Eric Mathews joined the University of Hawai‘i Athletics Department in February 2018.
Mathews currently holds the position of Director of Marketing & Fan Experience since 2023. In his role, Mathews is responsible for leading the marketing department in brand awareness, marketing campaigns for all UH athletic programs, game day promotions, and social media strategy.
Mathews previously worked at Kentucky State University as the Sports Information Director and as a graduate assistant with the Morehead State University media relations department. He also spent time with eight other universities or colleges spanning from NAIA up to NCAA Division I level, including Georgetown College, University of the Cumberlands, Transylvania University, Eastern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, Wright State University, Northern Kentucky University, and the University of Cincinnati. Before making his way into the college ranks, Mathews worked as a professional broadcaster, working with IMG, Forever Communications, and LM Communications.
In 2025, the marketing department earned its third and fourth national awards in Group 1 at the annual NACMA convention under Mathews. The department claimed GOLD status in both the Fundraising and Game Day Atmosphere categories. It marked the second consecutive year the department won the Fundraising category, as they spearheaded the first-ever national fan design uniform contest in collegiate athletics. The department oversaw the contest, with the "sUHrf City" design winning the contest, as Rainbow Wahine basketball debuted the uniform on January 25th, 2025 at "Beeman's Bigger Bash". The jerseys were later auctioned off, raising $24,000 in net profits for women's basketball and the student-athletes. In the Game Day Atmosphere category, the department also received GOLD status with their year-long "Mixed Plate Series". A promotion that spanned from women's volleyball to men's volleyball and baseball. Putting a unique spin on various cultures, heritages, and different traditions of various ethnic groups who represent the Hawai‘i fan base. The project was introduced and executed by Assistant Marketing Director Brent Inouye and Creative Marketing Specialist Jared Kanoa.
Previously, in 2024, Mathews and the marketing department received "Gold" status in Group 1 in the category of Fundraising as well. The department worked with women's basketball, men's basketball, and men's volleyball for one-of-a-kind uniforms to wear for designated promotions during the season. Leading up to the game and during the game, fans were able to bid on the game-worn jerseys to own a piece of UH athletics history. The auction for the jerseys raised over $80,000 between the three teams, with all proceeds going back to the UH scholarship fund to benefit all student-athletes. The cost to the teams was next to nothing, as a donor paid to have the jerseys made, resulting in maximum profits.
In 2023, Mathews and the marketing department claimed their first national award, receiving "Silver" status in Group II of the "Game Day Promotion" category for the team's extraordinary efforts with "Magnum P.I. Night" with men's volleyball.
In 2022, Mathews received the Changemaker Innovative Award from College Sports Communicators for the department’s work in a plan named “Operation Greg Luzinski.” A social media and coverage plan for the media relations department during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Winchester, Kentucky native earned his degree in Broadcast Operations with a focus on Radio & TV Operations with a minor in sales from Western Kentucky University in 2011. Mathews later earned his master’s degree in Sports Administration from Morehead State University in 2016. He is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. Computer and Information Science program at UH.
Mathews is a member of the National Association of College Marketing Administrators and College Sports Communicators. He currently resides in Kailua, O‘ahu, where you can occasionally hear him cheering on the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals.
