Matthew McMasters joined Merrimack College as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Resource Optimization.
McMasters will be responsible for ensuring the strategic and effective utilization of resources across the Merrimack athletics department. He will play a critical role in aligning fiscal stewardship, revenue generation, and facility planning with the department’s mission of comprehensive excellence—enabling Merrimack’s student-athletes and coaches to thrive academically and athletically.
“This position is central to our vision of achieving comprehensive excellent for our student-athletes,” Merrimack Director of Athletics Joe Foley said. “By leading strategic resource allocation, driving new revenue partnerships, and guiding our long-range facilities vision, Matt will help ensure Merrimack Athletics operates with efficiency, while driving new revenue streams to help ensure our student-athletes have the resources they need to achieve our audacious goals. “
“I’m excited to join Merrimack College at a moment of such positive momentum and progress,” McMasters said. “The commitment of its people, the character and values of the community, and the College’s forward trajectory make it a privilege to be part of Merrimack Athletics’ next chapter. I am grateful to Director of Athletics, Joe Foley, and the staff for the opportunity to be a part of the Warrior Family at such an exciting time. I am looking forward to forging strong relationships with our coaches, students, staff, supporters, and partners as we work together to elevate the student-athlete experience and advance the mission of Merrimack Athletics.”
McMasters joins the Merrimack staff after spending six years at Tufts University, the last two years as the associate director of athletics. McMasters joined Tufts in May of 2019 as the Business Operations Manager and was promoted to assistant director of athletics for business operations in July of 2021.
At Tufts, the Cincinnati native was responsible for department budgeting, finance, accounting, travel, contracts & purchasing, human resources, ticketing, clinic and third-party rental administration, risk management, information technology, and department research and reporting. In addition, he oversaw seven of the Jumbos' varsity programs (men's rowing, women's rowing, men's tennis, men's ice hockey, women's fencing, coed sailing, and women's sailing) and the athletics equipment room and operations.
In June 2025, McMasters graduated from the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program overseen by NCAA Leadership Development.
Before joining Tufts, McMasters was a financial analyst for the Yale University athletic department. His responsibilities as a member of the business office included department-wide financial accounting, budgeting, reporting, and monitoring, business and ad-hoc analyses, as well as department-wide special projects, and preparation of Yale’s EADA and NCAA financial reports.
Prior to joining the athletic administration, McMasters served as the assistant coach and director of operations for the Yale track & field and cross country teams. During his time on the Yale track & field and cross country staff, Bulldog athletes achieved five All-American honors, one NCAA cross country national championship team qualification and two NCAA cross country national championship individual qualifiers. During his time in New Haven, Yale also had 12 NCAA track & field preliminary round qualifiers, seven Ivy League champions, 32 All-Ivy honorees, six Yale program records, and Yale’s first sub-4:00 miler in school history.
Prior to Yale, McMasters worked at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH as an assistant track & field and cross country coach, and a student-athlete services specialist from 2013-2015. While at Xavier, Musketeer athletes garnered one NCAA cross country championships individual qualification, one USTFCCCA All-Academic individual honor, two NCAA track & field preliminary round qualifiers, one Big East individual champion, 11 All-Big East honors, 20 Xavier track & field program records, and 32 Xavier cross country program records.
McMasters completed his master’s degree at Xavier in sport administration with a focus in business, finance, and econometrics. He worked with multiple sports organizations around the Cincinnati area, including the Cincinnati Reds. He worked in the biomedical, aerospace, and manufacturing engineering fields throughout his time at the University of Cincinnati, and his work focused on rapid prototyping, innovation, and efficiency protocols, as well as data collection, analytics, and process improvement.
A 2011 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, McMasters graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, specializing in biomechanics. He also received a master’s degree in biomedical engineering with a specialization in bioinformatics in 2012 and completed his PhD course work in biomechanics innovation in 2013. During his graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, McMasters taught four courses in the college of engineering.
