Lynn Holzman, Commissioner, West Coast Conference (DI)

Lynn Holzman was named the third full-time Commissioner in the history of the West Coast Conference in June 2014. As the Commissioner, Holzman is responsible for strategically building on the historical success of the West Coast Conference within the values and philosophy of the Conference membership. Holzman works closely with the Presidents’ Council and Executive Council to develop and implement strategies designed to achieve the mission and vision of the Conference and ensure long-term viability. She is responsible for development and implementation of the Conference’s strategic plan, fiscal and resource management, operational leadership and partnership with Conference members, provision of essential services to the WCC membership, enhancing the national and regional exposure for the conference (including television, digital and public relations initiatives), ensuring compliance with NCAA, legal, regulatory and agreement requirements and enforcement of conference rules, appointment and management the Conference office staff who attend to the day-to-day needs of the membership, including sports administration (e.g., scheduling, officiating programs, conduct of conference championships) and serving as the primary spokesperson for the Conference. Holzman also actively serves on NCAA, professional organization boards and represents the Conference at a variety of events.

During Holzman’s tenure as Commissioner, the Conference has adopted and implemented a strategic plan that includes a vision to provide premier educational and athletic opportunities to West Coast Conference student-athletes, and to be recognized nationally for achievements in the areas of leadership, student-athlete experience, competitiveness and exposure. The Conference added women’s beach volleyball as its 15th sport. The Conference has instituted a student-athlete leadership summit while also increasing student-athlete engagement in campus and conference matters. Holzman serves as the West Coast Conference representative on the NCAA’s highest-ranking administrative body, the Division I Council and she serves on the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee. She is regularly asked to serve, chair or speak at numerous other NCAA governance and intercollegiate athletics groups.

Prior to being appointed Commissioner, Holzman served as the West Coast Conference’s Executive Senior Associate Commissioner/Chief Operating Officer. In that role, Holzman was charged with overseeing all the Conference’s day-to-day affairs and worked closely with the Executive and Presidents’ Councils. Holzman joined the Conference staff as the Senior Associate Commissioner of Governance and Administration in 2012. She was responsible for internal operations, facilitating all Conference and NCAA governance matters, compliance, sport administration - including the addition of softball as the conference's 14th sport.

Before joining the West Coast Conference staff, Holzman worked at the NCAA National Office for 16 years, last serving as a Director of Academic and Membership Affairs (AMA). Holzman was involved in managing and facilitating membership engagement on a multitude of Division I governance issues. In that role, she also provided guidance to NCAA campus and conference leadership and various other organizations, such as coaches associations, in many areas including academic standards, amateurism, diversity, gender equity and Title IX, legislative matters, strategic planning, and student-athlete well-being. She was a member of the senior management team and oversaw the allocation of resources, personnel, budget and strategic planning, technology efforts and business performance management.

Holzman is a member of and has served on various Boards including Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA)), San Jose Sports Authority, National Association of Athletics Compliance, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Center for Research in Intercollegiate Athletics (CRIA). In 2017, Holzman was named the President-elect of Women Leaders in College Sports. She is also a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWSI). She was named Women Leaders in College Sports' Conference/Organization Administrator of the Year in 2013.

Holzman earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Kansas State University where she was captain of the women’s basketball team and a three-time Academic All-Big Eight Team member. She also earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University. Holzman was awarded the Big Eight Conference’s Postgraduate Scholarship and is recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.