Former Akron football standout Matthew Cherry is the writer, producer and co-director of ‘Hair Love’, which won an Oscar for animated short at the 92nd Academy Awards on Feb. 9, 2020. Cherry’s animated short film “Hair Love” tells the heartfelt story of an African-American father learning to do his daughter’s hair for the first time.
Cherry played football at Akron from 2000-03 and was named All-MAC Second Team selection at wide receiver in 2003. Cherry still holds two punt return records at Akron – 305 punt return yards in a single-season (2003) and two punt returns for touchdowns in a single-season (2003).