Lut Williams BCSP
NORFOLK, Va., July 20, 2021 – Dr. Dennis E. Thomas, who has completed his 19th year as commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), announced last week that he is retiring in December.
As the longest-tenured Commissioner in the 50-year history of the MEAC, Thomas served in his position with integrity and loyalty, gaining the respect and distinction as one of the leading collegiate athletics administrators in America. The Council of Presidents and Chancellors will conduct a national search for a successor, which will begin immediately.
As the MEAC’s third full-time commissioner, Thomas’s leadership was instrumental in helping the conference ascend to national prominence on the athletic field and in the classroom.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as Commissioner of the MEAC for almost 20 years,” said Thomas in a release from the conference Tuesday (July 20). “But first, I must pay homage to my parents, Russell and Marjorie Thomas for setting the direction, expectation and accountability for my brothers, sisters, and myself.
“The accomplishments and recognition achieved by the conference during this time could not have been possible without the incredible support of our member institutions and everyone associated with the MEAC. To the MEAC Staff, thank you for always working to make the MEAC better.
“By any objective measure, we have achieved that. I’d like to extend a special thank you and recognition to MEAC Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer & Senior Woman Administrator Sonja Stills, who has been with me since my first day as Commissioner. She has been loyal, a progressive thinker, student-athlete centric, creative, passionate and a consummate professional and a dear friend.
I have no doubt that the MEAC and its member institutions will continue to do great things and I will always cherish the friendships and memories made during my time as Commissioner.”
Statements of congratulations and best wishes were extended by a host of the conference’s chancellors and presidents with the announcement.
Some notable accomplishments by Thomas during his tenure as MEAC Commissioner:
• Increased the conference’s corporate partnerships leading to multi-year deals that have resulted in over $50 million to MEAC institutions.
• Helped bring ESPN College Football GameDay to Florida A&M University in 2008, the first time the show was broadcast from an HBCU campus.
• Led the MEAC to become the first NCAA Division I FCS conference to institute instant replay during its televised regular-season football games in 2011.
• Implemented NIKE paid internships for member institutions’ students to gain corporate work experiences.
• Instrumental in the establishment of the NFL Careers in Football Forum held at the Cricket Celebration Bowl for students to gain employment opportunities.
• Established a partnership with the NFL to improve collegiate and MEAC football officiating.
• The MEAC was the first FCS Conference to have a female officiate football games in 2002.
• Implemented the use of the Vokkero System, a hands-free communication system, for football officials in 2013. MEAC was the first FCS Conference to implement the system.
• Purchased the office complex for the MEAC Conference Office Headquarters in 2010. This was the first time the MEAC had owned its own headquarters building without a financial assessment to member institutions.
• For the first time in MEAC history, MEAC Men’s Basketball Teams were part of ESPN’s Bracket Busters event.
• Streamed live for the first time MEAC Men’s & Women’s Track & Field Championship on ESPN3 in 2017 and on FloSports in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
• Established a partnership with the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame events in New York City to recognize the MEAC Football offensive and defensive players of the year (MVP) at the press conference.