Chadron-Kearney native and former UNK assistant athletic director Mannie Reinsch has been named the new athletic director at Chadron State. He replaces Joel R Smith who retired for the position in January. Reinsch has been the Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Championship Resources at Austin Peay University since July of last year.
Before that he spent three-plus years as Associate Athletics Director for External Relations and Development at Colorado State Pueblo. While with the Thunderwolves, he helped the department raise nearly $1 million annually in corporate partnerships and more than $200,000 through the Pack Club, CSUP’s athletics booster club. Reinsch also developed a crowdfunding platform with the CSU Pueblo Foundation that generates more than $150,000 annually for the athletic department’s 21 varsity teams.
A 2014 graduate of Nebraska Kearney, Reinsch holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in sports administration. He was a three-year letterwinner as a member of the Lopers baseball team as a left-handed pitcher.
After graduation, Reinsch remained at UNK as a graduate assistant for two seasons. He was then hired as UNK’s facility and event manager in October 2016 before earning a promotion to Assistant Athletics Director overseeing facilities and events in July 2018, where he served before moving to CSU Pueblo in February 2020.
While at Kearney, he helped generate and oversaw more than $160,000 in corporate sponsorships, which included signed agreements, sponsorship implementation, and event participation. During his time with UNK, he participated on the leadership and planning teams for various fundraising events, including the Annual Loper Football Backers Banquet, Blue/Gold Golf Classic, and the Upper Deck Club Banquet, which combined generated more than $300,000 annually. Reinsch and his wife, Shauna, who also works in higher education, have two daughters, Merritt and Navy.
