P.J. Gradowski joined the University of Detroit Mercy in October of 2007 as Assistant Sports Information Director. He was promoted to Senior Assistant SID in June, 2010, Director of Athletic Communications in the summer of 2015 and added Assistant Athletic Director in the winter of 2021.
At Detroit Mercy, Gradowski is the primary contact for men's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's cross country and track and field and men's and women's golf. He also serves as the streaming coordinator for all ESPN3 & ESPN+ broadcasts, including directing and producing all live broadcasts for soccer, lacrosse and softball on ESPN. He was the women's basketball contact from 2010-2015 and has also been the main media contact for tennis and softball during his tenure.
He has won several awards from the College Sports Communicators (formally CoSIDA). In 2024, his article
Kendell On The Chase To Represent Team USA was runner-up in the General Feature/Blog - University Division in District 4 in the
Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest.
In 2023, his article titled
“It’s Time For Women’s Sports With A Capital W Baby” was named the best article in the Social Justice/Diversity & Inclusion category in District 4, while his article
“Finishing Last Never Felt So Good” was runner-up in the General Feature category. In 2014, his feature on Titan women's basketball standout
Senee Shearer was tabbed the Best General Feature in District 4, while in 2016, he won three writing contests as his story on junior women's golfer
Sarah Thompson was tabbed the best Athlete Profile and Story with Video in District 4, while his story on
"Titan Tuesday With Santa Claus" was tabbed the Best Blog in District 4.
In 2024, he once again served as the Media Relations Coordinator for the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in the Midwest Regionals held at Little Caesar's Arena in downtown Detroit. He also served in that capacity in 2018 for the NCAA First & Second round games at LCA. He was the Assistant Media Relations Coordinator for the 2008 Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional and an Assistant Local Media Relations Coordinator for the 2009 Final Four, both hosted by the University of Detroit Mercy at Ford Field.
While at Detroit Mercy, Gradowski helped start the Titans social media efforts with the addition of the Titan YouTube Channel and twitter, along with aiding in facebook, twitter and instagram.
Before coming to Detroit Mercy, Gradowski spent two years in the private field. Prior to that, he worked in the media relations office at Indiana University during the 2004-05 season. At IU, he was the primary contact for women’s soccer, softball and the nationally ranked men’s and women’s track and field program. He also contributed to the media relations efforts for football and men’s and women’s basketball.
Before that, he was an intern in the sports information office at Ohio University. At Ohio, he served as the main contact for women’s volleyball program that advanced to the NCAA Tournament as well as the men’s and women’s swimming and diving and baseball team
The Bronx, New York, native has been a volunteer media relations assistant at a number of championship events, including the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, 2013 AAU Junior Olympic Games and the 2010 Frozen Four held in Detroit, the 2004 and 2006 Motor City Bowl, 2005 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament and the 2002 NCAA Hockey East Regional.
Gradowski is currently an active member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), where he is a member of the Academic All-America committee and a former member of the Goodwill and Wellness committee. In 2015-16, he became part of CoSIDA's first-ever Mentoring Program and is paired with the current President of CoSIDA in Mountain West Conference's Associate Director of Communication Judy Wilson.
He is also a member of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers (NCBWA) and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and serves as an umpire in the Livonia Junior Athletic League (LJAL), Northville Baseball and Softball Association, Greater Canton Youth Baseball Softball Association, Western Suburban Baseball League (WSBL), Kensington Valley Baseball & Softball Association (KVBSA) and the Lakes Athletic Association. From 2021-23, he served as the lead director for the USPBL Network, an independent baseball league located in Utica, Michigan, and in 2024, he became a Topps card representative.
Gradowski is a 2003 graduate of Quinnipiac University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication and a minor in Criminal Justice. At Quinnipiac, he was as a student assistant in the Sports Information Office during his junior and senior year, assisting with the stat crew operations and game management for all varsity sports. He also worked as a team manager for the Bobcats' women's basketball team. Outside of college, he was a sports writer for the Elm City Newspapers.
VOLUNTEER, ADDITIONAL MEDIA RELATIONS EXPERIENCE
2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Midwest Regional
2018 NCAA Men's Basketball First & Second Round
2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Division I Final Four
2013 AAU Junior Olympic Games
2010 NCAA Cross Country Great Lakes Regional
2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Frozen Four
2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Division I Final Four
2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Midwest Regional
2009 Great Western Men's Lacrosse Championship
2006 Motor City Bowl
2005 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Championship
2004 Motor City Bowl
2004 Big Ten Women's Basketball Media Day
2003 Northeast Conference Softball Championship
2003 NCAA Men's Hockey Division I East Regional
2003 Northeast Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
2002 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Hockey Championship
