Matt Pellegrino Named Recipient of the NCS4 Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award
Thu, 06/12/2025 - 09:09am | By: NCS4 Staff
Matt Pellegrino will be recognized with the Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award at the 2025 National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition on June 30-July 2 in San Antonio, TX. The event is presented annually by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at The University of Southern Mississippi.
The Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes a professional whose career includes multiple achievements and contributions to sports safety and security. The recipient’s service, commitment, ingenuity, and integrity must have elevated the profession to new levels to warrant this prestigious honor.
“Matt is a worthy recipient of this prestigious award for his leadership across multiple sports leagues and major events in the United States,” said Dr. Stacey Hall, NCS4 executive director and professor of sports management. “He is highly respected in the sport safety and security field, and we thank him for his contributions in advancing the industry.”
Pellegrino serves as the vice president of operations and match day security for New York City FC, bringing experience and leadership overseeing all event operations and security logistics to ensure a seamless match day execution. With over 20 years’ experience in the sports industry, Matt has worked for both MLS and the NFL and has been involved with major sports events including the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff Championship, MLS Cup, MLS All-Star Game, and Gold Cup. Pellegrino is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.
“I’m humbled to receive the Milton E. Ahlerich Distinguished Leadership Award and grateful to NCS4 and my industry peers for this recognition,” said Pellegrino. “To be listed among past recipients—true titans of our field—is a tremendous honor. I’ve been blessed throughout my career to work with some of the best in the sports industry, and I’m especially thankful to my team and staff whose dedication and support make everything possible.”
Pellegrino will be recognized at the awards luncheon during the conference. The luncheon is sponsored by Evolv Technology, which provides weapons detection systems for security screening.
Click here for more information about the conference and to register. Click here for more information about the awards.
About the 16th Annual Conference
The National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, sponsored by CSA360
Software, will take place June 30-July 2, 2025, at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill
Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas. The conference will attract more than 500 attendees
and 70 exhibitors representing professional sports, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic
athletics, marathon and endurance events, sports and entertainment facilities, and
those who provide safety and security products and services to the industry. Visit
the conference website for more information.
About NCS4
Established in 2006, the NCS4 is the nation’s only academic center devoted to the study and practice of sports safety and security. The NCS4 is partially underwritten by grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NCS4 mission focuses on three key pillars – Training and Education, Research, and Outreach. Click here for more information about NCS4, call 601.266.6183.