Body, Mind and Spirit

Kimya Massey Seeks To Grow Culture and Community Within USD Athletics

In a quiet moment before a men’s basketball game, University of San Diego Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Kimya Massey stands in the top corner of the Jenny Craig Pavilion, his keen anthropologist’s eye taking in every detail of the scene before him.

The empty seats pain him — not just as an administrator who has a duty to grow revenue but as an academic who understands how culture and community play a vital role in the success of an athletics program.

“It kills me,” said Massey, his voice carrying a sense of determination. “I see how hard our athletes work all week, how hard our coaches work. We have to change this.”

The name Kimya means silent strength in Swahili — a fitting description for his personality. Though he has an outgoing disposition now, Massey was a quiet and introspective child, more focused on listening and observing than being in the spotlight. “I’m always assessing and evaluating,” said Massey, whose biracial background sparked his early interest in observing cultural dynamics. “In leadership, you’re constantly being scrutinized — how you manage situations, both positive and challenging.

That analytical mindset, that ability to step back and really understand a situation before acting — it’s still core to who I am.” For Massey, who took the helm of USD Athletics in February 2024, filling those seats represents more than just a business challenge. It’s about creating what anthropologists call shared cultural touchstones — the traditions, rituals and communal experiences that bind a community together.

His perspective is colored by experience. Massey earned two degrees from Michigan State University — a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology and a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on sports administration. His academic background now informs his unique approach to athletic administration.

“People hear that I majored in anthropology and sociology and wonder how that relates to sports,” Massey said, with a knowing smile. “But I use that training every single day. Athletics is all about understanding cultures and subcultures, about how different groups interact and form identity.”

As a graduate assistant in Michigan State’s life skills department, Massey took a pivotal step toward his current role. A mentor suggested he write down what he would like to become one day. He simply wrote, “athletic director.” That card has followed him through positions at Indiana University, the University of Memphis, the University of Central Florida and, most recently, at Oregon State University, where he served as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.

Massey enters the role of athletic director at USD in an era when college sports faces unprecedented challenges. While it might be easy to become swept up in the complexities of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), revenue sharing and conference realignment, Massey takes a more holistic view.

His mantra?

“Keep the main thing the main thing.”

“The main thing is supporting our athletes — in mind, body and soul,” he explained. “Yes, we want to win championships — winning matters. But we’re also focused on ensuring they get their degrees and are prepared for life after sports. We’re educators first.”

This philosophy was shaped by Massey’s own experience as a baseball player at Michigan State, where he was team captain his senior year.

The leadership role taught him valuable lessons about managing people and building culture. “Leadership is never easy, and it can be very lonely at times,” he said. “You have to be okay with making tough decisions, knowing that inevitably there will be people who don’t agree with you.

What matters is doing things from your heart, being authentic and caring about people.” Now his leadership philosophy is being put to the test. While some are retreating from athletic leadership in this era of unprecedented change, Massey leans in with enthusiasm. Where others see chaos, he sees opportunity.

“We’re in a unique position here at USD,” he said. “We have some of the most affordable sporting events for families to see high-level Division I athletics in Southern California. We can create something special that serves our military community, our Hispanic community, our Catholic community and especially our youth sports programs.”

His anthropological background comes through as he discusses building traditions to bolster the overall school spirit at USD: the specific music that plays when the football team runs out of the tunnel, the chants that echo through the JCP, which options are served at the concession stands and all of the other rituals that transform a sporting event into a communal experience.

Attention to detail is a trait that extends to his management style. Massey views USD Athletics as a collection of interconnected subcultures — 17 different sports programs, each with its own traditions and needs, all operating within the larger university culture. His job is to help these cultures thrive while maintaining their connection to the institution’s broader mission. The proof of this approach is beginning to show.

Under Massey’s leadership, USD has seen increased engagement in football and men’s soccer, with even more sports showing promise. The recent success of the men’s soccer program — the first in 25 years to win three consecutive West Coast Conference championships and three appearances in the NCAA tournament — demonstrates Massey’s ability to capitalize on momentum and build sustainable progress.

The notecard on which Massey wrote his athletic director dreams two decades ago, now sits in his home office as a reminder of the journey that brought him to USD. But he’s not satisfied with simply achieving that goal.

There’s culture to build, community to strengthen and seats to fill.

“We can be elite,” Massey said confidently. “But we’re going to do it the right way, with integrity, and around the core values of the university.”

As the last of the fans take their seats in the JCP and the basketball game tips off, Massey’s attention turns to the court, but his mind is already working on the bigger picture — the cultures he’s building, the traditions he’s establishing and the community he’s strengthening, one game at a time.

— By Kelsey Grey ’15

This story was featured in the spring 2025 issue of University of San Diego Magazine. University of San Diego Magazine is the flagship publication of the University of San Diego. Published two times a year, the magazine is distributed to alumni, parents and friends of the university.