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SEARCY, Ark. - Will Prewitt, an associate commissioner of the West Virginia Conference, has accepted an offer to become commissioner of a newly formed NCAA Division II conference.
The new conference includes six Arkansas universities that are currently members of the Gulf South Conference and three Oklahoma universities, including East Central University, that are in the Lone Star Conference.
Prewitt, a native of Williamsburg, Ky., and a University of Mississippi alumnus, is leaving the Princeton-based WVC in December after 11 years with the conference. Prewitt and his wife, Stephanie, live in Kegley, in Mercer County.
"It is an incredible opportunity to get on the ground floor and be involved with every part of a league as it forms and grows," Prewitt told the Daily Mail on Tuesday. "This is probably the only job in Division II that I would leave the WVIAC for. The people of this league and state have been so good to Stephanie and myself.
"The friendships that I've built and memories that we've experienced over the past 11 years are incredible. It's a bittersweet day in many ways, but I'm very excited to open the book on the chapter of my professional life."
Prewitt became the WVC assistant commissioner in 1999. His job deals primarily with championships, sport administration, scheduling and media relations.
"Will brings a wealth of experience that will aid in formulating policy for the new conference," said Harding University President David B. Burks, the chairman of the search committee.
The new conference will include Arkansas-Monticello, Arkansas Tech, Harding, Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist, and Southern Arkansas of the Gulf South Conference; and East Central, Southeastern Oklahoma State, and Southwestern Oklahoma State of the Lone Star Conference.
"Will is exactly the type of leader we need as we move ahead with the formation of our new conference. I look forward to working with Will in this process and in the years to come," said East central Athletic Director Brian DeAngelis.
Prewitt is on the NCAA Football Rules Committee and served four years on the NCAA Division II Championships Committee, serving as the liaison for football and men's golf. He also has had roles on the Division II Men's Golf Committee, the Division II Great Lakes Region Softball Advisory Committee and the Division II Northeast Region Football Advisory Committee.
He also has been a part of the tournament staffs of more than 30 national championships, including the Division II softball, Division III football, and Division III men's basketball events.
Prewitt served as sports information director at Tusculum (Tenn.) from March 1998 until arriving at the WVC. He previously worked with the baseball and basketball programs at Appalachian State.
