Middlebury has announced the hiring of Elissa Chojnicki as an assistant women's basketball coach. Chojnicki joins the Panthers after spending the last two seasons in a similar role at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

"We are excited for Elissa to join us in the Middlebury women's basketball program," said head coach KJ Krasco. "Her energy, attitude and enthusiasm for wanting to become part of the Middlebury athletic community stood out to all of us. She is passionate about helping our players develop as people on and off the court. Her attention to detail, basketball IQ and experience in recruiting both the East and West Coasts will help us continue building a championship culture."

"I am honored and privileged to be joining Middlebury's athletic community," said Chojnicki. "From the moment I stepped onto campus, I could feel how wonderfully special this storied institution is, and I am truly thankful to KJ [Krasco], the women's basketball team and the entire search committee for this opportunity. I am very much looking forward to next season with this talented and exceptional group of student-athletes."

During her two-year stint with the Penmen, Chojnicki was responsible for producing scouting reports, designing in-game strategies, organizing pre- and post-season workouts, managing and creating digital content for the team's social media pages and developing leadership among team captains and veterans. She also aided with scouting potential talent through video breakdowns and in-person evaluations.

Before joining SNHU, Chojnicki pursued a career in film and television. She held numerous freelance positions in the Boston area, aiding the production of several award-winning films, including three Oscar-nominated movies.

Preceding her freelance employment were a pair of positions within Rogue Rocket Productions in Los Angeles, California. Chojnicki began as a writer and researcher in 2018 before being elevated to associate producer the following year.

Chojnicki commenced her coaching career at the California Institute of Technology as an assistant coach and East Coast recruiter. She directed individual and group practice activities, scouted potential recruits and aided with the organization of conditioning and skill development.

At the youth level, Chojnicki is a camp program director for NH Hoop Skills in Manchester, New Hampshire, the state's largest girls-only summer basketball camp serving ages 7-16. She also serves as a youth basketball coach with N'Zone Sports, helping develop practice plans and coaching to build individual skills for children ages 5-16.

A four-year starter on the Emerson College women's basketball team, Chojnicki was a two-time Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Academic Team selection. She completed both a bachelor's degree in marketing communication and a master's degree in communication management at Emerson.