WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross Director of Athletics Marcus Blossom has announced a reorganization of the department of athletics, including several new hires and new responsibilities for multiple staff members. These changes will better position the Crusaders' broad-based program and over 700 student-athletes for the future.
“The changes we have made in reorganizing our staff will have a positive impact on our department and will allow us to continue to grow as we move forward,” said Blossom. “We have also added a number of talented individuals, including our new Associate AD for Business Strategy Jihad Ali. These strategic moves will better position us for success and, most importantly, improve the experience of our student-athletes.”
Jihad Ali joins the Crusaders as Associate AD for Business Strategy & Operations. He will oversee Holy Cross' business office, equipment services, human resources and information technology, in addition to serving as the sport administrator for men's basketball and softball. Ali comes from Oregon State University, where he served as the Assistant AD for Business Operations from 2016-19. He managed all business operations for the Beavers and handled revenue and expenditures for an $86 million budget. Prior to his time at Oregon State, Ali served as the athletics business manager at Georgia State University from 2015-16. He earned both his bachelor's degree in business administration and his master's degree in sports administration from Georgia State, where he was a captain of the men's basketball team.
Other moves announced in the senior athletics staff include new responsibilities for Senior Associate ADs Rosemary Shea and Nick Smith, Associate ADs Allison Crandall and Steve Pizzi and Assistant ADs Aaron Dashiell and Taylor Leonard.
Shea will now oversee sports medicine, strength and conditioning and strategic planning, while continuing to serve as the department's liaison with admissions and financial aid. Shea remains as the sport administrator for baseball and men's soccer, and will now also oversee the women's ice hockey and volleyball programs. She is in her 33rd year at Holy Cross.
Smith continues to have primary responsibilities of leading all revenue generation and extending the brand of Holy Cross Athletics through corporate support, ticket sales, marketing efforts and strategic communications, as well as coordinating with university advancement on development efforts. He will now serve as the administrator for the football program while retaining his administrative duties with men's ice hockey and women's lacrosse. Smith is currently in his second year with the Crusaders.
Crandall, who has been elevated from Assistant AD, will continue to lead the department's creative content team and direct the messaging of Holy Cross Athletics, overseeing video production and broadcasting, strategic communications, media relations, graphic design, social media and digital strategy. She will add responsibilities as the administrator for the women's basketball and men's lacrosse programs. Crandall is currently in her third year with the Crusaders.
Pizzi will retain his primary responsibilities of providing leadership and oversight to the facilities, operations and event staff on a day-to-day basis. He will continue to serve as the administrator for the cross country and track and field programs, while adding oversight of the rowing teams. Pizzi is now in his second year at Holy Cross.
Dashiell will now serve as the department's liaison for academics while continuing to oversee leadership development and the student-athlete advisory committee. He will become the administrator for the field hockey and tennis programs, while continuing to oversee swimming and diving. Dashiell is in his second year at Holy Cross.
Leonard will continue to manage a compliance program including rules education programming and strong monitoring systems. She will now serve as the administrator for the women's soccer program, while retaining her responsibilities overseeing golf. Leonard is currently in her second year with the Crusaders.
Other new additions to the athletics staff include Matt Carroll, Eric Fasth, Maria Knoerr, Derrick Light and Renee Ricciuti.
Carroll joins the department as a creative content producer, and is responsible for developing creative video content. Carroll brings a variety of video experience, having previously worked in production and videography with Fitchburg Access Television, TDO Video Productions, Ming Entertainment, the Falcon Sports Network and the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Fasth is new to the staff as an assistant athletic trainer, working with the women's ice hockey and women's rowing programs. He comes to Holy Cross after serving as an assistant athletic trainer for the Portland Sea Dogs for one season. Fasth also has experience as athletic trainer at McMinnville (Ore.) High School and as an intern athletic trainer with the Hillsboro Hops baseball team.
Knoerr joins the Crusaders as the department's coordinator of administration, providing administrative support to the director of athletics as well as support for other special projects. Knoerr previously spent one season as a client services assistant for the Boston Red Sox, and was also an athletic administration staff assistant at Boston College for almost five years.
Light is in his first year as Holy Cross' director of athletics marketing and fan experience. He is responsible for the creation and execution of marketing strategies, promotional plans and advertising campaigns with the goal of revenue generation, fan engagement and community exposure. Prior to joining the Crusaders, Light gained experience at the University of Rhode Island, Northern Illinois University and Wofford College.
Ricciuti joins the department as the director of ticket sales and operations, where she is responsible for the oversight of all ticketing functions and retail operations. Ricciuti comes to Holy Cross after serving as an account executive at the Air Force Academy for one year. She was previously the ticket manager at Lafayette College for three years.
