Matlin

The Maui News

University of Hawaii athletic director David Matlin announced Wednesday that he will be retiring, effective June 2, ending an eight-year term in the position.

Under Matlin, who was hired in March 2015, the Rainbow Warrior and Wahine teams have won two national titles (men’s volleyball), participated in 30 national postseason competitions, and won 14 conference titles and 19 conference tournament crowns.

UH has also seen all-time highs in grade point averages and graduation rates among student-athletes during Matlin’s tenure, according to a media release from the school.

“It’s been an honor to serve as the University of Hawai’i Athletics Director for the past seven and a half years,” Matlin said in a statement. “This has been more than a job for me, it’s been the opportunity of a lifetime to work with some incredible people — our student-athletes, coaches, staff, university leadership, and of course our fans–and I thank you all for the passion and dedication that each and every one of you give to our program every day. It’s with deep appreciation that I can say that I’m ready to retire as Athletics Director and pass the torch on to the next UH AD when I complete my 8-year term on June 2, 2023.”

Matlin’s tenure includes the hiring of 16 head coaches, the most by any AD in school history. His hirings included three football coaches (Nick Rolovich, Todd Graham and Timmy Chang), men’s basketball coach Eran Ganot, women’s volleyball coach Robyn Ah Mow and baseball coach Rich Hill.

He also oversaw the program through the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of Aloha Stadium, which led to upgrades to the on-campus Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.

When he officially leaves in June, Matlin will be the fifth-longest serving AD in school history, behind Otto “Proc” Klum (1921-38), Stan Sheriff (1983-93), Hugh Yoshida (1993-2002) and Hank Vasconcellos (1952-60).

“David Matlin has been a fantastic UH Mānoa Athletics Director and is truly going out on top,” UH President David Lassner said in a statement. “He is a highly respected senior AD and leader in the Big West Conference, the Mountain West Conference and nationally. David has navigated UH through multiple crises including COVID-19 and the unexpected loss of Aloha Stadium. He has strengthened our program financially by reducing costs where possible and creating new revenue streams. David has led us with integrity and responsibility through the initial upheavals in intercollegiate athletics that are now shaking the foundations of amateurism, including the introduction of the transfer portal and Name/Image/Likeness (NIL). He has given UH our exceptionally strong current cadre of head coaches who are at UH Mānoa by choice because they care deeply about Hawai’i and our university. And most of all, David has never wavered from putting the health and safety and academic success of our student athletes first. I can’t wait to see what successes and joys David’s next chapter brings to the Matlins.”