GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra

GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra
B.A. - Dordt (College) University - 1997
M.A. - Briar Cliff University - 2015

Corey Westra, from Sioux City, Iowa, was named the second commissioner of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in April of 2003. He is a 1997 graduate of GPAC member school Dordt University in Sioux Center where he holds a B.A. in Communication. Westra also holds a M.A. in Management from GPAC member school Briar Cliff University with an emphasis in Leadership (2015).

Westra has helped lead the GPAC onto the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) scene with active roles in various NAIA committees. He is the past chair of the NAIA National Administrative Council (NAC) and is past chair of the NAIA Council of Conferences and Independents (CACI). He has also been an officer on the board of the NAIA Sports Information Directors Association (NAIA-SIDA). Currently he is a member of the NAIA National Administrative Council (NAC) and member of the NAIA Conference Commissioners Association (CCA). He also is a member of the NAIA Constitution and By-Laws Committee and serves as the NAIA Parliamentarian.

Under his guidance the GPAC has 12 current members (and four affiliate members) and is one of the leading NAIA conferences in the country. Westra has led the charge to increase awareness of the league through the development of a comprehensive website, increased press releases, and a daily radio program titled "The GPAC Report" and a weekly fall radio program during the football season titled "The GPAC Football Saturday Report". He has also facilitated the development of Players of the Week for all GPAC sports.

The GPAC has won 40 NAIA National Championships and boasts over 750 NAIA Scholar-Athletes and numerous NAIA Scholar-Teams annually.

Westra serves as the Local Co-Tournament Director for the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship and the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship in Sioux City. In 2008 he was named the recipient of the Cheryl K. Brown Meritorious Service Award for his efforts at the NAIA National Women's Basketball Championship. In 2012 he was honored with the Outstanding Service Award at the NAIA Volleyball Championship. In 2013 he was named th e NAIA Charles Morris Administrator-of-the-Year by his peers. Westra also is the Past-President (still a member of the board) of the Sioux City Sports Commission a non-profit organization that promotes sporting events in Sioux City. Sioux City was named a Top Sports Destination by Sports Travel Magazine during his term as President. Siouxland Magazine named Westra to their Top 10 Under 40 List in 2013.

Prior to serving as Commissioner he served the GPAC as Sports Information Director in 2002-03 and was the Sports Information Director at Dordt College (now University) from 1997-2001. He also served as Sports Director at KDCR Radio in Sioux Center during that same time period.

GPAC Assistant Commissioner Lucas Mohrman
B.A. - University of Nebraska-Kearney - 2003