Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton announced his retirement last week, ending a 20-year span as the head of the NCAA Division I conference.
“I will miss dearly the excitement of working in this industry, and still believe strongly in what we are able to do for the extraordinary young people we work with every day,” Fullerton said in a statement to the media. “However, the time has arrived for me to get on with the plans I have for myself and my family.”
The former director of athletics at Montana State took the reins of the conference in 1995 and oversaw a massive expansion in the number of programs.
He played a key role in University of Idaho’s transition back to the Big Sky in 2014 in all sports except for football and swim and dive, after the university cut ties with the conference in 1996.
“The relationship Doug has with the presidents has been a hallmark of his tenure as commissioner,” said Scott Wyatt, chair of the Big Sky Conference president’s council. “He has guided the conference through the turbulent times of conference realignment and actually grew and strengthened our position in Division I during that time.”
Fullerton is also responsible for the recent invitation offered to the Idaho football program to rejoin the Big Sky Conference after 18 years in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
“It’s never happened before, so there’s not yet a set plan,” Fullerton told reporters in January. “We’re being patient, but we think they’d be a great fit.
Fullerton said his retirement is officially scheduled for June 30.
The Big Sky Conference president’s council announced that the search for a successor would begin immediately.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]