Claude Felton announces retirement from Georgia athletics

ATHENS, Ga. — Claude Felton, a cornerstone of the University of Georgia Athletic Association since 1979, has announced his retirement, effective Jan. 31, 2024. One of the most beloved and respected members of the Georgia Athletic Association and across the collegiate athletics landscape, Felton has served in the roles of Senior Associate Athletic Director, Associate and Assistant Athletic Director, Sports Communication Director and, most recently, the Loran Smith Senior Associate Athletic Director.

“Lots of time has gone by and some unbelievable experiences and memories have come my way,” Felton said. “I’ve worked with some terrific presidents, athletic directors, some of the greatest coaches and athletes in the history of collegiate sports, and legendary media on all levels from national writers and network television to radio stations and weekly newspapers around the state. I’ve been blessed with the greatest group of full-time staff members, graduate assistants, and undergrad students I could have imagined who have done remarkable work and are responsible for always somehow making me look good.”

“Claude Felton is one of the most influential figures in the history of Georgia Athletics,” J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks said. “His honesty, humility, attention to detail and congenial spirit have elevated all of our athletic programs throughout his 45-year association with the Bulldogs. I know his mentors Dan Magill and Vince Dooley would say ‘job well done,’ as they look back on Claude’s outstanding career. He has meant so much to me and so many others, and we wish him all the best during this next phase of his life.”

“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Claude Felton for his unwavering commitment spanning four decades to the University of Georgia and our Athletic Association,” UGA president Jere W. Morehead said. “Claude, through his dedication and passion, has not only conveyed the triumphs of our student-athletes and coaches but has also intricately woven the narrative of the rich sports history of the University of Georgia.”

The Savannah, Ga., native was named Georgia’s Sports Information Director in July, 1979, after serving as the Director of Public Relations at Georgia Southern University. Over the last 45 years, Felton has mentored countless individuals and has become a leader in college athletics. He is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.

Felton served as media coordinator for 18 NCAA national championship events. He has also served on the press liaison staff for the U.S. Olympic Committee at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and was the press venue chief for the soccer venue at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. He was chairman of the Ethics Committee of the College Sports Communicators from 1985-91 and received the Arch Ward Award in 2004. He has won a myriad of awards including the Football Writers Association of America’s prestigious Bert McGrane Award.

During Felton’s tenure as Sports Information Director, Bulldog athletic teams won 136 Southeastern Conference titles and 47 national championships.

Felton has been a part of three football National Championships, seven Southeastern Conference Championships in football and 415 wins over the last 44 seasons on the football field. He has also been a trusted advisor for Coach and Athletic Director Vince Dooley, coaches Ray Goff, Jim Donnan, Mark Richt and Kirby Smart, as well as athletic directors Greg McGarity, Damon Evans and Josh Brooks in addition to many long-tenured coaches across all sports.

He handled the publicity efforts for numerous All-Americans and individual honors, most notably the Heisman Trophy campaign for Hershel Walker, who won college football’s most prestigious award in 1982.

Felton earned his ABJ and M.A. Degrees from the University of Georgia. He is married to the former Cathy Turner of Athens, Ga., and they have three children: Robyn, a 2000 graduate of Samford University; Christopher, married to the former Katie MacKelcan and a 2004 graduate of UGA; and Patrick, a 2009 graduate of UGA.