Syracuse Sport Management and Sport Analytics 2021-2022 Newsletter

Pivot | Persevere | Pride

In This Issue:

Please note this is a corrected digital edition dated September 2022. The print version misidentified the winner of the Sales Combine on Page 15.

Director's Greeting.

The resiliency of Syracuse University students, faculty and staff during the global pandemic amazed me and that same elasticity and adaptability has been evident in the post-pandemic sport industry. The ability to pivot on short notice, adapt to an ever-changing environment and set of parameters, and modify ways of conducting business and communicating with constituents have allowed sports to bounce back far sooner than expected. Spectators are filling stadiums and arenas, television rating are rebounding to pre-COVID levels, and new sectors of growth have re-ignited the industry flame. 

We pride ourselves in diversity and being visionary. This past year, assistant teaching professor Dave Meluni created the nation’s first undergraduate class on Name, Image and Likeness – legislation that has transformed how student-athletes can monetize their personal brand and receive financial compensation. Professor Meluni has become a leading authority in this field and was awarded the 2022 Evan Weissman Memorial Teaching Award for Falk College. 

Our Sport Analytics program, under the leadership of Professor Rodney Paul, continues to garner national attention and earn awards for student research presentations, case competitions, and faculty research, both domestically and internationally. Graduates of this program have secured jobs with college athletics, Major League Baseball teams, NFL franchises, the NBA, and several private sector businesses both in and outside of sports. 

We continue to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by using sports as a platform for social responsibility. In October 2022, we will host our inaugural DEIA symposium thanks to the generosity of Syracuse alum Jonathan Wanderstock. 

Our academic program has prided itself on creating pathways for women in sports and will continue to move the needle through enhanced experiential learning opportunities, recruitment of female students, faculty, and staff, providing gender-based scholarships to women and students of color, and working with employment recruiters in multiple sectors of sports. 

Additionally, the Department of Sport Management and Syracuse Athletics have created a 10-year partnership with Legends, a premium experiences company with six divisions operating worldwide. Legends offers clients and partners a 360-degree data and analytics fueled service solution platform to elevate their brand and execute their vision. The alliance will allow current students to benefit from project-based and experiential learning, mentorship, and visibility into job openings. This will provide unprecedented opportunities for Falk sport management and analytics undergraduates and our Sport Venue and Event Management graduate students to intern with Legends and prepare them for full-time positions upon graduation. 

Sports can be an ideal platform to affect social change and it has been a hallmark of this program and the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. We continue to use sports as a platform to teach social responsibility and aid our community. The Sport Management Club’s Charity Sports Auction, under the leadership of co-chairs Jakob Fox ’22, Luca Giacobbe ’22 and Megan Monzo ’22, raised $45,000 for the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, and the graduate students hosted the “Future’s Lax Bash” to benefit Tackle ALS that raised $5,000 under the leadership of Dr. Gina Pauline. 

Several student organizations created and hosted social advocacy programs and webinars as part of their mission to promote DEIA initiatives in conjunction with the department’s overall commitment to these causes. 

We’re ORANGE TOGETHER! I hope you take pride in the accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. As always, Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Orange!! 

Sincerely, 

Michael Veley , Director and Chair , Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor of  Sport Management. 

From the Dean.

It is a great joy to see our Orange community once again learning and creating together, in person, both on campus and around the world. As a university, we celebrate the proud and powerful Orange network that creates vast opportunities for our students and alumni. And that is certainly true among the Department of Sport Management, which boasts partnerships throughout the sport industry. 

Immersion trips are one way in which students are able to meet and learn from innovators and leaders in sports. This past year, students gained insights into various industry segments and established important professional connections from Boston to Los Angeles to New York City. 

They witnessed—and took part in—the transformational work our growing sport management community is doing, spanning business innovation, research and analytics, community development, environmental sustainability, as well as diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion initiatives. 

Immersion trips, internships, competitions and conferences cultivate the Orange network and establish our students in the sport industry before they even graduate. None of these opportunities would be possible without our alumni, partners, supporters and friends of Falk College and Syracuse University. We thank you. 

I encourage all of our esteemed alumni to stay in touch with us, and hope you find yourself back on campus soon for some of our exciting upcoming events. Until then, be well and Go Orange! 

— Diane Lyden Murphy, M.A. M.S.W., Ph.D., Dean, Falk College 

Read the most recent news from the Department of Sport Management at Syracuse University. 

Students.

Congratulations to the Class of 2022.

On May 14, 2022, Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics celebrated its Class of 2022 Convocation ceremony at Manley Field House. The Department of Sport Management congratulates 97 Sport Management undergraduates, 38 Sport Analytics undergraduates, and seven Sport Venue and Event Management master’s graduates who received their degrees as part of the Class of 2022. 

Sport Analytics major Mackenzie Mangos served as a Falk College Marshal and delivered a speech at Convocation. Department Marshals were Connor Howard (Sport Management), Samual Ayers (Sport Analytics) and Camryn DeLucie (Sport Venue and Event Management). 

The Department of Sport Management’s traditional celebration of its graduates on Commencement weekend continued this year with more than 200 parents, family members, friends, faculty and staff gathering in Falk College on May 13 to celebrate the accomplishments of the Sport Management and Sport Analytics undergraduates and Sport Venue and Event Management master’s students. 

Forty-two students received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for earning a GPA of 3.4 or higher for each of their consecutive semesters at Syracuse University: Benjamin Allen, Luke Adelstein, Samual Ayers, Evan Baum, Christian Buonadonna, Devan Dachisen, Josh Danzig, Matthew Davis, Ryan Dilts, Drew DiSanto, Caitlin Donoghue, Brian Drew, Rachel Duke, Jakob Fox, Colin Hardy, Justin Harrington, Connor Howard, Kevin Ivers, Dylan Kelly, Sean Kenney, Preston Klaus, Hannah Kuo, Jared LaVigueur, Yueyang Li, Zichen Lu, Mackenzie Mangos, Connor Meissner, Margaret Monzo, Joao Murray, Daniel Nagle, Michael O’Connor, Danielle Parr, Lucas Prestamo, Harrison Rayhill, Dominic Samangy, Kira Sebastianelli, Cooper Shawver, Ryan Song, Quinn Spangler, Jenna Tivnan, Seth Warner and David Zukowski. 

Five Sport Analytics seniors were named Falk College Scholars: Drew DiSanto, Preston Klaus, Mackenzie Mangos, Dominic Samangy and Cooper Shawver. 

Here is a list of the senior awards:

• Academic Excellence Award – Jenna Tivnan 

• Director’s Award – Margaret Monzo 

• Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Joseph Eovaldi

• Jason Morales Perseverance in Sport and Life Award – Danielle Parr 

• Kate Veley Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Award – Jakob Fox 

• Matt Brodsky Philanthropic Excellence Award – Luca Giacobbe 

• Professional Engagement Award – Devan Dachisen

• VIP Award - Joao Paulo Murray

• Patrick T. Ryan Sport Management Technology Award - Rachel Duke

• Outstanding Graduate Student Award – Hannah Gigliotti

Sport Analytics: 

• Academic Excellence Award – Preston Klaus

• Academic Excellence Award – Jared LaVigueur

• Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Kevin Ivers 

• Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Michael O’Connor 

• Research Excellence Award – Daniel Nagle

• Research Excellence Award – Dominic Samangy 

• Research Excellence Award – Quinn Spangler 

• VIP Award – Samual Ayers 

• Game Changer Award – Bailie Brown 

Also, the M.S. in Sport Venue and Event Management program concluded its tenth year.

Visit Sport Management’s online resources:

Be sure to check out our website for department information, program news, club meeting dates and activities, and other special events. 

Also, be sure to follow Sport Management on Twitter @SUSportMgmt, and “like” us on Facebook at S.U. Falk College Department of Sport Management. 

Sport Venue and Event Management Master’s program graduates its tenth class. 

The Department of Sport Management’s master’s program in Sport Venue and Event Management (SVEM) welcomed its 10th class of graduate students to campus in July 2021. The program comprises 36 credit hours of intensive classroom learning, skill development and experiential opportunities in settings like SU’s Dome. 

The 2021-22 cohort included seven students, with a diverse mix of educational backgrounds and from a variety of geographic locations. Students worked toward completing their practicum work in Fall 2021, Summer 2022 and will continue in Fall 2022. 

In addition to their classwork, graduate students took part in professional development seminars conducted by Falk College Career Services and Sport Management internship placement coordinators on networking, cover letters, resumes, strategic interviewing, salary negotiation, career guidance and using LinkedIn. 

In the Spring 2022 semester, students worked with associate professor Dr. Gina Pauline in the advanced event management course to plan a charity event to benefit Tackle ALS, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. (See Page 18) 

Students in the first 10 cohorts have immersed themselves in the program’s academic and experiential opportunities, and leveraged relationships to launch their careers in the industry. Graduates have secured positions at Dover Speedway, Brown University, Spectra Venue Management, Legends Hospitality, Spartan Race Inc., Country Music Hall of Fame, Syracuse University’s Dome, Syracuse University’s Barnes Center, Met Life Stadium, Boston Celtics, Boise State University, Towson University Athletics, Nike China, and Tulsa Sports Commission, among others. 

The 11th SVEM graduate class began in July 2022. The SVEM curriculum is designed to provide graduate students with a set of courses focused on the management and operations of facilities and events in the realm of sports and entertainment. Additionally, the SVEM coursework contains theory-to-practice elements where students apply concepts learned in the classroom to actual industry settings in a hands-on manner. 

Learn more about the graduate program.

Practicum list for Sport Venue and Event Management master’s program:

Fall 2021:

• Drew Hurley, Allegiant Stadium and Washington Nationals 

• Kayla Scognamillo, Make-a-Wish Foundation Southern Florida 

• Yuqi Liu, Syracuse University Dome Operations 

• Kaci Wright, CNC Group/FANzSpeakOut 

• Joshua Moshier, University of Denver Athletics 

• Guzal Yusupova, Sportime 

• Maureen Lavallee, Ohio State University Athletics

Spring 2022: 

• Julian Santiago, Syracuse University Recreation Services 

• Camryn Delucie, Syracuse University Athletic Operations 

• Oluwatobiloba Joshuasville, Syracuse University Athletic Operations 

• Daniel Hewitt, Addition Financial Arena/Oak View Group

Summer 2021:

• Camryn Delucie, Baltimore Ravens 

• Hannah Gigliotti, Townson University Athletics 

• Taylor Tsatsis, Wagner College Athletics 

• Julian Santiago, Prodigy Racing 

• Naje Murray, Athletic Unlimited/AUX Softball 

• Chris Szlamczynski, Syracuse University Athletics

Photos with captions in this section included: Sport Venue and Event Management master’s students visited with executives from the Syracuse Mets and the Lakeview Amphitheater to learn about facility management. Camryn Delucie, Oluwatobiloba Joshuasville and Taylor Tsatsis (from left) are shown at the 2022 Falk College Convocation.

Welcome Class of 2026 undergraduates.

Sport Analytics:

Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin.

Sport Management:

Arizona, California, China, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kenya, Korea, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Queensland, Spain, Taiwan, Texas, United Kingdom, Virginia, Wisconsin.

Congratulations to the following students for achieving an overall cumulative G.P.A. of 3.4 or higher, as of the end of the 2021-2022 academic year:

Sport Management:

Sport Analytics:

Senior Capstone Experience

Among the most valuable attributes of the Department of Sport Management is its connection with the sport industry, which impacts students in numerous ways, including the Senior Capstone experience. As a part of their degree requirements, Sport Management students must complete a 12-credit Capstone providing an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in the sports industry before graduation.

Since the Capstone is the culmination of one’s academic experience, the planning process begins during a student’s freshman year. The process concludes with the full-semester experience with a specific sport entity or organization as local as Central New York to across the United States and around the world.

A Capstone requires students to work with a sport-related organization for a minimum of 540 hours over the course of one semester, gaining experience in areas such as sales, marketing, finance, analytics, event management, collegiate athletics, communications, law, community relations, and more.

Listed below are Sport Management students and the organizations where they completed their senior Capstone in 2021-2022. We are grateful to our growing list of Capstone partners, who continue to provide tremendous learning opportunities for our students. This all happens under the leadership of the Sport Management internship placement coordinators.

Capstone: Full speed ahead at NASCAR Capstone.

By Connor Howard, S.P.M. ’22.

During the Spring 2022 semester, I was privileged to complete my senior Capstone with NASCAR in Daytona Beach, Florida.

My work was within NASCAR’s Southeast Region, which oversees all events at Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Events included the Daytona 500; Geico 500; “BEEF. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300;” Rolex 24; Bike Week; and AMA Supercross Championship.

Working as a client services intern, I managed my own book of business, servicing partnerships and corporate hospitality. Activating some of the races’ largest partnerships, I fulfilled orders for all assets, managed signage, and provided solutions to problems that arose. I also assisted with prospecting, grassroots marketing, and executing fan experiences.

I learned how partnerships are executed from start to finish, how to manage partners and how to create an enjoyable guest experience for fans. I am proud of my work, which saw success in the forms of retaining partners and executing memorable fan experiences for sold-out races.

I am extremely thankful to have completed my Capstone with NASCAR, as it allowed me to gain real-world experience and learn more about the industry. This experience allowed me to transition into a full-time role with NASCAR’s Partnership Strategy Department.

Capstone: From Bowl Season Capstone to WWE job.

By Ryan Charles, S.P.M. ’22.

I was privileged to work remotely as a sponsorship and marketing intern for Bowl Season during the Spring 2022 semester. Bowl Season is the overarching brand of college football’s postseason, including 44 bowl games and the College Football Playoff. 

I worked closely with the Director of Sponsorships, John Egan, with a goal of prospecting, selling and activating Bowl Season’s sponsorships. A lot of my time was spent in client-facing work, where I researched and contacted prospective companies in an effort to bring in sponsorship revenue. I also created sales decks, attended sales calls, wrote contracts, and brought client activations to life. 

The highlight of my Capstone was planning and attending Bowl Season’s Annual Meeting, which drew more than 200 people and featured a 54-booth tradeshow. I played a vital role in the coordination of the tradeshow with sponsors, and the execution of various on-site activations. 

I learned a lot during my Capstone, such as the value of time management and the importance of being organized. My biggest lesson was in professionalism. Within my first two months at Bowl Season, I was meeting with and emailing upper-level management executives. I had to learn how to conduct myself in that environment as I strive to be on that level one day in my career.

I’m proud to say that my hard work at Bowl Season and Syracuse University helped me land a full-time position as a Partnership Marketing Coordinator at WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). 

Capstone: Senior lands dream job with PGA Tour.

By Megan Monzo, S.P.M. ’22.

I completed my Senior Capstone with the PGA Tour at TPC Sawgrass during the Spring 2022 semester.

TPC Sawgrass is home to the PLAYERS Championship and is located in beautiful Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. I served as an intern with numerous departments throughout the duration of my Capstone and worked in multiple areas, including merchandise, membership, marketing, social media and PGA Junior League.

During the PLAYERS Championship, I worked in the main fan shop and ran the TPC Sawgrass Instagram. It was quite the experience and one I will never forget. I also worked at the Tim Tebow Charity Golf Classic and marketed the PGA Tour through national campaigns. I am fortunate to work in an environment where I am constantly on the go and meeting notable people from around the world. 

Every day working for TPC Sawgrass feels like Disney World! It’s exciting, fast-paced and challenging all at the same time. I am proud that my Capstone experience led to a full-time role with the PGA Tour at TPC Sawgrass as a Membership Services Specialist. My main responsibilities are to run the social media, create advertisements and campaigns for TPC Sawgrass for regional and national audiences, work with members and coach the PGA Junior League. I can’t believe I am working my dream job right after graduation.

I am thankful that Syracuse University’s Department of Sport Management prepared me for this role and I look forward to interacting with Sport Management students who will be searching for a Capstone in the future. 

Capstone: Virtual Thuzio experience builds network.

By Caroline Dorfman, S.P.M. ’22.

During my Fall 2021 semester, I completed my senior Capstone experience virtually with Thuzio as an events intern. As a premium influencer events and experiences company, Thuzio provides access to the greatest stories in sports, entertainment, culinary, and business with exclusive interviews with the legends who lived them. 

As an events intern, I completed a plethora of tasks to strengthen Thuzio’s events, including virtual and live event production, talent sourcing and contracting, media database management and so much more. A highlight of my Capstone experience was receiving an event scope from a client, and building proposal decks based on their request. These proposal decks contained various venue options, including price, capacity, location, availability, and a description of the experience. I loved being able to see the client’s vision and bringing it to life for them. 

I also was fortunate to learn the production side of Thuzio’s Member Events. I had a goal to attend as many Thuzio events as possible, wanting to contribute to and experience as much of the Thuzio product as I could. These events included Thomas Jones, Kirk Herbstreit Book Event, Chef Eduardo Garcia, Guy Fieri, ByHeart Feed Fest, Leland Melvin, Keren Elazari, and Amanda Freitag. 

I will be forever grateful for my time at Thuzio as it helped me grow personally and professionally, while gaining real-world industry experience to build my network within the sports industry, and showcase my passion for events.

S.P.M. Club raises $45,000 at 17th Charity Auction.

The Sport Management Club at Syracuse University raised $45,000 for the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation as a result of its 17th Annual Charity Sports Auction. 

During the Syracuse men’s basketball game on November 20, 2021, supporters placed bids on various items including sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, trips, and tickets to major sporting events. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction was held November 20-27, where online supporters placed bids on hundreds of items. 

The Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation strives to enrich the lives of kids in need within the Central New York community, as well as provide support for eliminating cancer through research and advocacy.

The SPM Club is a student-run organization in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ Sport Management Department. Since its founding in 2005, the club has raised more than $613,000 for local charities. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, and McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center.

“Our Sport Management Club was founded on the principles of teaching our membership the value of civic engagement, community service, and social responsibility through sports,” said Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor and director of Sport Management, who also serves as the organization’s faculty advisor. “The countless hours of dedication by these students to ensure that the proceeds from our charity auction would benefit our community via the Boeheim Foundation is extremely gratifying.”

The Sport Management Club meets at weekly during the academic year. For more information about the annual Charity Auction, visit Twitter @SPMAuction, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SPMAuction and Instagram @spm_auction, as well as www.sucharitysportsauction.com. 

The Sport Management Club meets during the academic year. For more information about the annual Charity Auction, visit Twitter @SPMAuction, Facebook and Instagram @spm_auction as well as their website. 

Pictures with captions in this section include: Charity Sports Auction co-chairs (from left) Luca Giacobbe ’22, Jakob Fox ’22 and Megan Monzo ’22 pose with Otto the Orange at the 2021 Auction.. 

A letter from the S.P.M. Club president.

By Blake Taub, S.P.M. ’23, S.P.M. Club President.

Another year of Sport Management Club is in the books, and a successful and exciting year it was! Through a hybrid format and with guidance from professors and club co-advisors Michael Veley and Dr. Jeremy Losak, our Executive Board planned engaging guest speaker panels, created interactive activities and continued to use sport as a vehicle to provide support to the Central New York community. 

Our club prides itself on our philanthropic work and serving those in need in the Central New York Community. The 2021 Charity Sports Auction presented new challenges, as it was the first auction that simultaneously included both in-person and online components. Co-chairs Luca Giacobbe, Jakob Fox and Megan Monzo led the way, making the new Club members feel welcome and helping to raise $45,000 for the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation. 

Highlights from the 2021-22 academic year included a Sport for Change NHL panel, a Sport for Change boxing dialogue, a conversation with employees and retired players from the NFL, and a case study with ESPN’s College Football Marketing Division. The Club hosted Jerrell Price, Director of Partnerships at the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, and Matt Teague, Content Coordinator for the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Foundation, via Zoom in November 2021 for “A Conversation on the Social Impact of Sports.” The virtual event focused on the social impact of sports, as well as career opportunities in the non-profit space. 

During the year, we hosted trivia and Jeopardy nights and organized club outings to Syracuse Mets baseball games. These activities are a perfect way for members to meet one another and to bond as a team.

Several members who served on the Executive Board in Fall 2021 were on Capstone or Abroad for the Spring 2022 semester. The Club thanks Megan Monzo, Max Schobel, Alex Guo, Megan Sheehan and Drew Schiffer for their hard work and commitment during their terms. 

I am looking forward to my final semester as President of the SPM Club in Fall 2022. It has been a privilege to lead this Club, and along with Executive Board members Kyla Pearlman, Doug Camp, Philip Tepper, Alessandro Ferrari and Sydney Orszulak, we are excited to continue the momentum and to grow upon the club’s past accomplishments. We are honored to connect with students in our program and beyond, to collaborate in making a positive impact on the Syracuse University community. 

Sport Professionals of Color Club ramps up programming.

The Department of Sport Management’s Sport Professionals of Color Club is an organization that strives to connect students who identify as people of color with sport professionals from across the industry.

The organization was formed during the 2014-15 academic year with the purpose of helping to guide young professionals in their pursuit of success and career establishment in the industry. The club strives to improve members’ professional skills, host speakers, foster networking growth, and take part in experiential learning opportunities.

Over the course of the 2021-22 academic year, the club held workshops for their members on resumes, cover letters and job searching. They also welcomed several guest speakers, including Nico Ali Walsh, a professional wrestler and the grandson of the late Muhammad Ali; and Lou Alexander, a former Syracuse and professional football player who is now a motivational speaker. Also, in collaboration with the National Association of Black Journalists at Syracuse (NABJ), the Sport Professionals of Color Club welcomed A. Sherrod Blakely and Chris Williamson for Black History Month to speak about the black experience working in sport media. Both men are SU alumni.

In the Fall 2021 semester, the Club co-hosted “A Conversation on Mental Health and Sports” that featured a panel discussion on the impact of mental health on athletes of color. 

Falk College benefactor David Falk virtually joined the Club in Fall 2021 to discuss his career in the sport industry, working with NBA players, and specifically how he guided young Black athletes to make positive decisions to elevate their careers. Club members created a 10-team fantasy basketball league to participate in and debate current NBA news.

The club is always looking for new members to take part in its activities and meetings. Past events include an NFL Draft watch party, co-hosting a panel discussion on women in sports titled “Competing to Win” as well as hosting a Madison Square Garden internship panel. Committees are working to help the club grow its membership and campus presence.

Photos with captions in this section include: Sport Professionals of Color members Rachel Duke, Courtland Dawson, Elena Randolph, Tynan Weathers, Christian Buonadonna and Andres Mendoza (from left) are shown during the Fall 2021 semester after a club meeting in Falk College.

A.C.C. honors 20 student-athletes.

Eighteen Syracuse University Department of Sport Management student-athletes were named to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Honor Roll for the 2021-22 academic year. The Honor Roll is comprised of student-athletes who participated in a varsity-level sport and registered a grade point average of 3.0 or better for the full academic year. The honorees are:

Colby Barker, football; Kambel Beacom, ice hockey; Jackson Boeheim, basketball; Megan Carney, lacrosse; Joseph Eovaldi, track and field; Makena Fidler, softball; Joseph Girard III, basketball; Nicholas Hapney, lacrosse; Frank Anselem Ibe, basketball; Evan Johnston, lacrosse; Naje Murray, basketball; Oluwaseun Oyegunle, soccer; Kirstyn Schechter, track and field; Marie Sommer, field hockey; Samantha Swart, lacrosse; Sarah Thompson, ice hockey; Jenna Tivnan, soccer ; Connor Toomey, rowing; Haley Uliasz, rowing; Elizabeth Vogt, rowing.

Falk College Peer Ambassadors.

The following Sport Management and Sport Analytics students served as Falk College Peer Ambassadors in 2021-22: Max Alvir, Alessandro Ferrari Carrubba, Justy Curruthers, Tracey Edson, Alison Gilmore, Colin Hardy, Alyssa Helland, Connor Howard, Preston Klaus, Aidan Levin, Mackenzie Mangos, Alex Mendel, Chris Onorato, Danielle Parr, Zach Paskal, Brianne Quinlan, Eli Samuels, Zach Siegel, Anna Theodosopoulos, Sydney Topper and Seth Warner. 

Falk Ambassadors assist the Admissions Office staff with recruitment activities during the year. Ambassadors provide assistance at Falk College open houses, give tours and provide the student perspective at special events throughout the year.

Support the Department of Sport Management.

We continually strive to offer a variety of opportunities to support our students. From scholarships and financial assistance to immersion programs and experiential field trips, along with inviting distinguished guest speakers to campus and hosting relevant symposiums, Falk College’s sport management/sport analytics education goes beyond the textbooks and the walls of our classrooms. David Salanger, Falk College assistant dean for advancement and external affairs, welcomes the opportunity to talk and/or meet with you to discuss program support and student learning opportunities. Please contact Salanger at 315-443-8989 or dasalang@syr.edu.

Students receive assistance from scholarship funds.

Annual scholarships assist students with the financial aspects of completing summer internships or senior Capstones.

Jennifer Corn Carter Fund:

The Jennifer Corn Carter Senior Capstone Award for Sport Management supports students in the department during their senior Capstone experiences. For the 2021-22 academic year, five students were honored with this award: Aaron Hackett, who interned with Vance Performance in Spring 2022; Connor Howard, who interned with NASCAR in Spring 2022; Andrew Licciardi, who interned with NASCAR in Spring 2022; Chase Vassel, who interned with California State University Athletic Department in Spring 2022; and Cade Williams, who interned with Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation in Spring 2022. Each received $500. 

Jennifer Corn Carter is a graduate of Syracuse University, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. She was honored with the Falk College’s 2010 Alumna of the Year Award for her on-going support of our students and Syracuse University. Her vision and support created the Jennifer Corn Carter Resource and Career Center in Falk College. 

Student Learning Fund:

Fifteen Sport Management seniors were awarded scholarships from the Sport Management Student Learning Fund during the 2021-22 academic year. Each received $500 to $1000.

In Summer 2022, four students earned the scholarship: Joey Eovaldi, Peri Lamkin, Zhishan Ni and Warren Yermack.

In Spring 2022, six students earned the scholarships: Rachel Duke, Luca Giacobbe, Margaret Monzo, Danielle Parr, Daniel Sterns and Gordon Taubenfeld.

In Fall 2021, five students earned the scholarships: Devan Dachisen, Caitlin Donoghue, Ava Eckhoff, Jack Lovalvo and Lucas Prestamo. 

Undergraduate Summer Internship Fund:

The Sport Management Summer Internship Fund is used each year to provide support to undergraduate students pursuing unpaid summer internships, enabling them to gain industry experience. 

Fifteen students were awarded scholarships for their 2022 summer internships: Mitch Bereznay, Harrison Bieber, Yihui Chen, Robert Craig III, Stephanie DeAngelis, Tracey Edson, Nolan Hammond, Jason Horne, Peter Kucharczuk, Jared LaVigueur, Sydney Orszulak, Brenden Slomka, Matthew Tan, Aidan Wahlert and Liana Wong-Wright. 

For more information about the funds, contact Sport Management internship coordinator Kailyn Jennings at kmjennin@syr.edu or 315-443-0594. 

Department of Sport Management Statement of Commitment.

The Department of Sport Management at Syracuse University stands in solidarity with our communities who are voicing their anguish, anger, and deep frustration with acts of violence and hatred, and with systems that oppress and devalue Black lives. We unequivocally condemn these and all acts targeting any group, whether on our campus or in our society. 

Systemic and institutionalized racism such as the callous killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbrey, Elijah McClain and countless others must end. Enough is enough. We reject racism, bigotry and hate. We have watched the division across the country with sadness and pain as we work to process the disrespect, abuse, and murder of Black and Brown people by police. We pledge our sincere commitment and responsibility to help impact positive change through the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Systemic racism exists in our society. We acknowledge that collectively we have much work to do in this regard, in our academic programs. The #NotAgainSU movement has raised public consciousness and exposed shortcomings of our overall campus culture. We invite creative and open-minded people to help us be agents of positive change. 

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion continues with focus on important areas of awareness, training, and education. We are actively engaged with Falk College and Syracuse University in these efforts to ensure that human rights are secure for Black people, persons of color, and other underrepresented populations. This embodies the Falk College mantra of teaching social responsibility and social justice and our department mission of using sports as a platform for social change. 

We will encourage open, honest dialog both inside the classroom and one-on-one, including those related to racism, privilege and allyship. We are committed to working toward the substantive changes that embody social justice, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to working toward creating a campus community where we all feel welcomed and valued.

By intently listening, we believe open dialog and critical thinking will help to re-shape our department, college, and University culture.

We know other marginalized groups also experience racism, discrimination, and exclusion. Please be assured the Department of Sport Management will continue its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion for all marginalized and underrepresented groups.

We hope to ensure everyone sees themselves represented and included within the Department of Sport Management. This is a journey and we are committed to listening, learning, and implementing the work needed to move forward together. 

Women in Sports and Events (WISE).

Women in Sports and Events (WISE) is a nationally recognized group whose goal is to be a leading voice and resource for women who currently work in, or aspire to be a part of, the professional field of sports and events. In 2009, Syracuse University was voted in as the first collegiate chapter of WISE’s national organization, and since its inception on campus, has offered professional development opportunities for members. Students in WISE are involved with numerous events and activities over the course of the academic year, including networking trips, fundraisers, interview workshops, professional development seminars, community service, and assisting with department events. 

Highlights from the Spring 2022 semester include meeting Michelle Kajiwara, senior vice president of premium seating sales at AEG’s Crypto.com Arena; Suzanne Abair, co-owner and chief executive officer of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream; and Morgan Shaw Parker, president and chief operating officer of the Atlanta Dream. WISE members also met with SU’s WiST (Women in Sport Tech) chapter to discuss WiST’s fellowship program, and held a networking dinner with Syracuse University Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director Sue Edson and the Syracuse Athletics staff. 

During the Fall 2021 semester, the Club welcomed numerous guest speakers, who shared their industry experience and expertise, including Melissa Duhaime (PepsiCo), Tracy DeForge (The Players Impact), and Jillian Barry (Rookie Road). WISE members also held a networking workshop, volunteered at the annual Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon and took a yoga class at SU’s Barnes Center to foster team building. 

Past WISE events include pairing with the University of Pittsburgh’s WISE Chapter to host a webinar titled “The Women Behind Pro and Collegiate Basketball,” and partnering with Syracuse University women’s basketball for a “Professional Women of Syracuse” event on campus featuring panelists who shared their insights on working in athletics. 

WISE members often volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse to cook and serve meals to families staying at the facility. The group also co-hosts workshops focusing on campus resources and resumes; partners with Witty Wicks, a homemade candle company, and Chipotle, to fundraise for future networking trips and events; and welcomes numerous guest speakers to campus or virtually. 

Keep up with SU’s WISE Club on Social Media: Twitter: @WISE_SU; Instagram: WISE_Cuse; and Facebook:  Women in Sports and Events at Syracuse University. 

The club officers for Spring 2022 were Sydney Topper, president; Paula Ostrowska, vice president; Emma Isaacson, treasurer; Sarah Pivawer, secretary; Allyssa Helland, communications chair; and Sydney Orszulak, fundraising and community outreach chair. These students will continue in these roles in Fall 2022. 

The WISE Club includes women from all majors on campus interested in pursuing careers in sports and events. They meet weekly during the academic year. 

2022 National Collegiate Sport Sales Conference and Competition.

Three Syracuse University Sport Management students were selected to attend the 2022 National Collegiate Sport Sales Conference and Competition in Atlanta in February 2022. Jacob Erman ’22, Warren Yermack ’23 and Ian Benepe ’22 earned their spots through virtual qualifying in Fall 2021. More than 180 students began the qualifying. Sixty-four students qualified to attend the Atlanta event in person. Benepe finished 13th, while Erman’s and Benepe’s combined scores put SU in the Sweet 16. Yermack finished second in the speed-selling round. Benepe received five job offers from the event and accepted a sales job with the New York Mets. Erman was also offered a job, from his Capstone (AtScale) when the company saw he attended the conference. Yermack was able to network and interview for placements for his senior Capstone. The students were accompanied on the trip by Sport Management assistant teaching professor David Meluni. 

Ready for the Majors.

Sport analytics senior leads the way for women in the field and catches dream job with the New York Yankees.

When it came to making the most of her Syracuse University education, Mackenzie Mangos ’22 knocked it out of the ballpark. Mangos, a sport analytics major in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, took full advantage of the program’s opportunities, focused on her goal of working in Major League Baseball and scored her dream job. 

After graduation, she joined the New York Yankees as a quantitative analysis associate in the baseball operations department. What more could a devout Yankees fan ask for—especially one from a Bronx Bombers-loving family with a dog named Jeter? “I figured I’d work for some business or consultant before even getting a job in baseball—let alone in player analytics with the Yankees,” she says. “It worked out great!”

When Mangos reported to Yankee Stadium, she was ready for action. She fulfilled her graduation requirements in three years, completed minors in economics and information management and technology to complement her major, participated in baseball case competitions and prominent internships and published research. She was also named a 2022 Falk College class marshal, a role in which she delivered a speech at the college’s Convocation and led Falk graduates at Commencement. In bringing together her passions for sports and statistics, Mangos carved out a path that can serve as a model for other young women in the male-dominated, multibillion-dollar industry. 

One of three female sport analytics majors when she joined the program, she founded the student organization Sport Analytics Women (SAW) in fall 2020 to bring together female students with shared interests and increase opportunities for research projects and professional development. 

“Mackenzie’s impact on our program and the University will be felt for years after she graduates,” says Jeremy Losak ’16, assistant professor of sport management. “She has been a champion for women in sports and sport analytics.”

As SAW president, Mangos grew the club’s membership from five to about 20 members and says the role was influential in her personal development. “The Sport Analytics Women club helped me grow tremendously in terms of communicating with different audiences and being confident in front of a big group of people,” she says. “It’s been very rewarding to see the club really take off.”

“I knew that the combination of my passion for sports and math would make for a really cool career. When I came across the sport analytics program at Syracuse, there was no doubt that’s what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.”

Among her accolades, Mangos was selected as a Berlin Scholar, an honor that awards a stipend, research experience with a faculty mentor, and other benefits to outstanding seniors in sport analytics. She served as a teaching assistant for Falk’s Berlin Sport Analytics Academy in Summer 2021, leading activities for high school students interested in sport analytics. She also worked as a research assistant for Losak and valued his mentoring and collaborating with him on projects, including one that examines the impact of college conference TV networks on fan attendance at football and basketball games. The first part of their research, which focused on football, was published in the Journal of Economics and Finance. 

“Mackenzie has been an integral part of my research team, leading data collection efforts and preparing presentation-quality visualizations,” he says. “She is a trailblazer in the sport analytics space and a future professional superstar. Her upcoming role with the New York Yankees is just the beginning.”

Becoming Orange 

Mangos was a three-sport athlete in high school in Williamson, New York, captaining the varsity soccer, basketball and softball teams. Softball was her favorite and, as a catcher, she worked with a pitcher who threw 10 different pitches, a challenging assignment that led her to think about pitching patterns and batters’ history. “I knew that the combination of my passion for sports and math would make for a really cool career,” she says. “When I came across the sport analytics program at Syracuse, there was no doubt that’s what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.”

Good call. Once on campus, Mangos followed her game plan. She joined the Baseball Statistics and Sabermetrics Club and participated with fellow Syracuse students in Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) Diamond Dollars Case Competitions, which challenge college teams to evaluate baseball operations’ issues, dive into data and offer solutions in a week’s time. 

Along with mastering the intricacies of statistical computing, data visualization and managing databases, Mangos benefited from notable internship experiences. She was selected for the NBA’s Future Analytics Stars Program, which featured mentoring, networking and professional development, a group project and a workshop focused on the league’s player and business analytics. She also received a Women in Sports Tech Inc. fellowship that placed her as a business intelligence intern with KORE Software last summer.