Bio

Monica Gordy Polizzi was named the Assistant Athletic Director at Mars Hill University in June, 2019. She serves as the institution’s Director of NCAA Compliance and remains serving as the school’s Senior Woman Administrator. In addition to compliance, Polizzi oversees much of the department’s internal operations, including team travel, event ticketing, facility scheduling and budget oversight for women’s sports teams.

Polizzi also serves at the co-advisor to MHU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Polizzi is active within the Mars Hill University campus community. She currently represents the Athletics Department on the QEP Steering Committee, and previously served as the athletics liaison on the Staff Personnel Committee from 2013-2021. In 2021, Polizzi was selected as co-advisor to the prestigious Blackwell Scholars, serving as a leadership mentor to the first cohort of scholarship recipients. Additionally, Polizzi serves as an adjunct instructor in both the Health and Human Performance and Honors departments.

In addition to her activity on campus, Polizzi is dedicated to service both at the South Atlantic Conference and NCAA levels. In 2019, Polizzi was selected to serve on the NCAA Division II National Football Committee. She is the first woman to serve in this capacity. She is Co-Chair of Super Region II and oversees the Regional Advisory Committee for SR2.

At the conference level, Polizzi serves as the SWA liaison to the football coaches committee. She also serves as a member of the SAC Competition and Scheduling Committee and represents Mars Hill University as its SWA liaison on the AD Council.

Polizzi is an active member of Women Leaders in College Sports, NACDA, and NAAC.

Prior to her transition to administration, Polizzi was Mars Hill University’s Head Softball Coach from 2011-2019. During her tenure as MHU’s softball coach, her teams consistently earned the highest team GPA within the athletics department. Polizzi coached two athletes who earned All-American honors (Jamie Hockaday, Natalie Haithcox) and numerous SAC All-Conference team members. In addition, Polizzi coached the SAC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2014 and 2015 (Robyn Stanek). Polizzi’s student-athletes are predominant in the Lion record books. Offensively, the Lions consistently led the South Atlantic Conference in homeruns, slugging percentage and batting average during Polizzi’s tenure. In Polizzi’s final season as head softball coach, the Lions posted a 25-18 record and shattered numerous offensive records, some of which were previously set by Polizzi’s athletes.

Polizzi came to Mars Hill from Louisburg College where she served the school's head softball coach for four years. While at Louisburg, her teams annually posted the highest GPA on campus with an average of 3.45. She had seven team members in Phi Theta Kappa as well as 15 scholar athletes. On the field, Polizzi guided her squad to consecutive winning seasons during the last two years. She also developed the 2010 and 2011 Region X Player of the Year and to go along with five Region X All-Conference players.

Polizzi's stints as an assistant coach came at Upper Iowa University in 2007-08 and Wayne State College in 2006-07.

Polizzi played softball at Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) from 2000-04. A four-year starter at three different positions (second base, catcher, and designated player), she was named co-captain of the squad during her junior and senior seasons. On the diamond, Polizzi was named the 2004 Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). She holds the school records for career homeruns, single-season and career batting average and single-season and career RBIs. Off the diamond, Polizzi served on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.

Polizzi earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology in May 2004 from FIT. She received her master's degree in Coaching Education in 2013 from The Ohio University.

Polizzi currently resides in Mars Hill with her husband Justin Polizzi and two French bulldogs, Bruiser and Monty.