University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Development and Varsity Letter Club
Giana Pellizzon joined the University of Pittsburgh Athletics staff in May 2026 as Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development and Varsity Letter Club. In her role, Pellizzon supports the holistic development of student-athletes through the Cathy & John Pelusi Family Life Skills Program, leading leadership programming, career readiness and personal development initiatives while enhancing the overall student-athlete experience at Pitt. She also supports engagement efforts for the Varsity Letter Club, fostering meaningful connections between former student-athletes and the Pitt Athletics community.
Prior to joining Pitt, Pellizzon served as assistant athletic director of student-athlete development & NIL at Western Kentucky University Athletics, where she oversaw leadership, career development and community engagement programming for more than 400 student-athletes across 13 sport programs. She led WKU's Leadership Academy, managed community service and career development initiatives, and created and oversaw a student-athlete-led podcast designed to provide athletes a platform to share their stories. In recognition of her impact on student-athlete development and departmental leadership, she was named Western Kentucky Athletics Staff Member of the Year for the 2025-26 academic year.
Before WKU, Pellizzon gained experience in professional sports with Athletes First, a premier NFL agency representing elite talent and first-round draft selections.
Pellizzon began her career in collegiate athletics immediately following her time as a student-athlete, transitioning into a graduate assistant role within the University of Tennessee's Tennessee Tailored student-athlete development department while completing her master's degree. Her experience as both a student-athlete and staff member at Tennessee sparked a strong passion for student-athlete development and the opportunity to give back to an environment that shaped her. During her time there, she was mentored by influential leaders and trailblazing women in sport who helped shape her commitment to serving and empowering student-athletes.
Pellizzon earned both her bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media (business administration minor, 2022) and her master's degree in sport management (2023) from the University of Tennessee.
A four-year member and team captain of the Tennessee volleyball program, she was actively involved in student-athlete leadership, serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as both a member and subcommittee chair and being selected to VOLeaders. She also earned recognition on the SEC Academic Honor Roll and SEC Community Service Team.
A native of San Clemente, California, Pellizzon currently resides in the Pittsburgh area.
