Trine promotes 2 to new sports information roles

Two sports information staff at Trine University have received promotions in recognition of their outstanding work and in response to the continued growth and success of Trine athletics.

Nick Duffy, who has served as sports information director since 2017, has been promoted to senior director of sports communications.

Matthew Kennell has been promoted to sports information director from assistant sports information director.

“Nick and Matthew have continued to provide and coordinate excellent coverage as Trine University has expanded its athletic teams and soared to new heights competitively,” said Rachel Troutman, vice president for university marketing and communications. “I’m excited to see them continue to grow and succeed along with Thunder athletics in these new roles.”

Link to Trine Thunder teams

In his new role, Duffy will be responsible for all sports information and promotion of the university’s competitive athletics teams. He will serve as the news and sports media link between the teams and media, conference officials, national governing bodies and the Trine University community.

“It’s a privilege to help support Trine University athletics and to witness and share the many success stories from our Thunder teams,” he said. “I’m honored to serve the university and Thunder coaches and athletes in this new position and look forward to spreading the news about many future conference and national titles.”

Duffy holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and English writing and a Master of Arts in sport administration and leadership from Adrian College. He served as graduate assistant sports information director at Adrian before coming to Trine.

Promotion, supervision, direction

Kennell’s new role will include sports information and promotion of the university’s competitive athletics teams through electronic media and all other sports-related publications. He also will help ensure all obligations to conferences, the NCAA or any other national governing bodies are met.

He will supervise student workers and provide direction for the university’s sports information media specialist.

“It’s been exciting to experience the thrill of Thunder athletics over these past two years, and I know there will be much more excitement to come,” he said.

Kennell joined Trine as assistant sports information director in 2021. Prior to coming to Trine, he served as interim sports information director at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, where he earned an MBA as well as a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and sports management.

In addition to various sports information positions at Malone, Kennell’s experience includes serving as an assistant basketball coach at Lake Center Christian School in Hartville, Ohio, and as an intern for the Akron Rubber Ducks minor-league baseball team.

Continued success

Trine athletics have experienced growing success on the conference and national level. The Thunder softball team won its first NCAA Division III national championship in June after finishing second at the national tournament last year.

The Trine women’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four in 2022. Its women’s triathlon team won Division III in the Collegiate National Championships in 2021 and finished second in 2022.

The Thunder men’s track and field team, which has won four consecutive indoor conference championships and three consecutive outdoor championships, has had several members earn All-American honors, with Jake Gladieux winning the national title for the 400-meter hurdles in 2021. Women’s track and field athlete Evie Miller won a national title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2022.