Staff

Patti Adorna

Founder/Recruiting Specialist & Lecturer

Patti was a fixture in college athletics for nearly 30 years before founding Turn 2 Sports Consulting. Her experience included playing, coaching, administrating, and now consulting. She commands a thorough understanding of NCAA academic & eligibility requirements and compliance. She has counseled, mentored, and inspired thousands of student-athletes at the high school and collegiate levels for three decades. As both a NCAA Division I Head Coach and Associate Athletics Director, Patti has guided and assisted student-athletes in achieving their goals and making their dreams come true. Uniquely qualified, her four years as a NCAA Division 1 student-athlete gives her insight and perspective into the pressures and challenges that serious student-athletes face. She has walked the walk and speaks solely from experience. Patti was also a high school coach for 6 years and spent 11 years as one of the most respected high school basketball officials in the region. Patti knows what it takes to excel in the classroom, as well as in the sports arena. She designed & directed a Division 1 Academic Support Program for nearly 500 athletes while possessing extensive experience in both academic & career counseling. Patti also led & directed the SAAC program & was an NCAA Lifeskills Facilitator responsible for leadership training for student-athletes at the national level. She founded Turn 2 Sports Consulting in 2007 and has quickly risen to one of the top college recruiting agencies in the region. An accomplished consultant, coach, presenter & speaker, Patti brings a dynamic & engaging approach to recruiting education. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from Rutgers University and holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Teaching from Monmouth University.

Ellie Nicholas

Management Team

Director of Marketing and Promotion. An outstanding 3-sport athlete at South Brunswick High School. Holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rutgers University.

Dawn Marino-Smith

Director of Marketing & Social Media

Dawn knows first-hand what it's like to be a highly touted high school athlete making the transition to Division I college athletics. A standout softball player at Middletown High School South, Dawn was one of the few student-athletes to be named to All- Shore, All-County & All- State Softball Teams. She continued her softball career at Monmouth University where she was a four-year starter. She was named Northeast Conference Player of the Year and earned Northeast Conference First Team All-Conference honors. Many of the records Dawn set during her illustrious softball career at Monmouth University still stand today. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and an AAS in Physical Therapy. In 2012, Dawn was inducted into the Monmouth University Hall of Fame.