Matt Smith

Matt Smith serves as Nebraska’s Associate Communications Director/Strategic Research. He began working in the communications office as a student and has been a full-time staff member since May of 2004, beginning his career as a graduate intern before being promoted to assistant and then associate communications director.
 
Smith serves a variety of roles for Nebraska Athletics. In his role within the Communications Office, Smith assists Associate Athletic Director Keith Mann with all communications duties related the Husker football program. Outside of his football duties, Smith is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Huskers.com, and he coordinates the budget, planning and production of all printing projects for Nebraska Athletics. Smith also supervises staff members assigned to cover Nebraska’s softball and men’s and women’s tennis programs.
 
Smith’s contributions to Husker Athletics extend beyond his work in the communications office. He serves as Nebraska’s secondary sport administrator for softball, assisting Executive Associate Athletic Director Keith Zimmer with management and oversight of the softball program. Smith also works with Zimmer to direct all efforts related to the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2022, Smith was also chosen to serve as a member of the Athletic Department working group charged with creating and implementing a new five-year strategic plan. He also served on the committee that developed Nebraska’s previous five-year strategic plan.
 
Smith also focuses on strategic research within the Athletic Department, which includes developing communications to promote and enhance Nebraska's brand for recruiting purposes and the creation of targeted research and messaging for Husker coaches and administrators.
 
In his work with the Husker football program, Smith assists the recruiting department with strategic research and communications. He also assists with all media inquiries, interview and credential requests for the football program, produces Nebraska's annual media guide, assists with weekly game notes, maintains the football content on Huskers.com and coordinates Nebraska's statistics crew for all home games.
 
Nebraska’s communications staff has been honored with a "Super 11 Award" by the Football Writers Association of America seven times since the award was created in 2009, which was also the year Smith began traveling with the football team. The award is presented to only 11 schools each year and is designed to "identify and reward the sports information departments and programs that exemplify excellent media relations." Nebraska’s seven selections are one shy of the most in the history of the “Super 11 Award”.

Previously, Smith spent 15 totals seasons as the primary communications contact for the Nebraska softball team from 2004 to 2017 and again in 2021. He began his time with the softball team as an undergraduate student assistant in 2004, filling a role previously held by a full-time staff member. Smith also served as the primary communications contact for the Nebraska soccer team in 2004 and 2005.
 
Smith has gained experience coordinating media responsibilities for several NCAA events during his career. He has served as the media coordinator for four NCAA Softball Regionals, one Big Ten Softball Championship and one NCAA Women’s Soccer First and Second Round tournament. Smith has also been highly involved in Nebraska’s efforts to host the 2006, 2008 and 2015 NCAA Volleyball Championships in Omaha.

A Lincoln native, Smith earned his undergraduate degree in May of 2004 in advertising with minors in communication studies and English.