Hall of Fame
From 1995-1999, Ms. Jennifer Tuscano proved to be one of the most prolific scorers in Pitt-Johnstown history, finishing her career with 1,396 points, while helping to lead Head Coach Jodi Gault’s Lady Cat basketball team to a pair of NCAA Division II Regional Tournament berths.
Ms. Tuscano, a three-sport standout who tallied 2,236 points on the basketball court at Meyersdale Area High School, joined the Lady Cat program for the 1995-96 and got her first taste of NCAA post-season action when Pitt-Johnstown made its 11th appearance in the tournament.
The following year, Ms. Tuscano led the Lady Cats in scoring at 19.8 points per game, including a 42-point performance against California (PA) that tied fellow Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Denise Gallo’s single-game scoring record.
As a junior in 1997-98, Ms. Tuscano averaged 14 points per game to lead the team for the second consecutive season and became the 21st Lady Cat to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau.
Ms. Tuscano then closed out her career by joining teammate Carrie Thomas to form the “Killer T’s” and guide Pitt-Johnstown to an 11-0 start, the top-ranking in the East Region, and the program’s 12th appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament. Ms. Tuscano, tabbed the Most Valuable Player at the Carson-Newman (TN) Tournament, averaged 13.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
She wrapped-up her stellar Lady Cat career ranked 10th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,396 points, and currently sits 13th all-time.
Ms. Tuscano graduated from Pitt-Johnstown in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education, before earning her Master of Science Degree in Sport Management at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2007.
In 2000, Ms. Tuscano became the Director of Athletics at her Alma Mater Meyersdale Area High School, before accepting a position with the University of Pittsburgh as an Academic Advisor and later the Assistant Director in the Academic Support Service for Student-Athletes Office in 2004.
Ms. Tuscano continued to work her way up, and in 2015, she was named Senior Women’s Administrator and Associate Athletic Director directly responsible for the oversight and daily guidance to teams and coaches regarding management, administration, operations, compliance, etc.
From 2020 to 2022 she was Pitt’s Senior Associate Athletics Director, before being promoted once again. This time to Executive Associate Athletics Director where she is in charge of oversight and daily guidance to teams and coaches regarding management, administration, operations, compliance, etc.
In her tenure at Pitt, she has overseen NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships, including the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 2019 and Women’s Basketball Championships in 2007 and 2010 and the ACC Softball Championships in 2022.
Ms. Tuscano, a member of several committees and organizations, earned the University of Pittsburgh Athletics Charles S. Miller Award (2009), Gold Standard Softball Administrator of the Year (2019) and Gold Standard Leader Award (2023).She was also named SportsPITTSBURGH Partner of the Year in 2020 and the East Atlantic Region Gymnastics League Administrator of the Year in 2021.
Ms. Tuscano, a native of Meyersdale, Pa., currently resides in Pittsburgh.
“I am both honored and humbled to join not only an extraordinary group of Lady Cats previously inducted into the Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame but all current and former inductees who have etched their mark on Pitt-Johnstown Athletics,” Ms. Tuscano said. “When I reflect on my time spent at Pitt-Johnstown as a student-athlete, I’m grateful for the strong commitment to family and team that laid the foundation for leadership and success. The impact and lasting relationships that Pitt-Johnstown has had on my development as a person, athlete, and professional will be with me forever. This honor is a true recognition of my family, friends, teammates, coaches, and the Pitt-Johnstown campus community who have supported me in all my endeavors.”
