Faculty and Staff Profile

Rikishi T. Smith-Rey

Educational Background

Ph.D. Communication
Chapman University 2022

M.A. Communication
California State University, Fullerton 2019

B.A. Communication
Minor English
California State University, Fullerton 2013

Courses Taught

Undergraduate
Advanced Sport Communication
Communication and Health
Communication in Health Organizations
Communication in Sport Organizations w/ Honors Contract
Communication and Sport Socialization
Communication, Sport & Society w/ Honors Contract
Communication Theory w/ Honors Contract
Independent Study (3 undergraduate students)
Intro to Communication
Public Speaking
Social Media and Sport Communication w/ Honors Contract
Team Communication

Graduate
Health Communication in Healthcare
Health and Sport Communication
Independent Study (4 graduate students)

Profile

Research Interests

Heath Communication
Sport Communication
Strategic Communication

Research Publications

Gertz, H., Cranmer, C., McGlynn, J., Ash, E., Rey, R. T., (2025). The Role of Closure, Athletic Identity, and Social Support on Student-Athletes’ Mental Health during their Socialization Out of Sports. International Journal of Sport Communication

Stokowski, S., Butler, J. M., Rey, R. T., Niemann, T., & Rauch, D. (2025). "I belong in these spaces too": Empowering female student-athletes through leadership development. Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education.

Weber, K., Buckley, T. M, Rey, R. T., Waldeck, J. (2025). A pilot test to combat the water crisis through transformative messaging: An application of message framing and psychological reactance theory
Applied Environmental Education & Communication

Cranmer, G. A., Tallapragada, M., Bell, T. R., Bureau, S. C., Ashworth, M., Rey, R. T., McGlynn, J., & Johnson, Z. (2025). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior in Considering the Efficacy of Encountering Concussion Intervention Materials Online. Health Communication, 1-11.

Rey, R. T., Miller-Day, M., Craw, E. S., Buckley, T. M., Wozniak, T. R., Hopfer, S. (2024). Engagement with and persuasiveness of HPV vaccination promotion videos: An examination of narrative engagement theory. Atlantic Journal of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2023.2298858

Cranmer, G. A., Cox, E., Rey, R. T., Browning, B., Holbert, L. G. (2024). Effects of cohesion with teammates on Division-I student athletes' mental health: An application of the human need to belong and transactional stress frameworks. Communication and Sport

Rey, R. T., & Pezalla, A. E. (2023). Parents, pain, and over-the-counter medicine: Athletes’ perceived alternatives to prescription opioid misuse. Healthcare. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11192671

Janicke-Bowles, S. H., Buckley, T. M., Rey, R. T., Wozniak, T. R., Meier, A., & Lomanowska, A. (2023). Conceptualizing and assessing digital flourishing: Developing a scale to measure positive mediated social interactions. Journal of Happiness Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00619-5

Cranmer, G. A., Rey, R. T., Capra, J., Browning, B., Sollitto, M. (2023). Task & social determinants of coaches’ reports of leader-member exchange. Communication & Sport. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795231155592

Rey, R. T., Capra, J. (2023). "Shut up and dribble": Fans' perceptions of professional athletes' roles in standing up against racial injustices. Communication Research Reports. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2023.2165488

Rey, R. T., Cranmer, G. A., Browning, B., Sanderson, J. (2022). Sport knowledge: The effects of Division I coach communication on student-athlete learning indicators. International Journal of Sport Communication. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2021-0062

Leader, A., Miller-Day, M., Rey, R. T., Selvan, P., Pezalla, A., Hecht, M. L. (2022). The impact of HPV vaccine narratives on social media: Testing narrative engagement theory with a diverse sample of young adults. Preventative Medicine Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101920

Cranmer, G. A., Rey, R. T., Tallapragada, M. (2021). Exploring the role of parents’ sport orientations in the efficacy of concussion intervention materials. Communication Research Reports. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2021.1936480

Rey, R. T., Johnson, Z. D. (2021). “Detrimental to the team dynamic": Exploring college student-athlete dissent. Communication and Sport. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795211001938

Honors and Awards

Dr. Gerald S. Gurney National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) Research Award (2025)
Department of Communication Junior Tenure-Track Teaching Award (2025)
Robert H. Brooks Sports Science GRIT Award for Student Engagement in the Sports Sciences (2024)
Jake Liang Outstanding Ph.D. Student of the Year (2022)
Jennifer H. Waldeck Graduate Teaching Associate of the Year (2021)
Michelle Miller-Day Outstanding Graduate Researcher of the Year (2020)

Athletic Awards

California State University, Fullerton Women’s Soccer Team – Fall 2009 - Fall 2013
Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) – 2010-2013
Big West Academic All-Conference – 2011 & 2013
Big West Tournament Champion – 2013
NCAA Tournament Participant – 2013