U-M Athletics: Recruiting Content Strategy

The University of Michigan’s athletics department set out to reimagine its recruiting strategy for a new generation of student-athletes. As content strategy lead, I worked with coaches, athletes, and communications teams to build a digital-first approach that showcased U-M’s legacy, facilities, and values. The goal was to engage prospects early, build authentic relationships, and make the Michigan difference tangible—no matter where a recruit lived—connecting elite prospects to the Maize and Blue through immersive content and digital engagement.

My work included mapping the end-to-end recruiting journey, developing interactive content, and producing multimedia storytelling that brought Michigan’s campus, coaches, and community to life. We designed virtual facility tours, day-in-the-life videos, and alum spotlights to help prospects and families visualize themselves at U-M. By integrating social media campaigns, personalized messaging, and compliance-driven engagement tools, we ensured every touchpoint was both impactful and NCAA-compliant. To foster genuine connection, we empowered current student-athletes and alums to share their stories, advice, and experiences through blog posts, live Q&As, and user-generated content. We leveraged analytics to optimize communication timing, content themes, and channel strategy—making outreach smarter and more relevant. The result was a dynamic, multi-platform recruiting ecosystem that increased engagement, improved prospect yield, and reinforced Michigan’s reputation as a destination for both athletic and academic excellence.