Mike Hill, the cover subject for the Spring 2018 issue of the CoSIDA 360 Magazine and the "#SayNo2Polo" discussion (Link To Issue), began his first year as UT Arlington's Assistant Director for Communications on Oct. 1, 2018. He will serve as the primary contact for the UTA volleyball and baseball programs.
Hill comes to UT Arlington after spending three years at Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) in Fort Myers, Fla. While at FSW, Hill served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations and Social Media and was responsible for overseeing all strategic communications for FSW’s five sports, including directing all media, public relations, promotions, marketing, graphic design, video and social networking efforts. He was also tasked with designing the basketball court for the Buccaneers' $30 million dollar home, Suncoast Credit Union Arena, and taking the lead on overhauling the athletic department's website with the help of PrestoSports.
Hill, who has more than 13 years of athletic communications experience (at the professional and collegiate levels), went to Florida SouthWestern after spending a year at Southeastern Conference (SEC) program University of Arkansas (2014-15) and Xavier University of the Big East Conference (2013-14). While at the U of A, he was the Assistant Director of Communications and worked with multiple programs including women’s soccer, women’s basketball, women’s tennis and the nationally ranked men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs. During his time at Xavier, Hill served as the Assistant Director of Communications and was the primary contact for the men’s soccer, women’s basketball and both men’s and women’s golf programs and served as the liaison between the University and CBS Sports College Network for the school’s official website.
Prior to Xavier, Hill spent six years as the Assistant Director of Communications, Internet Services and Design for Florida Gulf Coast University. In his time at FGCU he served as the Interim Sports Information Director from November 2008 to July 2010, becoming the school’s third full-time director.
He was responsible for the development and growth of Florida Gulf Coast’s social media presence, as he developed the school’s first-ever Facebook, Instagram and Twitter profiles and completely redesigned FGCU’s athletic website on two separate occasions (2009, 2011).
In his time with the Eagles, he served as the primary contact for five different sports, including men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball and softball. He was also the secondary contact for the 2012-13 men’s basketball team which won a 2013 ESPY for “Best Upset”, during their historic run in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, when the first 15-seed in tournament history made the Sweet 16 and became “Dunk City”.
Hill also spent time as the Athletics Media Relations Assistant at Ohio University (2006-07) and a communications intern with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 2005-06 season.
Hill is a 2006 graduate of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in sport management. A Detroit, Mich. native, Hill is an active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
