WCC tabs new commissioner

SAN DIEGO – Jamie Zaninovich, a Eugene, Ore., native with administrative experience at Stanford and Princeton, has been selected as the new commissioner of the West Coast Conference.

Zaninovich, 37, was introduced at a press conference Sunday evening at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. He replaces Michael Gilleran, who announced in September he was stepping down after 24 years as commissioner.

Zaninovich was a Senior Assistant Athletic Director for the men’s basketball program at Stanford for two years. He has been an associate A.D. at Princeton the last five years.

“It’s rare to find a conference with member institutions with such similar philosophies,” Zaninovich said. “We have eight incredibly strong brands and our role at the conference office is to package those brands.”

The WCC also announced Sunday that the men’s and women’s conference tournaments are moving to Las Vegas in 2009.

“It’s a great opportunity from a marketing standpoint and a revenue-generating standpoint,” Zaninovich said.

Jim Meehan