's Minnesota Wild (2009-11) and Columbus Blue Jackets (2011-16) and is currently a Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach ... holds the distinction of being the first Ohio native to ever enlist his services with the Bulldog program ... is majoring in communication at UMD.