Kelly Quigley ’18, a former student-athlete and a graduate of the sport management program, reflects on her path to becoming head of international partnerships for the Swansea City Football Club.
October 3, 2024
For Kelly Quigley ’18, her career path has been a whirlwind of opportunities, from small, nonprofit sports organizations to leadership roles at the professional level. Even in her current position as head of international partnerships for the Swansea City Football Club in Wales, part of English football’s Championship League, her connection to her alma mater remains strong.
Kelly says her professional journey really began during her senior year. “I was working alongside the director of athletics for compliance at Yale, with her overall scope and day-to-day tasking, including managing relationships with all the teams,” Kelly recalls.
This, along with a handful of other internships, opened the door to her first role after graduation with U.S. Youth Soccer as the marketing and communications coordinator for the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association. “I was doing everything from social media marketing to event operations and facilitating new partnerships with our executive director. It was a really fulfilling position.”
As Kelly’s responsibilities expanded, so did her ambition. After her experience as the director of marketing and sponsorship at Edge Sports Group, Kelly joined The Tournament, home of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) and The Soccer Tournament (TST) as seen on ESPN.
“Through my experiences at TST, I had the pleasure of working with Swansea City as their main point of contact for our 2024 event,” Kelly explains, “It was great to get to know the staff and club as a whole, which ultimately led to the opportunity to join their commercial team.”
‘It felt like the perfect fit’
Growing up, Kelly’s passion for football (soccer) was evident from an early age. “I started playing when I was 4 or 5, and I’ve loved it ever since,” she says.
This early passion is what focused her college search back in high school. “The University of New Haven has a renowned sport management department, globally recognized, as well as a promising athletics program. It felt like the perfect fit,” said Kelly, who was a four-year member and captain of the Chargers women’s soccer team.
Her degree and growing resume allowed her to explore various avenues in sport, including opportunities in baseball, hockey, and basketball at the youth, amateur and professional levels. “With each of those experiences, I have landed where I am today. It’s an understatement to say that this current role is a dream job for me.”
‘It’s about finding and growing new partnerships’
As the head of a new division focused on international partnerships, Kelly’s tasked with facilitating the club’s expansion beyond Wales and the UK – specifically into the U.S. market.
“With where football (soccer) is headed in the States – the growing investment, the increased attention to player development, and the upcoming competitions such as the 2026 World Cup – we feel now is the time to think about the club’s presence here, primarily at the grassroots and community levels,” she says. “I’m excited to get started and to see what we can accomplish.”
‘Having that backing from the University has been key’
Reflecting on her time at the University of New Haven, Kelly credits much of her success to the relationships she built with her professors. “The faculty at the University of New Haven were essential to me,” she says. “I had a great relationship with my professors and advisers, including Dr. Mumcu.
“They were always available to me and provided a strong support system,” Kelly notes. “For me, that was critical in my early years post-grad.”
Kelly also values the Chargers alumni network. “There’s strong and consistent communication amongst alumni,” she says. “Anyone currently in the industry will tell you that it can be demanding in a variety of ways, and having a strong network of people is extremely helpful.
“The relationships I’ve managed to keep from my time at the University have been key,” Kelly continues. “I always try to be supportive to current and former Chargers who reach out, sharing opportunities at the companies I am with at the time. Many of us do that for one another.”
‘Reminding yourself that you belong here is important ‘
“Still being on the younger side and being a woman, you might be looked at as not having enough experience yet, that you don’t know enough about a certain sport or topic,” Kelly acknowledges. “But reminding yourself that you belong in this field is important. Consistent hard work and collaborating well with others is highly valued and eventually it does get noticed.”
Her connections to the University of New Haven helped her develop her confidence. “There have been moments recently when Dr. Mumcu or others asked me to be on panel discussions for sports-industry events. These are still ‘wow’ moments for me when I look at who I’m in company with,” Kelly recalls. “These are the times when I realize I must be doing something right.”
With each new role, Kelly has continued to push herself to step out of her comfort zone. “You need to be mindful that there’s always more to learn, and that you don’t know everything. No one does,” she says. “But you also need to trust that you have that seat at the table for a reason. You’ve earned it.”