Jennifer Sansevero, who became Monmouth’s eighth Director of Athletics on February 27, 2024, assumed the full time role after she joined the department in September of 2021. Prior to earning the title of Acting Director of Athletics in July 2023, Sansevero served as the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student Development and Senior Women's Administrator for the Hawks.
Sansevero has made an immediate impact at Monmouth and on its 600-plus student-athletes during her time in West Long Branch. Academically, she was integral in creating the position of Learning Specialist as Hawk athletes recorded the highest department grade-point average in history while earning Monmouth national recognition from the NCAA for APR scores. This past fall, a total of 451 student-athletes were recognized by the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) with a spot on the Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.
Sansevero’s nearly 20 years of combined Division I athletics experience as a student-athlete and administrator provides a comprehensive lens in West Long Branch. “I want to leave a legacy of strength, resilience and growth that withstands the test of time. We will do this with energy, authenticity and competitiveness,” said Sansevero, who in her first two weeks of leading the Hawks, solidified and announced the addition of the Fly Hawks Alliance. The Fly Hawks Alliance, which was announced in July 2023, serves as the Name, Image, and Likeness collective, supporting and partnering with Monmouth student-athletes. “In this ever-changing landscape of college athletics, Monmouth will continue to engage and stay relevant so we are well positioned for success in the future.”
Staying true to her values, Sansevero serves in multiple areas across campus that immediately impact and create a transformative experience for the student-athlete. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education, a member of the University's Enrollment Planning Committee, and serves on the President's Advisory Council on Diversity & Inclusion. She has helped organize Monmouth’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day event, the department's Pride Night celebration and Black History Month programming. Sansevero worked to secure funding to send Monmouth student-athletes to the 2023 Black Student-Athlete Summit hosted on the campus of the University of Southern California.
Passionate about student-athlete holistic development, Sansevero prioritizes student-athlete mental health and well-being, creating the Behavioral Health and Wellness department for athletics, including the position of Sports Behavioral Health Specialist at the end of 2022. In Monmouth's first season in the CAA, Sansevero supervised both women's soccer and women's basketball, which won CAA regular season and tournament titles, respectively.
This past fall, her first in leading the department, Sansevero saw the Hawks compete across the board with regular season championships in field hockey and men’s soccer. In addition to those two teams advancing to the CAA title games, Monmouth’s women’s soccer program also battled in the CAA Championship match. Prior to the start of the spring seasons, Sansevero oversaw the completion of new FieldTurf installation at Kessler Stadium and on Hesse Field. Branding enhancements inside the Monmouth University Fitness Center, in collaboration with the University Marketing and Communications Department, have enhanced that space for students, staff, and faculty alike. Monmouth’s brand visibility has expanded under Sansevero’s direction this year with 28 home games through the fall and winter seasons airing on linear TV networks such as SNY and NBCSports Philadelphia. A total of 37 Monmouth games have been broadcast, including nationally televised road contests on CBS Sports Network and FS1.
Prior to her arrival at Monmouth, Sansevero spent the previous four years as the Associate Athletic Director for Equity, Inclusion and Compliance/SWA at Wagner. With the Seahawks, Sansevero served as a member of the Director of Athletics' Executive Staff, was the department liaison with General Counsel, the NCAA and Human Resources, as well as managed all aspects of the compliance department. In addition, Sansevero oversaw the Wagner Sport Performance department, including Strength & Conditioning, Athletic Training, Sport Nutrition, Sport Psychology and Sport Science. Sansevero also established the Sport Administration major at Wagner, while holding sport supervision responsibilities for the men's lacrosse, softball and tennis programs.
Prior to her arrival at Wagner, Sanservero spent the previous 15 months as a Social Studies Teacher/Head Varsity Softball Coach at High Point Central High School in High Point, NC. Prior to that, she spent four-plus years as Associate Athletic Director for Academics & Student Development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).
During her tenure at UNCG, from 2012-2016, Sansevero provided oversight and management of all areas within the Spartans' academic and student development programs, including personnel, budget, scheduling, and event management. In addition, her duties entailed ensuring academic compliance, eligibility certification, and degree/graduation progress for all student-athletes.
Sansevero is a former softball standout at Mount St. Mary's College, where she later worked from 2008-12, in the role of Assistant Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance/Senior Woman Administrator. In this capacity, Sansevero ensured the Mount's compliance with NCAA and NEC rules and regulations related to all facets of the athletic department. She also oversaw the university's academic support services for student-athletes and had sport oversight.
During her time at the Mount, Sansevero was also an Assistant Softball Coach for the Mountaineers, as well as an Adjunct Professor, where she taught courses in sport management, business and legal studies.
Her work experience also includes a five-year stint (2003-08) as a Law Clerk for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at USA Medical Research and Materiel Command in Fort Detrick, MD.
Prior to embarking on her student-athlete career at Mount St. Mary's, the Hazlet, NJ native starred at Raritan High School. A team captain for the Mountaineers as a senior, Sansevero earned 2003 Second-Team All-NEC honors as a designated player in her junior season.
Sansevero earned a bachelor of arts degree from The Mount in 2004, where she was a Cum Laude student with a major in Political Science and a Minor in History. In 2008, she earned a Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law.
