Jessica Grasso enters the 2026-27 academic year as her third year as the ECC Commissioner, after being named in April 2024. Grasso is the sixth commissioner in the history of the ECC.
Throughout her time, Grasso has worked to improve overall operations of the conference, including but not limited to; championships enhancements, governance and compliance structure, membership collaboration, and outside partnerships including uniting with FloSports to broadcast all ECC athletic events on the national platform. Grasso will continue that momentum by elevating marketing and branding efforts, establishing new partnerships, implementing a new Strategic Plan, and continue to focus on providing positive ECC Championships. Grasso also currently serves as the Vice Chair of the D2 Membership Committee.
Identified as an emerging leader in intercollegiate athletics, Grasso came to the ECC after nine years with the Metro Conference as the Deputy Commissioner / SWA. In her role, she served as the CFO and was responsible for all financial matters, long-range financial planning, audits, and conference business operations. She also provided executive oversight for men's and women's basketball, supported ESPN and ESPN+ broadcast operations, managed championship administration, worked with corporate partners to maximize sponsorship activation and revenue opportunities, oversaw NCAA and Conference compliance operations, and served as human recources manager.
In October 2026, Grasso completed Korn Ferry Leadership U for Humanity, which aims to help professionals, career builders, and community leaders to strengthen their management skills, build a personal brand, and unlock their leadership potential. Grasso has also participated in various NCAA and WLS programming, including Women Leaders in Sports (WLS) Executive Institute (2023), the President/Search Firm Roundtable (2022), NCAA Pathway Program (2021), TopConnectAD Leadership Symposium (2020), NCAA Achieving Communication Success Workshop (2017), NCAA Women’s Basketball Mock Selection Exercise (2017), WLS Leadership Enhancement Institute (2016), NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum (2016), and the WLS Institute for Administrative Advancement Program (2009).
Grasso is an active member of Women Leaders in Sports (WLS), having previously served on the WLS Education and Professional Committee, Awards Committee, and Mentoring Program. Grasso was also a former member of the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Committee and NCAA Division I Rowing Committee.
Prior to the MAAC, Grasso served as the Associate Athletics Director of Compliance and Internal Operations at American University, with previous stops at Providence College as the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance/Student-Athlete Services and Saint Peter’s University as the Assistant Director of Athletics/Compliance Officer/Senior Woman Administrator.
Grasso is an alumna of ECC-member school Molloy University in Rockville Centre, New York, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business management and was also a member of the varsity basketball team. Furhtermore, she completed a master’s degree in physical education with a concentration in sports management from Adelphi University.
Grasso currently resides in Colonia, New Jersey, with her husband, Anthony, and daughter, Savanna.