RCOH Lunch Mtg - Matt Elliott

Matt Elliott

Director of Athletics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

UH Athletics. Our Team. Hawai'i's Team.

Matt Elliott was unanimously appointed by the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents as the 26th Director of Athletics at UH Mānoa. He officially began his role on June 30, 2025, following a national search with over 110 applicants. UH President Wendy Hensel selected him for his leadership, strategic vision, and deep ties to Hawaiʻi.

Elliott brings over a decade of Division I athletics administration experience, including 13 years at UCLA. As Chief Strategy Officer, he led UCLA’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten and crafted a five-year strategic plan. He also played a key role in negotiating a $280 million apparel deal, the largest in college athletics history. His prior roles included overseeing sports operations, legal affairs, NIL policy, compliance, and athletic performance. 

From 2024 until his UH appointment, Elliott served as Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, working closely with state leaders on advocacy and legislative strategy.

Originally from Framingham, Massachusetts, Elliott earned his BA from Amherst College, where he competed in varsity crew, and a JD with honors from Northwestern University School of Law. He moved to Hawaiʻi 2005 to clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Alan C. Kay, where he met his wife Allison, a Punahou School and Occidental College graduate. Elliott and his family returned to Hawaiʻi in 2022

Elliott assumes leadership at a pivotal time for UH Athletics, facing challenges such as NIL disparities, the House v. NCAA settlement, and the lack of a permanent Division I stadium. He is committed to building a department grounded in integrity, excellence, and student-athlete experience, saying:

“Together we will create the best possible student-athlete experience and set our teams up to win.”