Our Team
Boris Lelchitski
With over thirty years of experience in the sports industry, Boris Lelchitski has established himself as one of the top sports agents in the world. In 1996, Boris founded Sports International Group, and has since managed the careers of numerous high-profile professional basketball players and coaches.
Since then, Boris has developed SIG into one of the most respected and dynamic agencies in the professional basketball world. Specializing in women’s basketball, Boris client list now includes some of the top athletes in the sport. SIG represents over 30 players in the WNBA, including WNBA Champions, Most Valuable Players, All-Stars and Rookies of the Year. Internationally, SIG represents numerous high-profile clients who have won European Championships, Olympic Medals, World Championship Medals as well as Euroleague and Eurocup Club championships.
Boris has developed an incredible reputation in the professional basketball world through his dedication and high level of integrity, as well as the results he gets for his clients. No other agency can come close to the amount of success that SIG has had over the last 15 years. SIGs clients consistently receive top-dollar contracts and are provided with a personal service that is unmatched in the industry. This combination is why SIGs clients are the happiest and most successful in the business. Boris has negotiated record-setting contracts for women’s basketball players and SIG’s women’s basketball clients consistently earn a combined average of over $15 million per season. These proven results are what separate Boris from the competition and place him in an elite category.
Prior to founding SIG, Boris spent the majority of his career coaching in Russia and the United States. While in Russia, he was the head coach of Spartak, St. Petersburg for eleven years. During that span, Spartak was a major competitor in the Euroleague. After coming to the United States, Boris spent three years as Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Heathwood Hall Academy, and five years coaching AAU Basketball in Columbia, South Carolina. During his coaching career, Boris won over 500 games and numerous conference and state championships on the amateur and pro levels.
Boris holds a Master’s Degree in Basketball Coaching from Lesgaft Academy of Physical Education in St. Petersburg, Russia and an associate’s degree in Sports Administration from the University of South Carolina.
Carolina Blanco
No one else has a full time office executive who is an ex-athlete, but most important who is the master of organization, extremely detailed and exceptionally dedicated! Results Driven!
Her experience and expertise with travel details is of utmost importance to our clients and their overseas travel. If there is a problem, she is available to resolve it, three hundred sixty five days a year, twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Her experience and familiarity with giving priority to all of the intangibles that are important to our clients is a huge bonus! She negotiates everything from priority travel arrangements, to scheduling work outs. There is nothing that you cannot ask her and nothing she will not give her all in order to accommodate the needs of all our clients.
In addition, Carolina makes it a point to personally know the players and what their likes and dislikes are. Often taking time out of her day to schedule phone calls to touch base and share her experience and expertise with younger clients. She is totally committed to getting the results desired by our clients.
Carolina has been a part of SIG since 2003, making SIG and its clients part of her family. Her duties go far beyond anything that can be expressed in a brief paragraph; she is an invaluable part of SIG and its success. There is no one else who has been doing it longer, or been doing it better.
Prior to SIG, Carolina was the Director of Women’s Basketball at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was the liaison between the Athletic Department and the Women’s Basketball program. She oversaw day to day operations, budgeting, travel accommodations, and personnel support. Carolina also served as a Media intern for the Washington Mystics.
Carolina holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Communication from Duquesne University.
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
XPosition: Director of Women’s Basketball - WNBA/FIBA Certified Agent
Department: Women's Basketball
Sports International Group, Inc., is very fortunate to have one of the best guards to have ever played the game on board as a WNBA/FIBA certified agent. Growing up in the small, beautiful country of Portugal, Patricia “Ticha” Penicheiro was introduced to basketball by her father and brother when she was just five years old. Immediately hooked on the sport, Ticha spent countless hours on the playground courts proving girls can play sports too. All the teasing and blocking she received as a female playing with her older and stronger male counterparts groomed her for what was to come, which was more than she could have ever imagined.
Before long, Ticha had developed the “American Dream” and decided she wanted to come to the United States and attend a university. After being offered a few full basketball scholarships, Ticha chose to attend Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, VA and in 1994 packed her bags and left her country, her family and her friends to follow her dream.
From 1994 through 1998, Ticha grew as a woman and a basketball player while helping to position ODU back to a place of national recognition as a Top 25 team for the majority of her college career. Seeing her dreams come true before her eyes, Ticha was considered one of the top players in the United States. By 1998, Ticha was a two-time Kodak All-American player and won the prestigious Wade Trophy Award. Inspired to work toward her next career milestone, Ticha followed along with the first season of the WNBA in 1997, ready to make her move.
Upon graduating ODU in 1998, she was quickly drafted as second pick overall and headed to Sacramento, CA to begin her career playing in the best women’s professional basketball league in the world. For the next 12 years, California became Ticha’s home and before the Sacramento Monarchs folded in 2009, they were able to bring a WNBA championship to the city in 2005. Ticha’s next career move was to former rivals, the Los Angeles Sparks where she played two seasons. Then in 2012, she joined the Chicago Sky for her 15th and last season in the WNBA.
Through it all, Ticha is most grateful for the amazing friends she made and has created lifetime memories. “Being European, I loved heading to Europe and continuing to get my passport stamped visiting so many different countries through basketball.”
Ticha had a stellar professional career. Looking back, Ticha has humbly exceeded her expectations in moving across the country from Portugal to America as a young woman. Under her belt are three different WNBA teams, four-time All Star, a first team All League a few times and was able to leave her mark as one of the best passers in the league. Following such a successful and adventurous career, Ticha has finally retired and decided to follow her heart and become a sports agent, “becoming a sports’ agent is something Ive always seen myself doing because it will keep me close to the game I love and I will be able to help players make a smoother transition to the professional basketball world”, Ticha said.
Overall, Ticha brings a depth of knowledge and experience that SIG clients will benefit from.
Lisa Cermignano
Lisa Cermignano comes to SIG with over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, holding positions at Wake Forest University, University of Maryland, University of Illinois, Vanderbilt University , The George WashingtonUniversity, Monmouth University, and Wagner College. She served in various roles such as Director of Basketball Operations, Assistant Coach, and Head Coach.
Cermignano played and graduated from The George Washington University in 1997, where she served as one of their most decorated players in school history. She was inducted into the George Washington Hall of Fame in 2008, following a career in which she led the team to four NCAA appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 1995, and to the Elite Eight in 1997. A member of the 1,000-point club (1,278), Cermignano was a three-year starter and a tri-captain for the 1997-98 season. During her four years of playing, the Colonials posted a record of 103-27.
As a coach, Cermignano has been a part of the NCAA Tournament seven times. All told, she has been a member of 11 NCAA Tournament teams, including four Sweet 16’s (two as a player, two as a coach) and one Elite Eight (as a player).
Lisa was born in Bryn Mawr (PA), however raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Mantua Township, NJ. She was a prep star and the NJ state Gatorade Player of the Year (93) at Gloucester Catholic High School (NJ), where she scored 2,063 points in her high school career, setting the school’s scoring record.
Michael Lelchitski
Michael has been a fully licensed player representative by the National Basketball Players Association since 2008. As the Executive Director of Men’s Basketball and Vice President, Michael has developed SIG into one of the most respected boutique firms in the industry. In 2013, he became the youngest agent in history to represent a top 5 NBA draft pick. Michael’s work continues to establish SIG’s legacy as a unique company that is family-oriented, results-driven, and globally respected.
Prior to joining SIG full-time, Michael spent a year coaching basketball at Blue Ridge School – a nationally ranked preparatory school program in St. George, Virginia.
Michael earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History and International Studies from Sewanee: The University of the South, where he played linebacker for the Tigers football team.
Jacquail Jacox-Knight
Jacquail Jacox-Knight joined Sports International Group in January of 2020 as Assistant Director of Men’s Basketball. A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where he played basketball, Jacquail has established himself as a prominent rising star in the sports world by working with NFL, NBA and MLB professionals since 2013.
Before joining SIG, Jacquail led his own full-service, multi-sport management company, All In One Sports Management. At All In One, Jacquail utilized his corporate and league-wide connections to maximize off-court earning potential and execute charitable strategies for numerous championship athletes. He also gained extensive management experience working under former NBA Champion BJ Armstrong and Naismith Hall of Fame member and Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars.
To Sports International Group and its clients, Jacquail brings passion, dedication, expertise and a reputation of first-class professional athlete management
Sammy Wloszczowski
Sammy joined Sports International Group in early 2012 after moving from Melbourne, Australia, where he has held a variety of roles across the Australian sporting landscape. Sammy has worked in athlete development and welfare across over a dozen professional and Olympic sporting teams.
After completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce/Sports Management, Sammy went on to work at an array of sporting clubs and institutions, including as the Player Development Manager for a professional Australian Rules Football club, and the Athlete Career and Education Advisor at the prestigious Victorian and New South Wales Institutes of Sport.
With a focus and expertise in athlete career development, personal well-being and life balance, Sammy has previously and currently continues to represent several of the finest Australian athletes across multiple sports, including national team members, Olympic gold medallists, Commonwealth Games medallists, and both male and female Olympic basketballers. He possesses FIBA management credentials and a sound understanding of the Australian sporting culture and lifestyle, and subsequently will be coordinating all Australasian programs for Sports International Group, while working to support the career development of SIG clients in their ambitions above and beyond basketball.
He brings to SIG his proven track record of supporting elite-level athletes to achieve their potential both within and beyond their sporting realm.
Jonathan A. Jordan
Jonathan A. Jordan
XPosition: General Counsel and Director of Men’s Basketball Operations
Department: Men's Basketball
Jonathan joined Sports International Group in April 2016 as a Fellow and, using his basketball experience and legal acumen, made an immediate impact. He joined SIG full-time in September of 2016.
As General Counsel and Director of Men’s Basketball Operations, Jonathan is responsible for all legal matters across SIG’s three divisions. He provides legal support to both Men’s and Women’s Basketball through the NBA and WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement and FIBA’s Basketball Arbitral Tribunal. As Director of Men’s Basketball Operations, he provides operational support using his Salary Cap and statistics expertise.
Before joining the SIG team, Jonathan interned and worked with the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, National Basketball Retired Players Association, ESPN color commentator Stephen Howard, and Hottell Family Law Group in Fairfax, Virginia. In addition to his work experience in professional basketball, Jonathan is also a former high school and college athlete. He is currently an assistant boys’ varsity basketball coach at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland.
Jonathan earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management with a minor in Sports Management from Lynchburg College, and a Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School with a certificate in Sports Law. Jonathan is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association.
Chad Wiestling
Recently being acquired and named President of SIG Football in May 2012, Chad comes to the company both highly recommended and respected in the industry by his peers with an incredible wealth of football intelligence.
He is a former captain of the University of Maryland football team where he earned his bachelors degree. While attending graduate school, he coached at his alma mater for three NCAA seasons as a graduate assistant. After playing four seasons in the Arena Football League, Chad took his football knowledge to the National Football League where he worked in the front office of two NFL organizations.
Prior to arriving at SIG, Chad was a partner at a very successful sports agency, Integrated Sports Management, which was founded in 1996 with the focus solely on representing professional football players. He has represented players drafted in every round on the NFL draft and currently brings players such as Muhammad Wilkerson (1st Round), Tavon Wilson (2nd round), Julius Jones (2nd Round), Nolan Carroll (5th Round), and Moise Fokou (7th Round) to the company.
Chad is very excited about bringing his football experience to Sports International Group. He is also extremely proud of his achievements in recruiting and representing top quality men in all of the professional football leagues.
Rheann Engelke
Rheann Engelke is the Director of Marketing for SIG, serving as an in-house resource for all client endorsements, media opportunities, and off-court ventures. She also oversees Social Media Strategy, helping clients with platform growth and assistance. Rheann came to SIG from CAA Basketball where she worked on both on and off court ventures of some of the biggest names in the NBA. Prior to CAA, Rheann spent three years with University of Wisconsin Athletics overseeing the season-long marketing efforts of Women’s Basketball, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Basketball, and Football, as well as spent a summer interning with Under Armour in the women’s brand management category.
Rheann has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and minor in Digital Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
