Staff Highlight

With the new semester marks a new beginning for Texas A&M Rec Sports as we introduce our new executive director! Coming all the way from Santa Barbara, California, with over 28 years of experience managing recreation facilities and programs is Jeff Huskey!

In his previous role as the assistant dean for wellness and director of recreation at the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB), Huskey developed strategic plans, managed annual operating and capital investment budgets, and supported countless full-time, part-time, and student staff. As a proactive leader at UCSB, Huskey served on multiple committees and initiated new procedures for the optimization of the department’s workflow with an emphasis on student employment and facility planning.

“I worked for 22 years in the Department of Recreational Sports, so I know what a special place it is to work,” said Tom Reber, executive vice president for the Division of Student Affairs. “Jeff Huskey was the perfect hire to carry on the rich tradition of Rec Sports at Texas A&M. I am so impressed with his experience and the ideas that he will bring to improve what we know is already an outstanding program.”

Prior to his position at UCSB, Huskey held leadership positions at Colorado State University, Stephen F. Austin University, University of Tennessee, and James Madison University. Huskey’s service to higher education and collegiate recreation have decorated his portfolio and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the college experience and the needs of students at universities large and small. 

Huskey said, “I have been able to learn from those experiences that there are many different ways of doing things. What works really well at one university may not work at all at another.”

He continued, “Being able to take a few ingredients from different places, programs, and people; be adaptable to your current situation; and then create the best possible experience for Texas A&M students is what we will always strive to accomplish.”

Under his leadership, we aspire to refine our current services and develop exciting new programs to promote physical activity, wellness, and recreation for the entire Texas A&M community. 

“We have a great staff of professionals in our department who are experts in their respective areas,” Huskey said. “It is my job to provide them an effective framework, to help get them the resources they need, and to remove barriers so they can provide the best possible service to all Aggies.”

In his new role, Huskey will oversee all recreational facilities, programs, 40-plus full-time staff and over 1,000 student employees. We are excited to welcome Huskey to the department, along with his decades of experience and fresh, diverse perspective. He will be an asset to our team as we continue to provide the leadership and resources that allow individuals to live a healthy lifestyle in the Texas A&M community. 

Huskey’s entrance comes after the retirement of Rec Sports veteran Rick Hall, who served the department for 43 years.

“The Recreational Sports department at Texas A&M has a long and distinguished history. We are known across the country for being a leader in the field of university recreation and I am honored to now be a part of that legacy,” Huskey said. “I hope to be able to build on the history and traditions of the past but also bring some new and innovative ideas to the department.”