Ralph McFillen

Ralph McFillen (born 1942) is a former American National Collegiate Athletic Association conference commissioner. McFillen, before retiring in 2007, served as the commissioner for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), an NCAA Division II conference since 1997. Before serving as the MIAA commissioner, McFillen was the commissioner for Metro Conference and Gulf South Conference.[1]

Ralph McFillen
McFillen in 1963
2nd Commissioner of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
In office
July 1, 1997 – June 30, 2007
Preceded byKen B. Jones
Succeeded byJim Johnson
Commissioner of the
Metro Conference
In office
September 1, 1987 – June 30, 1995
Preceded bySteve Hatchell
Succeeded byconference dissolved
3rd Commissioner of the
Gulf South Conference
In office
July 1, 1984 – August 31, 1987
Preceded byHayden Riley
Succeeded bySonny Moran
Personal details
Born1942 (age 78–79)
Belleville, Kansas
Spouse(s)Pat McFillen
ResidenceMission, Kansas
Alma materKansas State University

Career

Early career

After graduating from Belleville High School in 1960, McFillen attended Kansas State University where he played on the football team.[2] McFillen graduated from Kansas State in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in history and physical education, and a master's degree in education in 1967.[3] In 1972, McFillen began his forty-year career in athletics as an assistant director of championships at the NCAA.[4]

Commissioner years

In 1984, 12 years after working at the MIAA,[5] McFillen became the commissioner for the Gulf South Conference, an NCAA Division II conference.[6] After three years, McFillen moved to the NCAA Division I level as the next commissioner for the now-defunct conference, the Metro Conference.[7] While at Metro Conference, McFillen faced many obstacles, such as trying to expand the "super conference".[8] McFillen was the final commissioner for the conference when it dissolved in 1995.[9]

Two years after the falling-out of the Metro Conference, McFillen was hired to replace Ken B. Jones as the second commissioner for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, an NCAA Division II school.[6] While his time as commissioner, McFillen first was able to secure a contract to air five football games on KSMO-TV in the Kansas City area in 1997.[10] All games were on Thursday nights. Other accomplishments during McFillen's term as commissioner were an addition of two schools – Fort Hays State University in 2006[11] and University of Nebraska Omaha in 2008.[12]

In 2007, after 10 years in the MIAA and 40-plus years in collegiate athletics, McFillen retired.[13]

References
  1. "Gulf South Conference Official Site - GSC History". Gulfsouthconference.org. December 9, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  2. "6 Mar 1997, Page 6 - The Belleville Telescope". Newspapers.com. March 6, 1997. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  3. "2001 Truman State University Football Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  4. "2001-02 Truman State Bulldog men's track Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  5. "Ncaa Division I Men's Basketball Committee - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. March 12, 1993. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  6. "New Gulf South boss is running tight ship". Gadsden Times. January 30, 1985. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  7. "McFillen appointed Metro commissioner". Times Daily. August 4, 1987. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  8. Wolken, Dan (March 5, 2013). "What to name non-departing Big East schools? Revive 'Metro Conference'". Usatoday.com. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  9. "History lesson: Super-conference concept rooted in 1990 proposal - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global". SportsBusiness Daily. September 26, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  10. "MIAA gets cable TV contract". The Fort Scott Tribune. June 12, 1997. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  11. "FHSU athletes will play in the MIAA starting in fall '06" (Press release). October 15, 2004. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  12. "Southwest Baptist University Athletics - MIAA CEO Council ratifies decision to add Nebraska–Omaha". Sbubearcats.com. June 8, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  13. Corbitt, Ken (October 6, 2006). "MIAA commissioner announces retirement". CJOnline.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
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