Executive Director

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Joe Nickell

Prior to his role as executive director of The Horseshoe Collective, Joe Nickell served as associate athletic director for strategic communications at Boise State, having begun his career with Bronco Athletics as a graduate assistant in the fall of 2005. In addition to providing mentorship and leadership to the department’s athletic communications, creative services, and graphic design units, Nickell also served as the primary sport administrator for the men’s golf program, was a member of the department’s senior staff, and served as the primary media contact for Bronco Athletics, the Boise State football team, the Broncos’ men’s basketball team and several other programs.

Nickell also served as the athletics liaison with multiple university auxiliaries and external partners, and previously provided oversight to the Broncos’ marketing department while assisting with the management of Boise State’s partnership with Bronco Sports Properties, Boise State’s multimedia rights holder and corporate sales team.

Prior to his role as executive director of The Horseshoe Collective, Joe Nickell served as associate athletic director for strategic communications at Boise State, having begun his career with Bronco Athletics as a graduate assistant in the fall of 2005. In addition to providing mentorship and leadership to the department’s athletic communications, creative services, and graphic design units, Nickell also served as the primary sport administrator for the men’s golf program, was a member of the department’s senior staff, and served as the primary media contact for Bronco Athletics, the Boise State football team, the Broncos’ men’s basketball team and several other programs.

Nickell also served as the athletics liaison with multiple university auxiliaries and external partners, and previously provided oversight to the Broncos’ marketing department while assisting with the management of Boise State’s partnership with Bronco Sports Properties, Boise State’s multimedia rights holder and corporate sales team.

He was also one of the architects of the Broncos’ “What’s Next” program, a Name, Image, and Likeness initiative for Boise State student-athletes that was recognized as the Top Institutional NIL Program at the inaugural NIL Awards in June of 2022. The Broncos were one of six finalists in the award category, which recognized the college or institution that showed exceptional commitment to supporting its student-athletes in maximizing their Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities through a combination of education, resources, and industry-leading innovation. Boise State was joined in the category by Arkansas, Auburn, Michigan, Oklahoma State, and Ohio State following the inaugural year of NIL legislation.

In his role, Nickell also served as Chairman pro tempore for the Boise State Athletics Hall of Fame, assisting with the identification of eligible members and supporting documentation, and providing support to the nomination and selection committees in order to select biennial classes in which to present the department’s highest honor.