ORLANDO--Dr. Anne B. Kerr, President of Florida Southern College and President of the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), announces the appointment of Mr. Jay Jones as the new Commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference effective September 14, 2009. Jones is currently the Director of Academic and Membership Affairs for Division III at the NCAA. He has served in a liaison capacity to Divisions II and III Management and Presidents Councils in the NCAA for the past five years.
“We are extremely pleased and excited to have successfully recruited Jay, with his extraordinary experience in intercollegiate athletics and with the NCAA, to be the SSC Commissioner,” said President Kerr. “He has been a primary force in building the Division II philosophy and brand at the NCAA, and he will now bring those skills to the premier Division II conference in the nation.”
“I am so pleased to accept the position of Commissioner with the Sunshine State Conference,” said Jones. “Its academic and athletic accomplishments have made the Sunshine State Conference the leading Division II conference in the country and I believe our best days are still ahead. It is a great honor to begin working with the outstanding colleges and universities of the Sunshine State Conference.”
Dr. Donald R. Eastman III, President of Eckerd College, served as the Chair of the Search Committee for the Commissioner. Eastman stated, “The pool of candidates for this search was very strong and, in particular, our five finalists were outstanding professionals. We look forward to working with Jay to sustain the Conference as a shining example in the NCAA and Division II. There is no better place in this country to be a student-athlete than here in one of the colleges and universities in the Sunshine State Conference.”
Learning of Jones' appointment, Pfeiffer University President Charles (Chuck) Ambrose said, "After working with Jay Jones as the former chair of the NCAA Division II President’s Council, it is evident that the Sunshine State Conference gains a commissioner with a commitment to strengthening the conference and its member institutions’ ability to provide the very best and balanced student-athlete experience. Jay’s campus-based and national office experiences within Divisions II and III will provide the Sunshine State Conference with a leader who is committed to the academic success of student-athletes, and who will be responsive to the needs of its members and work to provide tools to build awareness and support for the entire conference."
Jones has served over 11 years as an administrator within collegiate athletics and has both campus and national governance-level experience. Jones has been with the NCAA since 2003. Prior to the NCAA, Jones held compliance positions at St. Louis University and the University of South Florida. Jones earned a bachelor of science degree in education with a major in sports management from the University of Tennessee plus a master’s degree in business administration and a juris doctorate degree from Stetson University.
The SSC competes in Division II in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The SSC comprises nine member institutions: Barry University, Eckerd College, Florida Southern College, Florida Institute of Technology, Lynn University, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, Saint Leo University, and the University of Tampa.
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