Matt Elliott approved by BOR as next UH Mānoa athletics director
News Release from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Posted: Jun 16, 2025
The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) unanimously approved the appointment of Matt Elliott as UH Mānoa’s next athletics director during a special meeting on June 16. Elliott was selected by UH President Wendy Hensel following a national search that drew more than 110 applicants. His first day will be June 30, 2025.
“To the people of Hawaiʻi, to the community, to the coaches, the staff, the student athletes, I’m honored to be your next director of athletics,” Elliott said. “I’ve been a fan for many years and I’m so excited to now be part of the team….Together we will build a department that operates on integrity. We will create the best possible student-athlete experience, and we will set our teams up so that they are in a position to win.”
Elliott brings more than a decade of experience in Division I athletics administration, including 13 years at UCLA. There, he most recently served as chief strategy officer, leading the department’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten and developing a five-year strategic plan. Prior to that, as senior associate athletics director, his overall scope of work included sport oversight, legal affairs, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy, government relations, head coach searches, compliance and supervision of athletic performance and sports medicine. He was also part of the team that negotiated a $280 million shoe and apparel deal, the largest in college athletics history.
“It is a great day for University of Hawaiʻi athletics,” Hensel said. “Matt simply stood out from the competition right from the beginning. I personally spent an incredible amount of my time getting to know the candidates, understanding the challenges of the athletics department, and thinking about where we need to go in the future to support our student-athletes to the highest possible levels that we can and be winners and competitive, but also ensure that our students leave here with an excellent experience that they’re proud to claim and call home. From beginning to end Matt was the guy.”
Elliott steps into the role of UH Mānoa athletics director at a pivotal time, facing major financial and structural challenges. These include the absence of a permanent Division I stadium, the implications of the recently approved House v. NCAA antitrust settlement—which paves the way for direct student-athlete compensation—and growing disparities in NIL resources that make it increasingly difficult to compete with larger, better-funded programs.
Since 2024, Elliott has worked as senior director of policy and public affairs at Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. He and his family moved back to Hawaiʻi in 2022. Elliott previously clerked in Hawaiʻi after law school and has long-standing personal ties to the islands.
The search committee, co-chaired by UH BOR Chair Gabriel Lee and Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation Chair Jack Tsui, prioritized Division I experience, fundraising ability and Hawaiʻi connections. The process included multiple rounds of interviews and input from student-athletes, coaches, faculty and community leaders.
“What impressed me about Matt is that when you look at the college experience, especially on the student-athlete side, he spent a lot of time in that position and then going from the internal position to the external position of chief strategy officer, I see the progression in his career,” Lee said. “We just look at how balanced a person is, what their potential is, and how they’re gonna be able to work with the rest of the staff, administration, coaches, as well as the president.”
Elliott will begin his appointment on June 30 with a base salary of $425,004, plus performance-based incentives. He replaces Craig Angelos, who departed in December. Associate Athletics Director Lois Manin has been serving as acting athletics director during the transition.
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SA: Regents confirm Matt Elliott as Hawaii’s new athletic director | Honolulu Star-Advertiser