Big South Conference Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander announced Sunday his decision to retire at the conclusion of the 2022-23 academic year, following 27 years at the helm of the conference.
He issued the following statement: “This is all about family. First, to my Big South family — Thank you. It has been an honor to serve you for 27 years, and Lisa and I are so grateful for your support, acceptance, and love. Stefan and Tristan grew up in the Big South, became fans, and are fans yet. Our affinity for this conference will never abate. The friends at our institutions — from the CEOs, to the administrators, faculty, coaches, and student-athletes — have all
been unbelievable. I count myself a lucky man to have interacted with and been influenced by so many outstanding individuals.
“The commitment of the Big South institutions to our student-athletes is unmatched,” Kallander said. “I am proud to have been associated with institutions that value the experience of the student-athlete first and foremost. There is no question in my mind that this commitment will continue to serve our student-athletes well and that their success in Division I will only continue to grow.
“The decision to step away at this time is all about the Kallander family,” Kallander said. “Lisa has been an unbelievable partner and support for 36+ years. Being married to a commissioner is difficult enough, but add to that the care required for a special-needs son, and you begin to understand the true hero she is. I will never be able to repay the sacrifices she has made for us, but it is time I devoted more of myself to supporting her, Tristan, and the rest of our family. The Lord is sending us on a new path, and we look forward to what He has in store.
“The Big South has an incredibly bright future,” Kallander said. “I look forward to continuing to further the Big South’s mission and supporting our membership over the next nine months, then sitting back and enjoying the incredible successes of Big South student-athletes yet to come.”
Named the Big South’s third commissioner on June 24, 1996, Kallander is the longest-serving
commissioner in the league’s 39-year history and is the second-longest tenured Division I commissioner in 2022-23.
“The Big South Conference has benefited for the past 27 years from the loyal, dedicated and wise leadership of Kyle Kallander,” said Dr. Nancy Cable, UNC Asheville Chancellor and Big South President.
“His service to our conference and NCAA athletics across the nation has kept the student-athlete
experience at the center of policy and program decisions. We will deeply miss Kyle, and we are grateful for his steadfast leadership,” Cable said.
Kallander has presided over some of the most pivotal events in Big South history both athletically and academically, including: 10 National Championships; the first-ever NCAA Tournament wins in men’s and women’s basketball; the addition of football and reaching the FCS quarterfinals five times, as well as having the No. 1-ranked team in the country; the league’s largest membership along with 14 consecutive years of double-digit members; record corporate partnership revenues; the introduction of live streaming in 2005 to more than 900 live events annually on ESPN platforms; a league-record 45 All-Americans in 2021-22; year-to-year record APR Recognition Awards and graduation success rates; the most comprehensive overhaul and rebrand in the Big South’s history in 2017; the expansion and renovation of the current conference headquarters that includes the Big South Network production studio; and initiatives around student-athlete wellness.
Nationally, Kallander has been heavily involved in several organizations and committees. He was named to the NCAA Football Competition Committee in July 2020 and previously served as the FCS representative to the NCAA Council. He also served on the NCAA Football Oversight Committee and the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee, including serving as chairman for the 2011-12 season. He was also a member on the NCAA/USOC Task Force, which examined the decline of Olympic sports programs at the nation’s colleges and universities, chaired the NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee, was a member of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, and was twice a Vice President of the Collegiate Commissioners
Association (CCA) from 2001-03 and 2011-12.
Kallander came to the Big South after serving as the Commissioner of the Southwest Conference during the 1995-96 season. Under his guidance, the Southwest Conference generated more than $22 million in revenue, an all-time record. Kallander was also directly responsible for negotiating and implementing television agreements with CBS, Raycom, and Prime Sports Southwest for the 1995-96 football and basketball seasons. He successfully administered the league’s postseason basketball tournaments, which attracted its largest attendance since 1990, and also served as tournament director for the 1996 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Region First- and Second-Round Games in Dallas.
He graduated from the University of Washington in 1980 with an undergraduate degree in physical education and earned his master’s in kinesiology from the University of Washington in 1982.
Kallander began his collegiate athletics career at his alma mater in 1985 as director of advertising and promotions, as well as director of compliance before joining the Southwest Conference in 1992 as assistant commissioner.
