Rick Sanders became the Midwest Classic Conference’s first full-time commissioner on August 15, 2005 and is responsible for all administrative duties of the league office in Ames, Iowa.

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Sanders comes to the MCC with more than 15 years of experience in sports and event management. He served as

Assistant Athletics Director at the University of Maine where he oversaw all external operations for the 19-varsity sport Division I program. While at Maine, Sanders directly supervised the Marketing and Development Directors, coordinated all event management, and supervised the men’s and women’s hockey, volleyball and soccer programs. He served as the senior member of the athletics director’s staff for the Black Bears.

Sanders began his administrative career in the athletics department at The University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1990. He managed the first academic advising unit for the Blazer athletics program, providing academic counseling and eligibility services to over 200 student-athletes. He then moved into the professional sports ranks, serving as an administrator within the Birmingham Barons baseball organization before moving to Bozeman, Montana in 1997.

While in Bozeman, Sanders served as General Manager of the Bozeman Ice Dogs hockey organization, a Junior A hockey franchise. As general manager, Sanders oversaw the completion of a 3500- seat, $8.5 million ice/event complex while marketing and managing the new franchise. In 1999, the America West Hockey League (AWHL) enticed Sanders away from league member Bozeman, to be their full-time President and Commissioner. Sanders served as primary administrator for the league with teams located in Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, British Columbia and Alaska. In addition to overseeing the league’s $6.5 million budget, Sanders handled all league tournaments, sponsorships, franchising and marketing.

Commissioner Rick Sanders

Sanders is a 1989 graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) where he earned his degree in Communications while serving as a student assistant basketball coach to legendary coach Gene Bartow and his UAB Blazers. Rick and his wife Calli, who

Rick Sanders with wife Calli, and their children, Molly, Jack and T.

is Senior Associate Athletics Director at Iowa State University, reside in Ames. They have three children, Theisen (13), Jack (11) and Molly (8).