Karl Benson, longtime commissioner of the Denver-based Western Athletic Conference, was named new commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference on Thursday. Benson helped get the University of Denver into the WAC, which the Pioneers will join July 1, but will now lead the conference DU is leaving.
Benson is scheduled to begin working for the Sun Belt in April and join the league full-time on July 1. He declined to discuss WAC-related questions during Thursday’s conference call. “Right now I’m wearing my Sun Belt hat,” he said.
Asked about joining the conference that DU has long been trying to leave, Benson said: “It has created a few chuckles…As DU comes into the WAC I’m headed to New Orleans, but DU, during the time they were in the Sun Belt, were very, very loyal to the Sun Belt and provided the University of Denver an opportunity to build its program as they went to Division I, and now as DU leaves the Sun Belt to come to the WAC, they’re getting back into a much better geographical location.”
Benson, 60, who has led the WAC since 1994, said he hopes this is his final job as a conference commissioner.
“It was a decision based on many hours of deliberation and consideration,” he said. “As I examined the Sun Belt and its member institutions and talked to various presidents, chancellors and athletic directors in the Sun Belt, I was impressed with the positive outlook that the conference has and the individual member institutions have and was convinced that the future of the Sun Belt was extremely bright at a time in my career that … will provide me stability, provide me security, and also a tremendous opportunity to finish my career with the Sun Belt conference.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
