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USATSI

The Mountain West Conference has named Gloria Nevarez as its second commissioner in history, the league announced on Friday. Nevarez comes to the MWC after a four-year stint as commissioner of the West Coast Conference. She begins in her role on Jan. 1, 2023, following the retirement of 24-year incumbent Craig Thompson. 

Nevarez becomes the first Latino commissioner of an FBS conference and the second woman, joining Conference USA commissioner Judy McLeod. She holds the historic distinction of being the first Latino commissioner of any Division I conference after she took over the WCC in 2018. 

"I am honored and humbled to be trusted to lead one of the nation's elite athletic conferences, and I want to thank the Board of Directors for their belief in me and in my vision," Nevarez said in a statement. "We are well-positioned as a league thanks to the incredible legacy of Commissioner Thompson, but we cannot -- and will not -- rest on our success. We will be aggressive, we will be innovative, we will be inclusive and we will keep our focus on the student-athletes who call the Mountain West Conference home. I cannot wait to visit our campuses, our conference staff, and our fans, and to begin the work ahead."

Nevarez is considered an up-and-coming administrator in college sports. She took the lead during her time at the WCC helm while revamping branding, television contracts, sponsorship and diversity initiatives. Notably, the WCC also instituted the "Russell Rule" -- in the vein of the NFL's Rooney Rule -- which mandated having a member of a traditionally underrepresented background in the finalist pool for hiring an athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach. Under Nevarez's watch, the WCC grew from a one-bid league in the 2018 NCAA Tournament to three bids in 2022. 

Additionally, Nevarez has worked on several national projects during her time at the WCC. Notably, she serves NCAA Men's Basketball Oversight Committee and the Transfer Working Group. She is one of 18 members of the Knight Commission, an independent group, led by former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, to reform collegiate sports. She was considered a strong contender for the Pac-12 commissioner job before the conference hired entertainment executive George Kliavkoff. 

Nevarez now faces a new challenge in leading a college football conference for the first time. During stints as a high-level administrator at the Pac-12 and University of Oklahoma, Nevarez focused on non-football sports. As MWC commissioner, she becomes one of the key decision makers in the expanded CFP negotiations and a key stakeholder as the Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12 all mull expansion into the Pacific time zone. However, her experience in major college basketball -- including work with national power Gonzaga -- gives her some perspective heading into one of 10 FBS commissioner jobs. 

The loss of Nevarez is a significant one for the WCC as the league deals with a period of uncertainty. In recent weeks, multiple reports have linked headlining program Gonzaga to the Big 12, among other opportunities. Nevarez previously played a central role in keeping the Bulldogs in the WCC and out of the Mountain West, per ESPN. BYU previously announced plans to join the Big 12 in all sports. If Gonzaga departs, the WCC would be left with just eight remaining members.