FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chapin Served as Interim AD for 18 Months.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - American International College (AIC) President Vincent Maniaci announced that Jessica Chapin has been named Director of Athletics effective July 1, 2021. Chapin has been serving as interim Director of Athletics for the past 18 months. As director, Chapin is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the athletics department, including oversight of compliance, and ensuring NCAA Division I and Division II rules and bylaws are followed, along with supporting retention, financial aid, and new student recruitment by collaborating with offices across campus.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve in this role," Chapin said, adding, "I am appreciative of President Maniaci and the administration for their confidence in me. I look forward to the opportunity to continue working alongside our coaches, our administration, and all of our student-athletes as we look to a new normal this year and beyond."
Chapin joined AIC's athletics team in 2014 as the compliance coordinator and has taken on an ever-increasing number of duties in her seven years at the College. In addition to NCAA compliance, she serves as the Title IX deputy coordinator for Athletics and the senior woman administrator, and was named interim athletics director on January 1, 2020.
"Under Jess's leadership, the Athletics department successfully navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic, providing practice and competition opportunities for more than 600 student-athletes," said President Maniaci. "The College also had its best Athletics Giving Week campaign, raising $197,515 through the generosity of 1,141 individuals, representing a 111 percent increase in donations and a 135 percent increase in donors from the prior year."
In addition to fundraising support for athletic programs, the Yellow Jackets celebrated team success and expansion. Men's ice hockey continued to dominate the Atlantic Hockey Association, winning two conference titles and appearing in the 2021 NCAA Division I Tournament, while the cross country and track and field programs won two men's individual national championships and a first-ever Northeast-10 Conference women's outdoor track championship. Women's basketball reached the NCAA Tournament, while the baseball and softball programs both earned their first postseason wins in more than a decade. And, beginning fall semester 2021, men's volleyball will be added to AIC's athletic program offerings.
Individual student-athletes also celebrated athletic and academic achievements. First-ever NE10 Man of the Year honors went to men's track and field student-athlete Benoit Campion in 2020. Additionally, the College placed 266 NE10 student-athletes on the Fall 2020 NE10 Academic Honor Roll, and dozens earned Academic All-American honors, including three NWCA Academic All-Americans from wrestling, a trio of NFHCA Scholars of Distinction from field hockey, and a nation-best 14 AHCA All-American Scholars from ice hockey. Most impressively, three student-athletes were either valedictorian or salutatorian in both the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes.
Chapin has served on a number of conference, regional, and national committees while at AIC. In 2017, she was appointed to a four-year term with the NCAA Division II Management Council. She served on the National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Convention Planning Team, Committee on Infractions, Legislation Committee, and Research Committee. Members of the Management Council are charged with recommending administrative policy and regulations that govern the Division. Currently, Chapin serves on the NCAA's women's volleyball regional advisory committee and in May 2021, she was appointed to a four-year term on the NCAA Committee on Infractions. She currently serves on the executive committee of both the Atlantic Hockey Association and the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association.
Chapin received a master's degree in athletic administration from Springfield College in 2013, and a BA from Brandeis University in psychology and health science, society, and policy in 2010. While at Brandeis, she was an All-American basketball player.
-Release provided by AIC athletic communications-
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
