Dr. G. Steven Larson has been named the new commissioner of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association, the league office announced Friday. Larson succeeds Terry Brand as the fourth commissioner in league history.
“I am very honored and excited to be part of the MCHA,” Larson said in an MCHA press release. “All of my dealings with the institutions and administrative staff have been extremely positive. The dedication and enthusiasm of all concerned is very apparent.”
Larson has served since 2006 as the executive director/commissioner of the Northern Athletics Conference, a multisport D-III conference which includes MCHA members Marian, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Concordia (Wis.) Before his current position, Larson spent 11 years as the executive director/commissioner of the Lake Michigan Conference while also serving in Madison, Wis., as the athletics director at Edgewood College.
“The passion for hockey and the welfare of the student-athletes jumps out at you!” Larson said. “The emphasis on both the academic and athletic success of the student-athletes reflects positively on all of the MCHA institutions and the NCAA.”
“Steve Larson is an excellent choice as the new commissioner for the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association,” said Jeff Docking, president of Adrian College and current presidential contact for the league. “He is very familiar with our member institutions, he has considerable experience in working with the NCAA and he clearly understands the priority and importance of academics for all student athletes in our conference.”
Larson is currently president of the NCAA Division III Commissioners Association, is on the executive committee and is a past president of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators, and has served on numerous committees with the NCAA, including the NCAA D-III Men’s Basketball and Baseball National Committees.
Prior to his move to an administrative role, Larson was a college coach and was named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009. He led his teams to a 362-216 record in 20 consecutive winning seasons at Edgewood and has the distinction of having led teams to national tournaments in the NSCAA, NAIA and NCAA.
“The MCHA has positioned itself to take the next step forward in terms of competitiveness on a national basis, as Adrian College reached as high as the top-four in the national rankings and, along with Marian University, competed favorably with other nationally ranked teams,” Larson said. “Thanks to the dedication and leadership of the directors of athletics, President Docking, Dan Harris – the original president and founder of the league, the MCHA staff, and the coaches, the future is very bright for the MCHA. I look forward to working with all concerned to take the MCHA to the next level.”
“The MCHA is growing and improving quickly and Steve Larson is the individual that can move us quickly to higher levels of excellence,” Docking said. “I am delighted that he has accepted this position and will be available to guide our league for many years to come.”
