Doug Fullerton

Reflections

“I enjoyed how you talked about having a plan, and ways to achieve that plan. Also how you talked about ways to get hired. Helping yourself make your destiny, instead of sitting back and waiting.”

Chadwick Ka'alekahi

Kinesiology

“I learned a lot about the conferences of collegiate athletics. He made some great points about career paths and the best routes to take. Also, he made some interesting points about the direction of college athletics.”

Zac Reid

Kinesiology

Future of Collegiate Sports - As Much as We Know

Doug Fullerton

Commissioner - Retired

Big Sky Conference, Ogden, UT

About Doug:

Doug Fullerton enters his 20th year as the commissioner of the Big Sky. A dynamic and sensible leader, Fullerton is highly respected in collegiate athletics throughout the nation and has been instrumental in the current structuring of the Football Championship Subdivision.

He came to the Big Sky from Montana State University, where he was an Athletics Director for 11 years. Prior to his appointment as an AD, Fullerton served as interim AD for three months, as Assistant AD for three years and was also an assistant basketball coach at the university for three seasons. He was influential in leading Montana State to the upper division of the Big Sky during his tenure.

Since becoming commissioner of the Big Sky, the conference has become known as one of the most successful, innovative and aggressive conferences within the FCS (formerly I-AA). Fullerton was selected by his fellow commissioners to serve as President of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) in 2003-04, becoming the first FCS commissioner to ever serve in that capacity. Fullerton has also been sought by conferences and institutions as a consultant regarding the feasibility of level changes within the NCAA. Additionally, Fullerton is also a member of the Division I Basketball Issues Committee and is one of just two FCS representatives serving on the NCAA Football Board of Directors.

In the spring of 2009, Fullerton was appointed to the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, becoming Big Sky Conference commissioner or athletics director to earn the honor. Fullerton completed his term in 2014. In December 2002 Fullerton was one of two recipients of the inaugural Bold Beacon Award, which is presented by The Sports Network and College Football Annual Advantage to honor leadership in FCS football.

The 2004-05 campaign was a banner one for Fullerton. The All-American Football Foundation honored Fullerton with the Asa S. Bushnell Outstanding Commissioner Award. Fullerton was also one of three Conference Commissioners invited to the Basketball Partnership Committee, a new group formed to study college basketball. In 2007, Fullerton was named to the executive board of NCAA football, the first commissioner of a FCS league to serve. He was also named to the Board of Managers for College Football Officiating. Outside of athletics, Fullerton has served as the Statewide President for Prevent Child Abuse Utah.

Fullerton received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from California Western University (now U.S. International) in 1968 and he earned his master’s degree in higher education from Montana State in 1985. Fullerton’s teaching and coaching career began at Ennis High School (Mont.) in 1971 before he moved to Bozeman High School in 1972. In 1978, he began his stint with the MSU athletic program, and in 1981 became Bozeman High School’s head basketball coach, a post he held for two years before joining the MSU athletic department.

- Bio and Photo courtesy of the Big Sky Conference