NEW YORK – Tracy Ellis-Ward has been named the BIG EAST Conference's Associate Commissioner for Women's Basketball, as announced by Commissioner Val Ackerman. Ellis-Ward comes to the BIG EAST from the UMass Lowell, most recently serving as Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations and Senior Woman Administrator.
 
At the BIG EAST, Ellis-Ward will be responsible for developing a long-term strategic plan for the growth of BIG EAST women's basketball, while serving as the Conference's primary, day-to-day administrator for the sport. She will develop the regular-season schedule in conjunction with FOX Sports, the BIG EAST's exclusive broadcasting partner, and oversee planning and management of the BIG EAST Women's Basketball Tournament. Her start date at the BIG EAST Conference's office in New York City will be May 12.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Tracy to the BIG EAST Conference," said Commissioner Ackerman.  "Her basketball background and extensive experience in sports administration will be of great value as we look to maintain nationally competitive women's basketball programs for our student-athletes and schools."
 
At UMass Lowell, Ellis-Ward's duties included oversight of the women's basketball program along with four other sports, Title IX Deputy, NCAA Institutional Performance Program liaison for UMass Lowell's reclassification to Division I and management over all athletic department business functions.  She has had a long career in athletics administration, including stops at Ohio University (1991-92), Michigan State (1993-2000) and the WNBA (2000-05), where she oversaw basketball operations and worked alongside Ackerman.
 
"I'm excited to be part of the BIG EAST Conference and have the ability to play an integral role in growing women's basketball," said Ellis-Ward. "My experiences on a college campus will bode well in understanding some of the challenges that our schools are facing today. Knowing that Commissioner Ackerman is a huge advocate of women's basketball is definitely an asset, in having worked with her before, and it is really a privilege to be able to do that again."
 
Additionally, Ellis-Ward has worked for the University of Missouri, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Northwest Basketball Camps in Spokane, Wash., and Gonzaga University, where she served as director of the Multicultural Education Center (2009-13).  Ellis-Ward graduated with a B.A. in Art from the University of Missouri where she was an All-American on the women's basketball team.  She received her master's in Sports Administration from Ohio University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga.