IRVINE, Calif. (August 10, 2021) – The Big West has announced Jessica Lantz as the Director of Strategic Communications.
In her role, Lantz will lead The Big West’s communications team by creating and executing an overall strategic communications plan for all 18 Big West sports that places the league at the forefront of thought leadership by adding innovative best practices and technologies to traditional means of engagement.
“I am excited to welcome Jessica Lantz to The Big West,” Commissioner Dan Butterly said. “Her skills and significant experience in blending new technologies with more traditional communication and record keeping methods will undoubtedly lead our communications efforts in a bold new direction. Her enthusiasm, drive and leadership will enhance our storytelling capabilities and elevate The Big West brand overall.”
Lantz comes to The Big West after serving in a similar role at the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the nation’s most successful conference in NCAA Division II athletics. As the Director of Communications for the CCAA, Lantz directed and executed all external and digital media strategies to highlight all 13 conference-sponsored sports and 12 member-institutions.
Along with all traditional communications efforts, Lantz helped launch the CCAA Network to provide uniform digital streaming across the conference landscape. She also played an instrumental role in delivering successful annual conference championships events while also executing the conference awards programs.
Prior to joining the CCAA, Lantz spent five years at the University of San Francisco athletics department, starting as an Assistant Director of Communications and quickly moving up the ranks to Director of Content and Digital Strategy. While with the Dons, she assisted in organizing the efforts of the 15-sport NCAA Division I program, and helped the Dons facilitate a shift to become more social and digital media minded in the ever-changing landscape of athletics communications, producing exponential growth across the USF digital portfolio.
Previous to USF, Lantz enjoyed stops at the Northern California Golf Association, Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma City University. She began her career in collegiate athletics in 2009 after exploring opportunities in the fields of aerospace, travel, retail and vocational education administration before returning to her first love of sports. Lantz earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Oklahoma State in 2000 and completed her master’s in collegiate athletics from USF in 2015.
“I am thrilled to be taking a truly bold step forward as part of the team at The Big West,” said Lantz. “I look forward to amplifying the voices of the student-athletes, alumni and staff in fresh and creative ways to position The Big West as a leader on and off the fields and courts of play.”
She is set to join The Big West effective Aug. 16, 2021.
About The Big West
The Big West is an NCAA Division I member with 11 members with the shared goal of empowering every student-athlete in competition and in life and uniting its university communities through championship experiences. Formed in 1969, The Big West membership, consists of Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The Big West is united in the pursuit of boundless opportunities, enduring integrity, bold activism, fearless innovation and the pacific spirit of freedom, exploration and progress.
The Big West sponsors 18 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and women’s water polo.
For more information, visit BigWest.org or follow The Big West on Twitter @BigWestSports and @BigWestHoops.