Bio

Jessica Chapin was elevated to lead the American International College Department of Athletics on January 1, 2020. In her role as Director of Athletics, Chapin oversees he day-to-day business of the athletic department and its 26 programs.

Under Chapin’s leadership, the Department has had sustained success. Perhaps the most notable achievement is the addition of the men’s volleyball and acrobatics & tumbling programs to AIC’s athletic offerings. On-field success in her first two seasons include back-to-back-to-back Atlantic Hockey Association titles for the ice hockey team and an appearance in the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Division I Tournament, the Northeast-10 Conference regular season and tournament titles in women’s volleyball, two individual NCAA Division II National Championships for men’s cross country and track and field and the first-ever Northeast-10 women’s cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and field championships in program history, and the NIRA Championship in women’s rugby.

Overall, AIC finished 19^th in the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings in 2021-22, the highest finish in the East Region and in AIC’s history.

Her leadership also spurred on incredible fundraising accomplishments. The College’s 2021 Athletics Giving Week raised $197,515, an increase of 111 percent over the prior year, and the 1,141 individual donors was an increase from 2020 of 135 percent. Under her leadership, additional funds were raised to renovate the football locker room and the men’s basketball locker room, the latter of which was named after the late Frank Oppedisano ’67, as well as to resurface Ronald J. Abdow Field for the first time since the turf was installed in 2009. AIC also revamped its Rex’s Pantry program.

On a regional and national level, Chapin is a member of NACDA and Women Leaders in College Sports. Her experience and expertise has led to a number of major roles on a wider scale; she currently is serving on the East Regional Advisory Committee for women’s volleyball and the NCAA DII Committee on Infractions. She also is the Chair of the Executive Committee for the Atlantic Hockey Association.

Chapin was originally hired as the department's compliance coordinator in 2014, and she was named Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance in the fall of 2015. In that role, she served as the liaison between the Institution and NCAA services as well as the Northeast-10 Conference. Her responsibilities also included education for administration, coaches, and boosters on NCAA rules and regulations, and overseeing all compliance issues, including eligibility, transfer processes, waiver requests, and more. Her compliance responsibility also kept her involved in the Institution's Academic Progress Rate (APR) monitoring and Title IX compliance, a fact reflected in her designation as the College’s Deputy Title IX Coordinator.

In March 2017, Chapin was appointed to the NCAA Division II Management Council. As part of her commitment, Chapin served on the NCAA Research Committee, National Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Legislation Committee, Olympic Sport and the Committee on Infractions. Less than a year later, Chapin’s title was elevated to Associate Athletic Director.

Chapin began her professional career as the assistant women’s basketball coach at Western New England University from 2010-2014, where she assisted in all facets of the program.  While coaching, Chapin worked as a manager and national sales representative at Ruggers Rugby Supply. 

A native of Mendon, New York, Chapin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and health, science and social policy from Brandeis University in 2010.  While at Brandeis, Chapin was a two-year captain and All-American on the women’s basketball team. Chapin earned her Master of Science in athletic administration from Springfield College in 2013.  While at Springfield College, Chapin completed her thesis concerning Academic Reform in Athletics.