Steve Murray was appointed commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference on July 1, 1998, by the league's Board of Directors.
Murray has served the PSAC since August of 1993, when he was named conference's first full-time sports information director. After holding that position for three years, he was promoted to assistant commissioner for media relations in 1996 and served as the conference's acting commissioner for a year until taking over his current post.
While athletic success has been visible among the league's institutions, Murray has been an equal proponent for academic achievement for PSAC student-athletes. The number of PSAC Scholar-Athletes - those achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better - has risen to over 4,000. The league also implemented the PSAC Champion Scholar Award in 2011-12, which honors the student-athlete with the highest grade point average at each championship finals site. Additionally, the PSAC is one of the most successful conferences in the NCAA in student-athletes being named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
The PSAC continues to engage in several new endeavors under Murray's leadership, most notably league expansions. Gannon and Mercyhurst were accepted as full-time members prior to the 2008-09 academic year, while Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown joined in 2013. In 2018, the league added Shepherd, the first full member institution outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. At 17 institutions, the PSAC is the largest NCAA Division II conference.
His guidance has also paved the way for additional championship opportunities for PSAC schools. In addition to expanded playoff brackets in several team sports, the league has added championships for men's and women's indoor track and field in 2002 and hosted its first ever women's golf championship in 2008. Furthermore, the re-establishment of a football championship game raised the PSAC's championship total to 23, tied for most among NCAA Division II conferences.
Other examples of growth under Murray's leadership include: the league's Sportsmanship Policy in 2003, and its update in 2016, and the application of the PSAC's Dixon All-Sports Trophy, which was introduced in 1996. He has also been at the forefront of adding several student-athlete well-being policies, including the PSAC’s Mental Health Checklist in 2018 and the league's Concussion Policy in 2014. The PSAC also features it's own web streaming platform, the PSAC Sports Digital Network. Murray's latest endeavor is in the area of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging with the introduction of the PSAC Social Justice Task Force in 2021.
Beyond his duties as commissioner, Murray was the president of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) and on the Division II Management Council. He also held a spot on the NCAA Division II Football Selection Committee, including the position of chair during his final four years. He later served a stint on NCAA's Playing Rules and Oversight Panel. In addition, Murray chaired the regional selection and served as voting coordinator for the Disney National Scholar-Athlete of the Year awarded by the Division II CCA from its inception in 2000 until 2007.
A native of Emporium, Pennsylvania, Murray graduated from Gannon University in 1985 with a degree in business administration. He also played baseball for the Golden Knights for two years. Following graduation, Murray earned a master’s degree from the United States Sports Academy in Mobile, Alabama.
Murray came to the PSAC after a six-year stint at Centenary College in Louisiana, where he served the institution in several different capacities. Originally, he was athletic trainer and assistant baseball coach at Centenary. He later became compliance coordinator and eventually served as sports information director for three years.
Murray and his wife Candace live in Lock Haven. They have a son, Ian, and two grandchildren, Ellis, and Jonas.