Ole Miss Creates Leadership Role For Student-Athlete NIL, Revenue Sharing

Matt McLaughlin Named Senior Associate A.D. for Strategy and Cap Management

OXFORD, Miss. – (Release) With nationwide changes occurring that reshape the financial support for college student athletes, Ole Miss Athletics is maintaining its status as an industry leader in this space with the creation of a new leadership position. Matt McLaughlin is shifting from his senior administrative role with the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation to a new title of Senior Associate A.D. for Strategy and Cap Management.

In this position, McLaughlin will drive the financial vision for student-athlete recruitment, retention and Name, Image, and Likeness, including fostering brand partnerships to optimize NIL opportunities. He will also work in coordination with Rebel coaching staffs to develop and implement revenue-sharing models and scholarship allocations, while driving fundraising efforts, engaging donors and coordinating cross-functional collaborations.

“The scope of NIL, revenue sharing and the overall financial status of student athletes is being transformed in real time, and it was imperative that we put devoted personnel in place to provide guidance in this area,” said Keith Carter, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. “Over the past several years, Matt has taken great initiative in keeping Ole Miss at the forefront of not only understanding these industry trends but strategizing on how to capitalize on new opportunities. Our program’s remarkable success in NIL in recent years is due in part to Matt’s counsel, and in this new targeted role, we look forward to seeing him successfully collaborate with our coaches, the Grove Collective, OMAF and other constituents to advance our department’s planning of student-athlete financial support.”

McLaughlin is in his 13th year at the university, serving as a major gifts officer for the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation since 2012. He spent the past two years as the Associate A.D. for Development/ Chief Development Officer.

“I would like to thank Keith for this opportunity and am excited to continue working with such a dynamic team,” McLaughlin said. “The alignment between the university, Ole Miss Athletics, OMAF, the Grove Collective and the most passionate fan base in America is the secret to our success, and it has never been stronger.

“Oxford is a special place, and Ole Miss is blessed with tremendous leadership. It is an ideal destination for any student athlete, coach or staff member. My goal is to continue finding innovative ways for Ole Miss to compete at the highest level through the evolving collegiate landscape.”

McLaughlin joined the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation in October of 2012 and was elevated to Assistant A.D. in January 2020 and to Associate A.D. in September 2022. McLaughlin has been responsible for advancing fundraising efforts through philanthropic major gifts to the Vaught Society and Champions. Now. campaign, amongst other revenue generation initiatives throughout his tenure. Additionally, he has worked closely with the athletics department and the Grove Collective over the past three years, helping the organization establish itself as one of the most prominent collectives in college athletics.

McLaughlin has served in a leadership role for record-breaking fundraising seasons, particularly fiscal years 2021 and 2022. FY22 was an all-time record year for OMAF major gifts, where the team raised $31.7M. In FY21, the major gifts team raised $23 million, the third-most in the foundation’s history.

Prior to the launch of the Champions. Now. campaign, McLaughlin contributed to the planning, management and completion of the Forward Together campaign, a $200 million capital campaign aimed at facility improvements. McLaughlin has held positions in both major gifts and the annual fund, joining the foundation as an annual giving development assistant in 2012 before transitioning to the major gifts team in 2015.

Throughout his career, McLaughlin secured the second- and third-largest gifts in OMAF history, naming commitments for The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss, as well as the new football weight room at the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center.

McLaughlin, a native of Tampa, Florida, earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Jacksonville State University, where he was a four-year letterman for the Gamecock baseball team. The Gamecocks won two Ohio Valley Conference titles during McLaughlin’s four-year tenure. Most recently, Matt earned his master’s in education from Ole Miss.

McLaughlin is also part of the SEC Network local broadcast team, providing color commentary for Rebel baseball games.

He lives in Oxford with his wife, Brittney, their daughter Finley and triplets Miller, Ellis and Brooks.