Somerset, NJ -- The Northeast Conference has named Ralph Ventre as Assistant Director of Communications, it was announced today by NEC Commissioner Brenda Weare.
Ventre will handle day-to-day conference media relations for football and several other sports, as well assist with conference championships, televised events, league publications and maintenance of the NEC’s website.
“We are fortunate to have Ralph join our communications staff,” said Weare. “He is knowledgable and enthusiastic about his profession and will bring great energy to the position.”
Prior to his arrival at the NEC, Ventre spent the last two years as a Sports Information Assistant at Manhattan College. In that role, he served as primary media contact for a host of sports, including women’s basketball and volleyball, and supervised the office’s staff of student workers. Ventre took on additional responsibilities as a Production Assistant for the Manhattan College Basketball Weekly television show that debuted on SportsNet New York in January, served as Media Relations Coordinator for the MAAC Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field Championships in each of the last two years and assisted with media duties at the 2006 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in Trenton and Bridgeport.
Ventre has worked as a Field Reporter/Writer for PA SportsTicker since 2006, covering numerous sporting events on behalf of the newswire organization, including the U.S. Open Tennis Championships and NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional. He also spent three years as an Administrative Assistant for The Hoop Group from 2001-04.
Ventre was honored with a pair of CoSIDA Excellence in Writing awards for the 2005-06 year, placing second in District I in event coverage and third for general features.
The Lincroft, New Jersey native is a 2005 graduate of Fordham University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. While at Fordham, he served as men’s basketball team manager for three seasons. Ventre was also the recipient of the Patrick Kenneally Memorial Award, presented to the Fordham student who best serves the athletic department in capacities other than athletic participation.
Now entering its 27th season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 11 institutions of higher learning located throughout five states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#22), Baltimore (#24), and Hartford/New Haven (#28). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 21 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic or play-in access to 13 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's, Quinnipiac, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (NY), Saint Francis (PA) and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit www.northeastconference.org.