BREAKING: Southland commissioner to retire – American Press
The rebranding and remaking of the Southland Meeting is in comprehensive swing.
Longtime league commissioner Tom Burnett will be retiring from the task he’s held for virtually 20 yrs at the close of this basketball time according to sources.
Burnett is the seventh Commissioner in SLC heritage, having in excess of for Greg Sankey on Dec. 23, 2002.
According to resources, Deputy Commissioner Chris Grant, who joined the Southland in June and helped broker the offer to hold McNeese State in the league, will get over the day to working day operations as performing commissioner straight away.
Grant is envisioned to have total commissioner responsibilities and is regarded the probably applicant to change Burnett upon his leaving resources stated. That is crucial as the league proceeds to glance for new schools to rebuild from new departures.
Burnett is at the moment the head of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament committee, a work he will carry on to do right until the event’s summary in early April. At that time he will depart the Southland and Grant is anticipated to acquire over entirely.
It is not recognized how a lot strain Burnett was under from league leaders.
Burnett is the seventh Commissioner in SLC background, taking about for Greg Sankey on December 23,2002.
Below his watch the convention has seen additional than its share of movement as groups came in and out of the league with regularity. Of late most the motion has been by the exit door.
It was just last yr that the SLC had 13 teams, 11 of which played soccer. That is now down to 8 and 6 respectively.
Considering the fact that last June six teams have possibly left or are leaving the Southland Conference. Five stated goodbye on June 1, 4 of individuals likely to the Western Athletic Meeting.
A short while ago, Incarnate Word announced it was also heading to the WAC at the finish of this spring season. McNeese was in just several hours of undertaking the same but a final-moment deal kept the Cowboys in the convention.
That go possible saved the league alone.
McNeese Point out supporters have generally been vital of Burnett. He has been deemed to be much too professional-Texas colleges in his steps.
To his credit score Burnett did safe the FCS championship match for Frisco, Texas by means of the 2025 season. Frisco is the residence of the Southland Meeting, but with no league workforce in the area that could transform.
Both Lake Charles and McNeese officers have reported they would like to see the convention consider the Metropolis to be the league’s new house base.
McNeese officers would not remark on this information.
