With over 20 years of experience in academia, sports science & performance research, and administrative leadership with national sports governing bodies, Dr. Jason Vescovi has been named the new director of USA Lacrosse’s Center for Sport Science.
In addition to coordinating all activities related to the Center, which serves as a national hub for the study of athlete health and performance, Vescovi will serve as USA Lacrosse’s advisor on matters related to health, safety, and risk mitigation. He will also oversee the Abuse Prevention Program and serve as the organization’s liaison with the volunteers who comprise the USA Lacrosse Sports Science & Safety Committee.
“Beyond his outstanding qualifications, our search committee found Jason to be personable, confident-yet-humble, articulate, and well-versed on USA Lacrosse and the sport,” said Ann Carpenetti, vice-president of lacrosse operations at USA Lacrosse. “Many of his references and former colleagues that we spoke to reinforced the same attributes about Jason that were clearly evident during our interview process, namely that he is a good listener, hard-working, adaptable, open to learning, reliable, innovative, and gets the job done without ego. He will be a wonderful fit within our organization.”
With dual citizenship in the United States and Canada, Vescovi comes to USA Lacrosse after spending nearly a decade working for several national sport organizations (NSO) in Canada, including archery, tennis, cricket, field hockey, and skating. During this time, he also held an appointment in the faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, and more recently the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, at the University of Toronto. Two of his more recent projects involved overseeing an interdepartmental sports analytics initiative and conducting an examination of equity, diversity, and inclusion within the sports analytics profession.
Prior to his work with NSOs, Vescovi spent a decade in academia doing research on applied topics, primarily related to female athletes’ performance and health. This research involved organizations like the NCAA, US Soccer Federation, Canada Soccer, and Rugby Canada.
In addition to his PhD from the University of Connecticut (Department of Kinesiology), Vescovi holds a MS from George Washington University’s School of Public Heath, and a BS from James Madison University in kinesiology and recreational studies.
Vescovi officially begins his duties at USA Lacrosse on August 9.
