Laura Sgrecci arrives at Cornell with more than 12 years of experience in college athletics administration, including five in the Ivy League and four with Colgate University, as well as eight years in professional sports marketing and business operations. Throughout her career, Sgrecci has made a positive impact in fundraising and alumni engagement, donor stewardship, communications, special events, sport administration, revenue generation, sponsorship activation, brand management, marketing and fan experience, and game presentation.
“I am thrilled to welcome Laura Sgrecci to our Cornell Athletics and Physical Education team," said Nicki Moore, the Meakem Smith Director of Athletics & Physical Education. "It is a special opportunity to be able to work with a colleague a second time. Laura’s skills as a leader, manager, sport administrator, and team player coupled with her diverse set of experiences in both professional and college sports make her an excellent fit for the work of this new role.”
In her new role as Senior Deputy Athletics Director for Strategy and Operations, Sgrecci will serve as a thought partner to the AD, support day-to-day operations of the department, create connections across the department and university, and enable coaches and staff to work together to drive results. She will support and collaborate with the assigned athletics HR liaison and will advance professional development initiatives within the department.
Additionally, Sgrecci will serve as a sport administrator, will lead special projects, and will work closely with other senior-level leaders in the department to accomplish priority goals. She is also charged with advancing the Cornell Athletics brand and providing support and guidance to Athletics Communications and Physical Education.
Sgrecci served as Colgate’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Strategic Advancement since July 2019, helping to develop and facilitate athletics fundraising and engagement efforts, including athletics director and head coach outreach, events, and stewardship, as well as providing strategic leadership and day-to-day management of corporate partnerships for Colgate Athletics.
At Colgate, Sgrecci served as the sport administrator for men’s basketball, men's lacrosse, field hockey, men's rowing, men's and women's track & field, and men's and women's cross country, and also provided oversight of volleyball and golf during her tenure. She led the search for Colgate’s new head coach of track & field and cross country in the fall of 2022.
During the 2022-23 academic year, Sgrecci led the planning and execution of events and programming to celebrate 50 years of women’s athletics at Colgate, including honoring Colgate’s five Patriot League Trailblazers of Distinction. She also spearheaded the 2022 Colgate Athletics Hall of Honor induction weekend.
Sgrecci chaired the Division of Physical Education and Recreation’s Events & Initiatives Committee, focused on enhancing the welcoming, inclusive, and celebratory spirit among coaches and staff, and served as a member of the division-wide committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As an Athletics Faculty member, she served on the Academic Affairs Board and Committee on Information Technology.
Prior to arriving in Hamilton, Sgrecci spent five years at Dartmouth, where she oversaw marketing as first the Assistant and then Associate Athletic Director for Marketing. She was responsible for increasing attendance and fan engagement for Dartmouth ticketed sports.
Sgrecci's efforts for the Big Green included the creation of women's basketball and men's basketball "School Day" field trip games, which attracted 25 schools and more than 2,600 local students; "Dartmouth Football 101," a free, family-focused event for the community that helped create excitement for the upcoming football season; and a Stanley Cup Celebration recognizing the accomplishment of Dartmouth men's hockey alum Ben Lovejoy '06 that drew more than 2,000 fans.
Sgrecci also was involved in planning for the Dartmouth-Princeton football game at Yankee Stadium in November 2019, as part of Dartmouth's 250th anniversary celebration, and recruited "espnW Campus Conversations" to Dartmouth in the Spring of 2019 for an inspirational and impactful event attended by a record 300-plus female student-athletes.
Before joining the staff at Dartmouth, Sgrecci spent a little over three years at the University at Buffalo as Senior Director of Marketing and Promotions. She oversaw the development and implementation of UB's marketing plans to increase ticket sales for football, basketball, and volleyball. She also directed and coordinated the design of all creative elements to promote the UB athletics brand.
Prior to her most recent roles in college athletics, Sgrecci worked with the NBA's Marketing and Team Business Operations unit and both of the WNBA and NBA franchises in Seattle. She spent two years as Senior Manager of Marketing and Promotions for the WNBA's Seattle Storm, immediately after a two-year combined stint in marketing and promotions for the Storm and SuperSonics.
Sgrecci got her start in professional sports as a member of the NBA and WNBA league office, tracking and analyzing team sponsorship revenue and promotions for 30 NBA teams and 13 WNBA teams.
A native of Ithaca, Sgrecci earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Smith College after competing in varsity volleyball, squash, and tennis. She is an active member of Women Leaders in Sports, having participated in its Leadership Enhancement Institute in 2022 and the NCAA/NACWAA Institute for Administrative Advancement in 2011.
