Murray State President Bob Jackson has tapped Matt Kelly to be the university’s interim director of athletics.
Jackson made the announcement in Wednesday's press release. Kelly will replace Kevin Saal, who recently accepted a position as the athletics director for Wichita State University. The move will become effective June 28.
Kelly has 25 years of experience working in collegiate athletics, with nearly 18 of them at Murray State. He previously served two years as the assistant athletic director at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and five years as an academic advisor for the football and swimming teams at Florida State University. Kelly came to Murray State in 2004.
“Matt is a highly qualified and well-respected athletics administrator who will do an excellent job in this new role,” Jackson said in the release. “He and our athletics administration, coaches, staff and 350 student-athletes will provide tremendous enthusiasm and a dedicated focus as we begin our transition to the Missouri Valley Conference and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. This is an exciting time for Racer Athletics and Murray State University.”
In 2013, Kelly was promoted to his current position as senior associate athletics director, overseeing academics, compliance and sports medicine. He also serves as the sport administrator for both the university’s rifle and soccer programs.
Kelly also holds positions outside of Murray State. He currently serves on the NCAA Initial Eligibility Waivers Committee and has been published in several academic journals.
Kelly was once an adjunct instructor in sport sociology at MSU and one of the developers of Murray State’s Racer Road program. The program offers tools to Racer athletes for life after completion.
