SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference has announced that Stu Jackson has been appointed as its fifth full-time Commissioner. The announcement was made at the University Credit Union WCC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas by Dr. Thayne McCulloh, President of Gonzaga University and Chair of the WCC Presidents’ Council.
A highly respected sports executive with more than four decades of experience in a variety of collegiate, professional, and conference leadership roles, Jackson will officially assume Commissioner responsibilities on April 24.
“Stu Jackson possesses the vision and values that will continue to elevate the West Coast Conference and we are thrilled to welcome him as the WCC’s new Commissioner,” Dr. McCulloh said. “His wealth of leadership experience and drive stood out with the search committee among a deep pool of candidates. Stu is the perfect Commissioner to lead the WCC during an important time in the national collegiate landscape.”
Jackson was named the Commissioner of the WCC after nearly nine years at the BIG EAST Conference, where he most recently served as the Executive Associate Commissioner for Men’s Basketball. In this role, Jackson managed all men’s basketball operations for the BIG EAST, including schedule optimization, NCAA Tournament advocacy, compliance, student-athlete programming, data analysis, and the BIG EAST Tournament. He developed a basketball-specific strategic plan that has elevated the BIG EAST into one of the top men’s basketball conferences in the nation. The BIG EAST has averaged more than five NCAA Tournament bids per season in the last nine years.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council for my appointment as Commissioner,” Jackson said. “I also want to thank the Commissioner’s Search Committee members, Search Committee Chairman Dr. Tim Snyder, and Council Chair Dr. Thayne McCulloh for ushering us through the process. Through our discussions, it became clear we shared a commitment to build upon our existing standard of excellence for the student-athletes' experience, while focusing on innovation to propel the conference to new heights in college basketball and all WCC intercollegiate sports.”
During his tenure at the BIG EAST, Jackson spearheaded the creation of a men’s basketball scheduling alliance with the Big 12 Conference that strengthened non-conference schedules, provided more national television exposure and increased opportunities for NCAA Tournament bids. Under his guidance, the BIG EAST established valuable programming to assist in the transition from high school to the Division I level. The BIG EAST’s “Freshman Fundamentals” program is an innovative and collaborative plan that has been lauded around the country.
Jackson spent more than 13 years in the National Basketball Association league office, serving as Senior Vice President and then as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. He oversaw all game operations, scheduling, playing rules, officiating and overall administration. Jackson also implemented the NBA’s officiating play calling analysis program, using advanced technology to support officiating across the league. He managed the NBA’s international basketball operations, where he oversaw the exponential growth of the NBA around the globe. Jackson helped enhance the NBA brand and implemented efficiencies that yielded an increase in game speed and offensive production. Television ratings for NBA games increased by 10 percent during Jackson’s tenure in the league office.
Prior to joining the NBA league office, he was appointed as the first President and General Manager of the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies. Jackson oversaw all aspects of the expansion franchise from 1994 to 2000.
His time at the collegiate level included a successful tenure as the men’s basketball head coach at the University of Wisconsin from 1992 to 1994, where he led the program to its first NCAA Tournament berth in 47 years.
Jackson served as an assistant coach and later the head coach of the NBA’s New York Knicks from 1987 to 1991. At 33 years old, he was the second youngest head coach of an NBA team in the league’s history. He also held coaching positions at Providence College, Washington State University, and the University of Oregon.
Jackson’s first stint in the NBA league office was from 1991 to 1992, where he served as the Director of Basketball Operations for the league.
Jackson served as a game and studio analyst for FS1 and NBA TV for five seasons from 2013 to 2018.
A 1978 graduate of Seattle University, Jackson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.
Jackson has held numerous board positions throughout his career. He has served as the Chairman of the NBA Competition Committee and on the boards for the Basketball Hall of Fame Trustees, USA Basketball, NCAA Rules and Competition Committee, FIBA Technical Commission, and the University of Oregon Foundation Board of Trustees. Jackson was enshrined in the Pac-12 Hall of Honor in 2017 and was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.
The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in Division I intercollegiate athletics. The WCC is characterized by the strength of its membership and its emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with excellence in academics. For more information, visit WCCsports.com and follow the West Coast Conference on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @WCCsports.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Val Ackerman, BIG EAST Commissioner
“Stu Jackson has made countless contributions to the game of basketball over the course of his career and has been an invaluable member of the BIG EAST team for the past 8 1/2 years. His deep knowledge about the game and understanding of the intricacies of sports league operations have helped keep our conference at the highest levels of college basketball, and we know his impact will continue as he takes on this exciting new challenge with the WCC."
Ed Cooley, Providence College Men's Basketball Head Coach
"Stu Jackson is one of the more intelligent individuals involved with college basketball. His profile and people skills helped guide the BIG EAST to where it is today. His leadership has played a major role in the BIG EAST putting multiple teams in the NCAA Tournament every year. There is no question he will lead the West Coast Conference to greater heights."
Lee Reed, Georgetown University Director of Athletics
"Stu Jackson possesses the experience, intellect, creativity and student first philosophy that will serve the members of the WCC well. He is strategic and an excellent communicator who will bring visionary leadership to the chair at one of the most volatile times in the history of college athletics. Our conference office and schools have all been enriched by his friendship and counsel, and we wish him the very best of luck as he begins his next chapter in the sports world.”
Bob Driscoll, Former Providence College Director of Athletics
"Stu Jackson is the perfect hire for the West Coast Conference. He is a visionary leader that is admired and respected by everyone that has had the privilege to work with him in both college and professional basketball. You won’t find a better person than Stu Jackson and I wish him great success."