LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) proudly announced the appointment of Carlin Chesick as its next Commissioner on Tuesday afternoon. Chesick becomes the fourth commissioner in conference history and the first woman to hold the position. A longtime senior staff member of the conference office, Chesick recently completed her 21st year with the PSAC and has served as Senior Associate Commissioner since 2021 while also holding the role of Senior Woman Administrator. Throughout her tenure, she has played a key role in conference governance, compliance, championships administration, and strategic initiatives focused on enhancing the student-athlete experience.
 
“Carlin Chesick is exceptionally prepared to lead the PSAC into its next chapter,” said Charles Patterson, President of Shippensburg University and Chair of the PSAC Board of Directors. “Her deep knowledge of the Conference, extensive NCAA experience, and longstanding commitment to student-athlete success give her the credibility and perspective needed for this moment. She is a thoughtful, collaborative, and strategic leader, and I am confident she will strengthen the PSAC while honoring the proud foundation on which the Conference has been built.”
 
“I am deeply honored by the Board’s confidence and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the next Commissioner of the PSAC,” said Chesick. “I would like to recognize the PSAC Commissioner Search Committee and the PSAC Executive Committee for their support and leadership throughout this process. Our conference has a proud history and a strong foundation, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the Board, our athletic administrators, and campus leaders to continue to elevate the student-athlete experience. I also want to thank Commissioner Steve Murray for his dedicated service to the PSAC and for helping establish the PSAC as one of the premier Division II conferences in the nation. I am excited to build upon that foundation as we embark on our next chapter.”
 
Nationally, Chesick has extensive NCAA committee experience. She currently represents the PSAC on the NCAA Division II Management Council while also serving on the Division II Championships Committee. She previously served as chair of the NCAA Division II Legislation Committee and as a member of the Division II Academic Requirements Committee. Earlier in her career, she served on the Division II Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee, the NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Committee, and the National Letter of Intent Advisory Team.
 
“This is a historic moment for the conference, and I could not be more honored and excited to serve alongside new PSAC Commissioner Carlin Chesick,” said Peggy Carl, Associate Director of Athletics at Commonwealth University, Mansfield and incoming Chair of Athletic Administrators. “Her commitment to the conference and to the NCAA are noteworthy and will position her well to succeed in her new role. We have been fortunate to have consistency in the leadership of the PSAC, and Carlin is a strong and influential part of that legacy. As a product (in part) of the PSAC, she has an intimate relationship with the conference that only makes her a more empathetic leader. Her wide array of experiences in various segments of NCAA governance adds to her strength in this position and will help to propel the conference forward. I’m confident that her attention to detail, care for all sports, and focus on the holistic well-being of our thousands of student-athletes will be the hallmarks of her leadership.”
 
“I am excited for Carlin to move into the commissioner role,” said Jeff Michaels, outgoing Chair of Athletics Administrators and Shippensburg University Director of Athletics. “She has made substantial contributions to the operations and successes of the PSAC over her long tenure in the conference office and will undoubtedly continue to excel in her new responsibilities. She has vast knowledge of how things have traditionally run but also provides a new vision that will certainly shape our future. We are fortunate to have someone of Carlin’s experience and expertise continue to move the PSAC in a positive direction as our schools navigate an ever-changing collegiate landscape.”
 
During her tenure with the conference office, Chesick has been instrumental in advancing numerous conference initiatives. Most recently, through her role as advisor to the PSAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), she partnered with student-athlete leaders to develop PSAC Pathways, a comprehensive academic success and post-graduation preparedness program designed to support student-athletes throughout their collegiate experience and beyond. She also established the conference's first comprehensive compliance program and launched a peer mentoring initiative within the Senior Woman Administrator group to strengthen collaboration and professional development across the league.
 
Chesick's leadership, institutional knowledge, and commitment to student-athlete success have earned widespread respect throughout the conference and across Division II athletics.
 
“I am thrilled that our Board of Directors saw in Carlin what I've seen for nearly 20 years: a student-athlete-centered leader who will help build upon the foundation established over the last 75 years,” said Steve Murray, outgoing PSAC Commissioner. “She will use a collaborative style as she reimagines the conference amid this generational and cultural change. I have the utmost respect and full confidence in Carlin's future leadership of the PSAC.”
 
A native of Bloomingdale, Illinois in suburban Chicago, Chesick graduated from St. Francis (Pa.) University with a degree in Information Systems Management and received her master’s degree in Sport Administration from Pennsylvania Western University (California). While at St. Francis, Chesick was one of the top women’s basketball players in school history for the Red Flash during the institution’s Division I era.
 
Chesick will officially assume her duties as Commissioner on July 1.