FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Zack Higbee, the director of football media relations for the University of Arkansas, has been promoted to assistant athletic director for media relations, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long announced Monday, Feb. 18.

Higbee joined the Razorback staff in January of 2009 and most recently shared supervisory duties of the media relations office while serving as the primary contact for the Razorback football team.

Higbee’s expanded role will include media relations office oversight including the personnel who cover the Razorbacks’ 19 athletic teams. He will manage the budget and serve the department as a member of its senior staff. Higbee will continue to oversee media relations operations for the Razorback football program as well as serve as the primary media contact for the athletic department. 

“Zack has done an exceptional job since he arrived at the University of Arkansas working with our football program and managing a very difficult environment," Long said. "His organizational skills and rapport with student-athletes, coaches, staff and media has served our program very well and has demonstrated he is prepared for these challenges.  I am confident Zack will provide leadership to our media relations staff as we strive to manage traditional sports information needs while responding and adapting to a rapidly changing media environment.  "

Previously, Higbee worked at Florida, UConn and Oklahoma.  In his media relations career, Higbee successfully promoted the first underclassman ever to win the Heisman Trophy as well as winners of the Maxwell Award (2007 and 2008), Sullivan Award (2007), Davey O’Brien Award (2007), ESPY for Best Male College Athlete (2007 and 2008), Manning Award (2008), Disney Spirit Award (2008 and 2010), Mackey Award (2010) and the inaugural Johnny Rodgers Award (2011).

He has also been one of the primary contacts for football teams that have appeared in three BCS games including the 2007 and 2009 BCS National Championship Games and the 2011 Sugar Bowl.

Higbee joined the Razorbacks after working the previous six and a half years as one of the primary football contacts at the University of Florida. While at Florida, Higbee coordinated the football game-day operations for the media relations office. His duties included press box set up, supervising game-day staff, production of notes packages and post-game press conference management.

Prior to working with the Gators, Higbee served as the assistant director of athletic communications at Connecticut. While with the Huskies, he was the second media contact for the 2002 Big East regular season and tournament champion men’s basketball team as well as for football.

Higbee interned with the Huskies and had a brief stint in the Razorback media relations office after his graduation from Oklahoma in 2000 with a degree in communications. At OU, Higbee was also active in the sports information office as a student assistant.

Higbee is married to the former Jodi Smith and the two have one daughter, McKenna.

For more information regarding University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.