NWC Commissioner Position Description

Matt Newman became the Northwest Conference's first full-time commissioner in the league's 83-year history when the President's Council appointed him on July 1, 2007.

In his third year with the NWC, Newman brings experience as an athletics administrator, compliance officer, instructor, and coach to his position.  He also has experience in conference management, helping to form the NCAA Division III North Eastern Athletic Conference.  Prior to taking his current position, Newman was the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Associate Dean of Students at Cazenovia College, an NCAA Division III institution in Cazenovia, NY, and charter member of the NEAC.

He also has athletic administration experience as assistant athletics director for Student-Athlete Services at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne from 2003 to 2004 and as Athletics Director at Savannah College of Art and Design for three years from 1994 until 1997.  While at Savannah A & D, Newman also served as assistant athletic director for two years.

Newman's DIII coaching experience includes serving as head baseball coach (five seasons) and assistant men's and women's basketball coach (three seasons).  In addition, Newman has experience working directly with the NCAA as well, serving on the NCAA Committee for Women's Athletics from 2005 until 2007 and also working as Grant Coordinator for NCAA Division III Status and Conference Affiliation from the fall of 2001 until the spring of 2003.

Newman is a proud of alumnus of the University of Arizona, Idaho State University, and the University of Virginia.

"Matt impressed the search committee with his thoughtful and student-centered approach to intercollegiate athletics, his broad experience as a coach and administrator in NCAA Division III, and his deep appreciation of the special qualities and academic missions of the Northwest Conference member institutions," said Dr. Ron Thomas, President of Puget Sound and chair of the search committee.

The Northwest Conference, formed in 1926, is an NCAA Division III league with nine full time members (and one associate member) located primarily in the Pacific Northwest.  The full time members include George Fox University (Ore.), Lewis & Clark College (Ore.), Linfield College (Ore.), Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.), Pacific University (Ore.), University of Puget Sound (Wash.), Whitman College (Wash.), Whitworth University (Wash.) and Willamette University (Ore.).  Menlo College (Calif.) is an associate member in football only.

Newman replaced Chuck Lindemenn who served as NWC Commissioner on a part-time basis since the fall of 2002-2007.