By Jo McMullen / KVSC reporter

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference has named St. Cloud State University’s Director of Athletics Heather Weems as their new Conference Commissioner.

The news was shared with the campus community via an email from President Robbyn Wacker. Weems will be the first woman to serve as the commissioner of the highly competitive eight-team conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Since starting her position at SCSU nearly 10 years ago Weems has supported many successful Huskies programs including five NCAA Division II wrestling championships and the men’s hockey program advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four tournament in 2013 and 2021. Other recent successful teams include women’s volleyball’s last season with a conference title and the women’s basketball winning their first conference title since 1983-84.

Weems also had to make difficult decisions to cut sports programs that did not sit well with some students, alumni and members of the community. Due to the school’s budget problems Weems backed ending the Huskies football program in 2019. The school also lost a Title IX lawsuit in 2021 challenging the equity of sports for female athletes when six sports were eliminated in 2016.

Weems’ last day will be June 7th and the school is starting search for a new Director of Athletics immediately.