Gigantino spent the previous three seasons as director of operations at Northeastern, which discontinued its football program following the 2009 campaign.

Before going to Northeastern, where she served under head coach Rocky Hager, Gigantino worked in the athletics department at Maryland and at the Campus Recreation Center at Georgia Tech. She also served an internship in the New York Jets' college scouting department.

Gigantino received a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and sport management from James Madison in 2004 and then earned her master's degree in sports administration from Georgia State in 2006. She worked with the Dukes' football program while an undergraduate at JMU.