Director Matt Elliott announced the hiring of Phil Maben as the new deputy athletics director for external operations. Maben brings nearly two decades of high-level intercollegiate athletics administration and development experience to the Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine.
In his new role, Maben will serve on the department’s executive leadership team and oversee the department’s external operations, including media relations, marketing, digital media, ticketing, fundraising, licensing and corporate partnerships. He will be tasked with unifying the department’s outward-facing strategies to drive revenue, maximize fan engagement and elevate the Hawaiʻi Athletics brand locally, nationally and internationally.
“We are so pleased to welcome Phil and his family to Mānoa,” said Elliott. “Phil brings a wealth of experience from his time at Arizona and LSU, particularly in the areas of major gifts, capital campaigns and external relations. As we navigate a rapidly changing college athletics landscape, his proven track record of engaging communities and driving revenue will be invaluable to the University of Hawaiʻi. He is the ideal fit to lead our external departments into this new era.”
Maben arrives in Honolulu following a highly successful 13-year tenure at the University of Arizona, where he most recently served as the associate athletics director for development. During his time with the Wildcats, Maben was instrumental in identifying, cultivating and securing major gifts for the Wildcat Club. He played a pivotal role in multiple major capital campaigns.
Prior to his time at Arizona, Maben held development and external roles at LSU and UNLV.
“I am incredibly honored to join the University of Hawaiʻi Athletics family, and I want to thank Matt Elliott for this tremendous opportunity,” Maben said. “Hawaiʻi has long held a special place in my heart, especially with my parents residing on Hawaiʻi Island and my brother living on Maui. My family and I are thrilled to officially call the islands home. I look forward to working closely with our talented staff to elevate the Hawaiʻi brand, connect with our passionate fan base and provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes.”
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