University of Minnesota Athletics
Staff Directory
Scott Slarks
- Title:
- Assistant Director / Communications (MHK/ROW/MGOLF)
- Email:
Scott Slarks joined the University of Minnesota Athletic Communications staff in December 2021 and serves as the primary media contact for men’s hockey and rowing. In addition to his program responsibilities, he mentors undergraduate student communicators who cover Golden Gophers men’s and women’s golf.
Slarks moved back to Minnesota after spending five years at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., most recently in the role of Assistant Athletic Director of Communications where he was the main media contact for men's basketball, volleyball, track and field and cross country. He earned "Best in the Nation" honors for his 2018 volleyball media guide and 2019 baseball game notes as voted on by CoSIDA.
Under his direction, the Golden Eagles saw social media growth of more than 20 percent on their main athletics accounts. Thanks to an NCAA Sweet 16 run in 2020-21, ORU men's basketball took off, garnering a 369 percent increase in followers on Twitter and Instagram. He also ushered in a new digital platform partnering with SIDEARM Sports for a revamped website and mobile app. Slarks helped guide the creation of the ORU Sports Network (ORUSN), featuring free, student-directed video streams of all home athletic events along with a corresponding Roku app. He also served on the Digital Media and Television Rights committee with The Summit League.
Prior to joining ORU, Slarks was the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at NCAA Division II Rogers State University from 2014-16 where he guided the publicity efforts and media operations for all 12 programs. In 2015-16, his work with the Hillcats earned recognition as the Heartland Conference Scott Puryear Sports Information Director of the Year by his peers in the league.
Slarks increased his presence on the regional level serving as the SID liaison to the Heartland Conference Athletic Directors Committee, assisted the Game Day Environment committee for the league and was the SID chair for women's basketball.
A native of Owatonna, Minn., Slarks served as the Sports Communications and Marketing Coordinator at Park University from August 2012 until the end of 2014. He previously worked for two years as the Sports Information Graduate Assistant (2010-12) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With the Cougars, he provided play-by-play and color commentary for more than 100 NCAA Division I men's and women's soccer, volleyball, and women's basketball contests helping to create a digital streaming platform for SIUE. Preceding his work at SIUE, Slarks spent a year as the Interim Director of Sports Information at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.
Slarks got his start in athletic communications as a student assistant for four years at Gustavus Adolphus College under director Tim Kennedy. He also was president and a two-year member of the Golden Gusties' club volleyball team.
A 2009 Cum Laude graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., Slarks received a Bachelor of Arts degree in management, and later earned a Master of Science degree in kinesiology (sport management) with a perfect 4.0 grade point average from SIUE in 2012.
He is a member of College Sports Communicators and currently lives in St. Paul.
Board & Committee Service:
• 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship - Public Relations Workgroup, Local Organizing Committee
• 2024 NCAA Men's Hockey Frozen Four - Media Coordinator, Local Organizing Committee
• 2019-21 The Summit League - Digital Media and Television Rights Committee
• 2015 Heartland Conference Athletic Directors Committee - Sports Information Liaison
Slarks moved back to Minnesota after spending five years at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., most recently in the role of Assistant Athletic Director of Communications where he was the main media contact for men's basketball, volleyball, track and field and cross country. He earned "Best in the Nation" honors for his 2018 volleyball media guide and 2019 baseball game notes as voted on by CoSIDA.
Under his direction, the Golden Eagles saw social media growth of more than 20 percent on their main athletics accounts. Thanks to an NCAA Sweet 16 run in 2020-21, ORU men's basketball took off, garnering a 369 percent increase in followers on Twitter and Instagram. He also ushered in a new digital platform partnering with SIDEARM Sports for a revamped website and mobile app. Slarks helped guide the creation of the ORU Sports Network (ORUSN), featuring free, student-directed video streams of all home athletic events along with a corresponding Roku app. He also served on the Digital Media and Television Rights committee with The Summit League.
Prior to joining ORU, Slarks was the Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at NCAA Division II Rogers State University from 2014-16 where he guided the publicity efforts and media operations for all 12 programs. In 2015-16, his work with the Hillcats earned recognition as the Heartland Conference Scott Puryear Sports Information Director of the Year by his peers in the league.
Slarks increased his presence on the regional level serving as the SID liaison to the Heartland Conference Athletic Directors Committee, assisted the Game Day Environment committee for the league and was the SID chair for women's basketball.
A native of Owatonna, Minn., Slarks served as the Sports Communications and Marketing Coordinator at Park University from August 2012 until the end of 2014. He previously worked for two years as the Sports Information Graduate Assistant (2010-12) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. With the Cougars, he provided play-by-play and color commentary for more than 100 NCAA Division I men's and women's soccer, volleyball, and women's basketball contests helping to create a digital streaming platform for SIUE. Preceding his work at SIUE, Slarks spent a year as the Interim Director of Sports Information at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.
Slarks got his start in athletic communications as a student assistant for four years at Gustavus Adolphus College under director Tim Kennedy. He also was president and a two-year member of the Golden Gusties' club volleyball team.
A 2009 Cum Laude graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., Slarks received a Bachelor of Arts degree in management, and later earned a Master of Science degree in kinesiology (sport management) with a perfect 4.0 grade point average from SIUE in 2012.
He is a member of College Sports Communicators and currently lives in St. Paul.
Board & Committee Service:
• 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship - Public Relations Workgroup, Local Organizing Committee
• 2024 NCAA Men's Hockey Frozen Four - Media Coordinator, Local Organizing Committee
• 2019-21 The Summit League - Digital Media and Television Rights Committee
• 2015 Heartland Conference Athletic Directors Committee - Sports Information Liaison
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