Travis Tellitocci Named Commissioner of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
TurnkeyZRG assisted with the search for the conference’s fourth commissioner.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has named Travis Tellitocci (pronounced Tella-toss-see) its new commissioner following an extensive national search. Tellitocci becomes just the fourth commissioner in the history of the MAAC.
Tellitocci replaces Rich Ensor, the longest-tenured NCAA Division I multisport conference commissioner. Ensor was appointed commissioner in 1988, and the MAAC has thrived under his 35 years of leadership. The conference has nearly doubled its sports and championships, and now has 15 NCAA automatic qualifications. A pioneer of equity, Ensor has been involved with the growth of women’s sports and, more specifically, women’s basketball. He serves on the boards of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, has chaired the Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee, and has been a past member of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.
Tellitocci comes to the MAAC from the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), where he has served as the assistant commissioner for football, basketball and officiating for more than six years. Beyond Tellitocci’s role as assistant commissioner, while at the OVC, he also was the tournament manager for the men’s and women’s basketball championships and the baseball championship. He also served as the tournament manager for the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament First and Second Round games at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to his work for the OVC, he also serves on the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Competition Committee.
“Throughout the search process, Travis demonstrated that he is an emerging leader in college athletics, and is well-suited to build on the incredible success of Rich Ensor,” said Niagara University president, the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., who also serves as the president of the MAAC. “The MAAC has never been stronger, and Travis’ breadth of experience will be critical as we face the challenges of Division I athletics, strengthen our focus on the well-being of the student-athletes, grow the inclusivity of their experiences, and build on the storied legacy of the conference.”
Tellitocci brings to the MAAC a breadth of experience that spans professional sports, a college athletics department, and Division I conference leadership. Early in his career, Tellitocci worked for the New York Mets as the associate producer for scoreboard and entertainment, before transitioning into college athletics.
“We were impressed with Travis’ rich experiences in both professional sports and college athletics, which position him well to elevate the MAAC Conference and help set a bold vision for its programs,” said Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian, who co-chaired the search committee for the new commissioner and will assume the role of MAAC president in July. “The 11 institutions participating in the MAAC today embody excellence in both athletics and academics, and we look forward to the continued growth of the conference under Travis’ leadership.”
His appointment as MAAC commissioner is a homecoming for Tellitocci. Prior to joining the OVC, he served as the deputy athletics director at MAAC member Marist College. While at Marist, he worked with all 23 Division I sports of the college, and was responsible for the oversight of the athletics department’s business operations, marketing, media relations, broadcasting, licensing, and ticketing. Tellitocci originally joined the Marist staff as assistant athletics director for external affairs in 2006, and held a number of positions with growing responsibilities before being named Marist’s deputy athletics director.
Tellitocci earned his bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in writing from Marist in 2004. He completed his master’s degree in integrated marketing and communication at Marist in 2014. A Benwood, West Virginia, native, Tellitocci and his wife, Bobbi Sue, are the parents of two sons, Tyler and Hudson.
The presidents of the MAAC conference schools express their deepest appreciation to Rich Ensor for his impactful leadership, and welcome Travis Tellitocci to lead the next phase of the ascending trajectory of the MAAC conference.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.
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