Former ASC, Southwest Conference Commissioner Fred Jacoby Passes Away
March 15, 2008

RICHARDSON, Texas -- Fred Jacoby, the first commissioner of the American Southwest Conference, passed away Saturday (March 15, 2008) at his home following a 2-1/2 year battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects the bone marrow.

Jacoby served as ASC commissioner for 10 years from May 1996 through his retirement in June 2006. He remained as a consultant to the Conference, providing advice and counsel to the league staff and membership. Jacoby, 80, is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marcia; sons Tom, Steve and Bob; and two grandchildren. Arrangements are pending.

"The American Southwest Conference lost its founding commissioner and a true friend with the death of Fred Jacoby on Saturday," said Dr. R. Vic Morgan, president of Sul Ross State University and chair of the ASC Council of Presidents. "His leadership in developing the Constitution and Bylaws, building the membership and transitioning to NCAA Division III affiliation made the American Southwest Conference what it is today, a vital and widely acclaimed conference in the southwestern part of the United States."

Jacoby was influential in brining The University of Texas at Tyler into the ASC and helping UT Tyler earn membership in the NCAA.

Under Jacoby's leadership, the ASC expanded from its original eight members to a high of 16 members to become a strong regional Division III conference with members in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Jacoby was instrumental in drafting the ASC Constitution, Bylaws, sport operating codes and event management guidelines. The ASC student-athlete sportsmanship award was renamed the Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award in May 2006 in recognition of the former commissioner's personal code of sportsmanship and ethical conduct.

"Fred was a thoughtful and dedicated leader in intercollegiate athletics throughout his career, influencing the lives and careers of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and staff at the many schools, conferences and organizations he was involved with," ASC commissioner Amy Carlton said. "He maintained a passion for college athletics and a keen interest in the ASC and Division III throughout his struggle with multiple myeloma."

Carlton is one of eight current collegiate commissioners who worked under Jacoby.

A native of Logan, Ohio, Jacoby graduated from Ohio State University in 1948 and his career totaled over 50 years experience in coaching and athletics administration. He spent 10 years as a high school coach in Ohio and Wisconsin (1948-57), and eight years as an assistant football coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1958-66) where he earned a masters degree in 1953.

Jacoby spent the next 36 years in intercollegiate athletic administration as a conference commissioner in all three NCAA Divisions. He was the first commissioner of the Division III Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1966-71), before serving as commissioner of the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference from 1971 to November 1982, and the Division III Ohio Athletic Conference (1981-82).

Jacoby took leadership of the Division I Southwest Conference in November 1982, serving for 10 years until retiring in 1993. Jacoby came out of retirement to become the first full-time commissioner of the NCAA Division II Lone Star (1994) and the American Southwest (1996) Conferences. He retired for a second time in June 2006 from the LSC and ASC.

During his administrative tenure, Jacoby served 22 years as chair of the National Letter of Intent program for the longest tenure in its history (1973-95). Jacoby is past president of the Collegiate Commissioners Association, and chaired NCAA committees on Membership Structure, Postgraduate Scholarship, Research and Championship Standards. He also served on numerous NCAA committees, was secretary-treasurer of the College Football Association and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association Team Selection Committee.

As a commissioner, Jacoby oversaw the integration of women's athletic programs into both the Mid-American and Southwest Conferences, and conference transition from NAIA to NCAA Division III membership in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the American Southwest Conferences.

"Fred was a source of ideas, unmatched energy and enthusiasm, and always held the student-athlete in the highest regard, championing the role of athletics in the development of young people," Dr. Morgan said. "On every occasion, Fred worked for student opportunities to participate, grow and excel in athletics, academics and the community."

The recipient of numerous honors and awards, Jacoby was most recently named the NACDA/NIT Athletics Directors Award recipient in June 2002; an Honorary Member of the Southwest Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame (2006) and the ASC (2006), LSC (2007) and University of Texas at Dallas Athletics (2007) Halls of Honor. Jacoby was the recipient of a heart transplant in September 1989 and became an advocate for organ donation and the Southwest Transplant Alliance.

FRED JACOBY
September 13, 1927 - March 15, 2008

Commissioner, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association, 1966-71 NCAA Division III
Commissioner, Mid-American Conference, 1971-82 NCAA Division I
Commissioner, Ohio Athletic Conference, 1981-82 NCAA Division III
Commissioner, Southwest Conference, 1982-93 NCAA Division I
Commissioner, Lone Star Conference, 1994-2006 NCAA Division II
Commissioner, American Southwest Conference, 1996-2006 NCAA Division III

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