IRVINE, Calif. – Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly announced today the promotions of three current staff members: Kristi Giddings to Deputy Commissioner, Kevin Rorke to Associate Commissioner – Business & Finance and Jessica Lantz to Assistant Commissioner – Strategic Communications.
"Kristi, Kevin and Jessica have done exemplary work in guiding their respective areas through the changes and challenges that have become commonplace in NCAA athletics," Commissioner Butterly said. "All three are bold, innovative leaders, laser-focused on serving our student-athletes and the 11 member institutions in The Big West."
Kristi Giddings joined The Big West in March 2021 after serving as Deputy Athletics Director for Legal, Compliance, and NCAA Governance at George Mason University.
In this new role as Deputy Commissioner, the North Carolina native will add the responsibilities of chief of staff while continuing to lead The Big West's existing governance and compliance staff, act as internal legal advisor, manage The Big West's Sportsmanship program and initiatives, serve as an advisor for institutions on NCAA regulatory matters and improve upon Conference-wide efforts to fulfill Big West and NCAA compliance expectations. Giddings will continue to serve as the lead liaison to the institutional Senior Woman Administrators leadership group and maintain sport oversight responsibilities.
Giddings earned a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School. An editor of the Sports Law Review at Marquette, where Giddings also earned a certificate from the National Sports Law Institute.
Kevin Rorke came to The Big West as Director of Business Services in September 2020. Prior to arriving in Irvine, Rorke worked as the Assistant Director of Championships at the Mountain West.
As Associate Commissioner – Business & Finance, Rorke will take the lead on all conference-related budget and financial matters. During his time at The Big West so far, Rorke has handled many of the day-to-day financial operations of the conference, implemented new financial systems for the conference, overseen ticketing operations and served as event manager for The Big West's men's and women's golf championships. In his new role, Rorke will also assume responsibility for the development and management of the conference budget, serve as primary contact regarding any financial matters, and act as lead liaison in external financial audits.
A native of Davis, Calif., Rorke graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture business before receiving a Master's of Business Administration with a concentration in sports business from San Diego State University.
Jessica Lantz joined The Big West in August 2021 after serving in a similar role at the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the nation's most successful conference in NCAA Division II athletics. Prior to serving in a conference office setting, Lantz spent time in various communications roles on the campuses of San Francisco, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma City.
The native Oklahoman will continue to lead The Big West's communications team by creating and executing an overall strategic communications plan for all 19 Big West sports. Lantz works to provide a baseline of service in the traditional sports information roles, as needed and required by the NCAA and external constituents, as well as serving as webmaster for BigWest.org. As Assistant Commissioner – Strategic Communications, Lantz will increase The Big West's focus on telling the many compelling stories of Big West student-athletes to local, regional and national media.
Lantz holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Oklahoma State and acquired a master's in collegiate athletics at the University of San Francisco.
About The Big West
The Big West is an NCAA Division I member with 11 member-institutions with the shared goal of empowering every student-athlete in competition and in life and uniting its university communities through championship experiences. Formed in 1969, The Big West membership consists 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 Big West is united in the pursuit of boundless opportunities, enduring integrity, bold activism, fearless innovation and the Pacific spirit of freedom, exploration and progress. The Big West 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, with men's water polo set to become the 19th conference-sponsored sport in 2023. For more information, visit
BigWest.org or follow The Big West
on Twitter @BigWestSports.