After twenty years in the sports industry, Tracie Hitz launched Hitz & Branding, LLC in June 2018 to specialize in personal and professional branding in the sports industry and beyond. She continues to work with the NCAA on its women's basketball initiatives, including regular season marketing through the postseason.
Tracie was named Director of Championships & Alliances at the NCAA in October 2013 where she joined the staff in its mission to grow the game of Women’s Basketball. In her first year, she oversaw the 2014 Women’s Final Four sales efforts that led to a sold-out arena in a first-time host city, and the following year she led the charge to record the largest attendance at a Women’s Final Four since 2010.
Tracie came to the national office after working as the Chief Marketing Officer at Old Hat Creative for 3.5 years where she doubled its annual revenue each year working with over 80 professional and collegiate sports organizations.
She was named to the NACMA Board of Directors in 2008 and was the Board advisor from 2010-2013. She has been a member of the UNC Center for Research in Intercollegiate Athletics Board of Advisors and the IUPUI Tourism, Conventions and Event Management Advisory Board since 2015.
She received her bachelorʼs degree in Communication (Journalism) from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in 1997 and her masterʼs degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University in 2003.