College of Charleston announced today that Matt Roberts has been appointed the school’s director of athletics. Roberts, who most recently served as deputy director of athletics at Southern Methodist University, will officially start on Jan. 1, 2017.
“Today’s announcement culminates an extraordinarily thorough search process,” said College of Charleston President Glenn F. McConnell ’69. “I’m so pleased that Matt is joining Cougar Nation. He was a top-notch candidate with remarkable credentials and references and will be a wonderful athletics director for the College. Matt truly understands the importance of college athletics, winning and creating an all-star fan experience. Further, he is committed to preparing our student-athletes for success in all competition, both in the classroom and in life. I look forward to working with him and our athletics staff to take Cougar athletics to new and even greater heights.”
As athletics director, Roberts will direct the day-to-day operations of the College’s athletics department, including the operational planning, resource allocation, budget development and financial management of the department.
At SMU, located in Dallas, Texas, Roberts helped administer the day-to-day operations of the entire athletics department and served as the administrative liaison for the football and men’s basketball programs. He also assisted in the development of a departmental strategic plan, community engagement and customer service initiatives, and in the coordination of SMU post-season travel.
Prior to SMU, Roberts was the associate athletics director for development at the University of Oklahoma, where he was responsible for the overall administration and leadership of the athletics development office, including oversight of the Sooner Club, major gift and endowment programs. At Oklahoma, he also led a variety of marketing efforts as well as served as the sports administrator for the men’s and women’s tennis programs.
A 1997 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Roberts holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports sciences. While at UNC, he was a walk-on pitcher for the Tar Heels and finished his college career as an undergraduate assistant coach, working with the Tar Heel pitching staff. Afterwards, he was a member of UNC’s athletics department, working in the ticket office and later coordinating the marketing for men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball and men’s and women’s lacrosse.
He later attended Ohio University and earned a master’s degree in sports administration in 1999.
Roberts is married to Amanda Horvath Roberts, and they have a son, Carter.
President McConnell will officially introduce Roberts as the College of Charleston athletics director at a press conference on Oct. 31, 2016, at 11 a.m. in Randolph Hall’s Alumni Hall.
