Daniel Forcella - Assistant A.D./Creative Strategy and Communications - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Daniel Forcella

Title:
Assistant A.D./Creative Strategy and Communications
Email:
Phone:
984-363-0621

Daniel Forcella joined the UNC Athletic Department in January of 2024 and serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Creative Strategy and Communications, helping to lead Carolina story telling through strategic communication, creative content, and media relations.

Forcella came to Chapel Hill after a year and a half at FIU in Miami, leading all marketing, communications, creative content, and broadcasting efforts for the Panthers as Senior Associate AD for Brand Advancement.

Prior to that, he spent seven years over two separate stretches in the athletics department at UCF, leaving as Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications, where he oversaw a staff responsible for the public relations, social media engagement, and digital messaging for the Knights’ 16-sport department.

Forcella started at UCF in 2014 as Associate Director, and after a year away as Assistant Athletic Director for Communications at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, he rejoined the Knights in 2016 Director of Strategic Communications. During his time in Orlando, he was elevated to Assistant Athletic Director and eventually Associate Athletic Director, working directly with UCF’s men’s basketball and football programs.

Forcella helped lead the media relations and communication efforts for some of UCF's biggest moments in program history, including the football team's 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory and appearance in the 2019 Playstation Fiesta Bowl, as well as the men's basketball team's 2019 NCAA Tournament run and near upset over top-seeded Duke and 2017 NIT run to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

During his one year away from Orlando, Forcella was responsible for all public and media relations efforts at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications. Serving as the spokesperson for the department, he was also responsible for the management of all digital and social media endeavors, including live and on-demand video on the Islanders Digital Network.

Forcella started his career as a student intern at Vassar College, where he was also captain of the men's basketball team. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar in 2008, Forcella spent two years as Assistant Sports Information Director at Central Connecticut State University, handling 11 sports for the Blue Devils.

He then moved on to the role of Athletics Media Relations Graduate Assistant at Belmont University, working with the men's soccer, cross country, and baseball teams. In both 2011 and 2012, Forcella aided in the promotion of the Bruins’ baseball team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Forcella also interned at Vanderbilt University, working primarily with the Commodores' men's and women's basketball teams and the football program. He earned his Master of Sport Administration degree from Belmont in 2012.

Prior to his first stint with the Knights, Forcella spent two seasons at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, as Assistant Director of Athletic Communications. He was the primary contact for seven sports, including men's basketball, while with the Hatters.

He and his wife Samantha reside in Chapel Hill with their two sons, Griffin and Everett.