SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - California State University San Bernardino is proud to announce the appointment of Matthew Jackson as the university's first-ever Faculty Director of Athletics Performance and Sports Science, a newly established position that underscores CSUSB Athletics' commitment to high-performance, evidence-based athletic development. and student-athlete well-being.
Jackson, a professor in CSUSB's kinesiology department, brings a wealth of experience in applied sport science, athlete performance analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration. In this pioneering role, he will serve as the senior applied research scientist for the department, leading sport science research initiatives, integrating performance metrics, and aligning support services to enhance athletic performance, health, safety, and long-term development.
"This is a transformational step for our department," said CSUSB Director of Athletics Shareef Amer. "Matt's leadership, vision, and expertise will elevate the way we support our student-athletes. His work will not only drive performance outcomes, but also reinforce our commitment to data-driven decision-making, holistic development, and well-being."
As Faculty Director, Jackson will oversee the integration of sport science across all Integrated Support Team (IST) disciplines—ranging from strength and conditioning and sports medicine to nutrition and mental performance. He will lead efforts to identify and track key performance indicators, establish testing protocols, develop educational programming, and advise on strategies for talent identification and long-term athlete development.
"I'm incredibly honored and excited to join Cal State San Bernardino Athletics Department as the Faculty Director of Sport Science and Performance," said Jackson. This opportunity wouldn't have been possible without the support and vision of Shareef Amer (Director of Athletics), Nicole Dabbs (Chair of Kinesiology), Kimberly Barlow (Executive Assistant to the AD), Mateu Vilakazi (Budget Manager), Tina Valencia (College of Natural Sciences Administrative Analyst) and the Office of Faculty Affairs. I am grateful to each of them for helping bring this to life."
Jackson's appointment signals a bold move by CSUSB Athletics to position itself as a leader in high-performance collegiate sport environments—prioritizing innovation, collaboration, and measurable progress.
"I'm excited about collaborating with student-athletes, coaches, administrators, staff and the campus community to advance evidence-based training strategies to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury," Jackson continued. "My goal is to empower student-athletes to reach their full potential personally, academically, and athletically."
#GoYotes
