IRVINE, Calif. (January 19, 2021) – Big West Conference Commissioner Dan Butterly announced today the promotions of current staff members Alex Penewell to Associate Commissioner of Championships and Blake Simon to Assistant Commissioner of Compliance.
“Both Alex and Blake have been tremendously important to the Big West throughout their tenure, but particularly during the transition of new leadership to the conference office and encountering the unprecedented challenges we have confronted during the pandemic,” Commissioner Butterly said. “Every day they have continued to focus on how to best serve our student-athletes, member institutions and the Big West Conference.”
Penewell joined the conference office in August 2014, having served as Assistant Director of Institutional Services, Director of Administrative Services, Assistant Commissioner of Championships and interim Senior Woman Administrator in her seven years at the Big West.
In her new role, Penewell assumes responsibility for oversight and management of all Big West Conference championships and will serve as tournament director for the Big West Basketball Championships. She is also the primary administrator and championship liaison for the sports of women's basketball, women's volleyball, men's volleyball, and beach volleyball.
Penewell is a 2012 graduate of Montana State University with a bachelor’s degree in Literature. As an undergraduate, Penewell was a member of the women’s volleyball team where she earned 2010 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honors. She earned a master’s degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University in 2015.
Simon came to the Big West as Director of Institutional Services in August 2017. In that role, he assisted with all aspects of the conference's compliance and governance efforts, with a special emphasis on rules education. He also serves as the sport administrator and championship liaison for Big West men’s and women’s tennis.
Simon previously held compliance roles at Vermont, Florida International and Tulane before joining the Big West. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and earned a Juris Doctor from Tulane Law School in 2011.
About the Big West
The Big West Conference was formed in 1969 and is a member of NCAA Division I with 11 academically and athletically prominent institutions consisting of Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The conference sponsors 18 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and women’s water polo. For more information, visit BigWest.org or follow the Big West Conference on Twitter @BigWestSports and @BigWestHoops.