{"id":218200,"date":"2025-07-01T12:49:27","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T22:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=218200"},"modified":"2025-07-01T12:49:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T22:49:27","slug":"matt-elliott-new-era-uh-manoa-athletics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/01\/matt-elliott-new-era-uh-manoa-athletics\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Elliott ushers in new era at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa athletics"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Matt Elliott was introduced as UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s new athletics director after the UH<\/abbr> Board of Regents unanimously approved his appointment at a special meeting on June 16.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even 20 years later, Matt Elliott\u2019s first glimpse of Oʻahu<\/span>\u2019s south shore still sparkles in his memory. Raised in Massachusetts and having just completed law school in Chicago, Elliott landed in Honolulu in December 2005 to start a year-long clerkship and eager to explore his new surroundings.<\/p>\n

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A desire to raise their son, Kai, in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> was a driving motivation for Matt and Allison to move back to the state in 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The first time I got in the car I drove out on Kalanianaʻole<\/span> Highway and past Hanauma Bay, and turned that corner and said, ‘this is the most spectacular thing I\u2019ve ever seen in my life,’” Elliott recalled. “I saw that coast and was like I\u2019d better not drive off the road because you can\u2019t not stare at the most stunning view you\u2019ve ever seen.”<\/p>\n

Instantly captivated by the scenery, Elliott\u2019s connection to and appreciation for the islands would only deepen over the next two decades even as his career took him back to the continent.<\/p>\n

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Tailgating at Aloha Stadium and the Rainbow Warriors’ 2006 football game against Oregon State were part of Elliott’s introduction to UH<\/abbr> sports.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having ascended the ranks in college athletics administration at UCLA<\/abbr>, Elliott made a full-time return to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> in 2022 and the path he\u2019s traveled since his first tour of the island led him to his current role as the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s newest athletics director. June 30 marked the official start of Elliott\u2019s appointment leading UH<\/abbr> athletics, a position pairing his affection for the islands with his understanding of the ever-shifting landscape of college athletics.<\/p>\n

“I want to be in a space where I\u2019m passionate about the work that I\u2019m doing and I\u2019m learning the entire time,” Elliott said. “If I have those two things in a professional setting, then I\u2019m so motivated to work hard because I feel so good about the parallel goals happening at the same time.<\/p>\n

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Tailgating at Aloha Stadium and the Rainbow Warriors’ 2006 football game against Oregon State were part of Elliott’s introduction to UH<\/abbr> sports.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“(The AD<\/abbr> role) is an incredible responsibility, but I\u2019m excited about it and motivated about it because it comes back to the passion for this place is so strong.”<\/p>\n

Read the entire story by Jason Kaneshiro on the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa athletics website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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