Lynn Holzman Named New WCC Commissioner

The West Coast Conference President's Council has selected Lynn Holzman to replace Jamie Zaninovich, who is moving into an assistant commissioner role with the Pac-12, effective July 1st.

Holzman will have some big shoes to fill. Since taking over the top job in March, 2008, Zaninovich led the WCC to new heights. Under his watch the conference added two new members, BYU and Pacific, signed major national and regional television deals and become one of the top non-football conferences in the nation.

Zaninovich didn't do all that alone, however, and he actually had help from Holzman herself.

She has worked for the WCC since 2012, most recently holding the titles of Executive Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer. While the WCC is a conference dominated by basketball, it has aspirations beyond the hardwood. Holzman oversaw the addition of softball, the conference's 14th sport, which debuted this season.

Before arriving at the WCC offices in San Bruno, Holzman worked for a much more national organization, the NCAA. She spent sixteen years there.

Her most recent position with the NCAA was one that fits very well with the West Coast Conference's commitment to academics. As Director of Academic and Membership Affairs she was involved in setting academic standards and student-athlete well-being.

From her bio on the WCC's website, Holzman has been on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Administrators, National Association of Athletics Compliance and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Oh, and in a conference focused on basketball, it doesn't hurt that she was a captain on the Kansas State basketball team during the early 1990s.

Holzman will become just the third full-time commissioner in West Coast Conference history.