Ralph McFillen
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ralph McFillen
| image = Ralph McFillen.png
| caption = McFillen in 1963
| title = 2nd Commissioner of the {{nowrap|Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association}}
| term_start = July 1, 1997
| term_end = June 30, 2007
| predecessor = Ken B. Jones
| successor = Jim Johnson
| title2 = Commissioner of the
Metro Conference
| term_start2 = September 1, 1987
| term_end2 = June 30, 1995
| predecessor2 = Steve Hatchell
| successor2 = conference dissolved
| title3 = 3rd Commissioner of the
Gulf South Conference
| term_start3 = July 1, 1984
| term_end3 = August 31, 1987
| predecessor3 = Hayden Riley
| successor3 = Sonny Moran
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1942}}
| birth_place = Belleville, Kansas, U.S.
| alma_mater = Kansas State University
| residence = Mission, Kansas
| spouse = Pat McFillen
}}
Ralph McFillen (born 1942) is a former American National Collegiate Athletic Association conference commissioner. McFillen, before retiring in 2007, served as the commissioner for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), an NCAA Division II conference since 1997. Before serving as the MIAA commissioner, McFillen was the commissioner for Metro Conference and Gulf South Conference.{{cite web|url=http://gulfsouthconference.org/sports/2010/12/9/GSC%20History.aspx |title=Gulf South Conference Official Site - GSC History |publisher=Gulfsouthconference.org |date=December 9, 2010 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}}
Career
=Early career=
After graduating from Belleville High School in 1960, McFillen attended Kansas State University where he played on the football team.{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/12689452/?terms=McFillen%2C%2BMIAA |title=6 Mar 1997, Page 6 - The Belleville Telescope |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=March 6, 1997 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} McFillen graduated from Kansas State in 1964 with a bachelor's degree in history and physical education, and a master's degree in education in 1967.{{cite web |url=http://gobulldogs.truman.edu/archives/football/mediaguide/01fbmg6.pdf |title=2001 Truman State University Football Media Guide |format=PDF |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} In 1972, McFillen began his forty-year career in athletics as an assistant director of championships at the NCAA.{{cite web |url=http://gobulldogs.truman.edu/archives/trackandfield/men/mediaguide/02mtrackmg4.pdf |title=2001-02 Truman State Bulldog men's track Media Guide |format=PDF |accessdate=October 1, 2016}}
=Commissioner years=
In 1984, 12 years after working at the MIAA,{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1993/03/12/ncaa-division-i-mens-basketball-committee/ |title=NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee - tribunedigital-orlandosentinel |publisher=Articles.orlandosentinel.com |date=March 12, 1993 |access-date=October 1, 2016}} McFillen became the commissioner for the Gulf South Conference, an NCAA Division II conference.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19850130&id=yLUfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iNcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4924,5518411&hl=en |title=New Gulf South boss is running tight ship |publisher=Gadsden Times |date=January 30, 1985 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} After three years, McFillen moved to the NCAA Division I level as the next commissioner for the now-defunct conference, the Metro Conference.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19870804&id=7F8eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LskEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2394,818833&hl=en |title=McFillen appointed Metro commissioner |publisher=Times Daily |date=August 4, 1987 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} While at Metro Conference, McFillen faced many obstacles, such as trying to expand the "super conference".{{cite news |last=Wolken |first=Dan |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/03/05/former-metro-commissioner-wouldnt-mind-if-big-east-revives-name/1965393/ |title=What to name non-departing Big East schools? Revive 'Metro Conference' |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=March 5, 2013 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} McFillen was the final commissioner for the conference when it dissolved in 1995.{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/09/26/Colleges/Super-conference.aspx |title=History lesson: Super-conference concept rooted in 1990 proposal - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global |publisher=SportsBusiness Daily |date=September 26, 2011 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}}
Two years after the falling-out of the Metro Conference, McFillen was hired to replace Ken B. Jones as the second commissioner for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, an NCAA Division II school. While his time as commissioner, McFillen first was able to secure a contract to air five football games on KSMO-TV in the Kansas City area in 1997.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1906&dat=19970612&id=SQcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EeEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5120,3206297&hl=en |title=MIAA gets cable TV contract |publisher=The Fort Scott Tribune |date=June 12, 1997 |accessdate=October 1, 2016}} All games were on Thursday nights. Other accomplishments during McFillen's term as commissioner were an addition of two schools – Fort Hays State University in 2006{{cite press release |url=http://bigcat.fhsu.edu/currentevents/display_event.php?id=2679|title=FHSU athletes will play in the MIAA starting in fall '06|date=October 15, 2004|accessdate=September 30, 2016}} and University of Nebraska Omaha in 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.sbubearcats.com/news/2009/8/12/GEN_0812094620.aspx|title=Southwest Baptist University Athletics - MIAA CEO Council ratifies decision to add Nebraska–Omaha |publisher=Sbubearcats.com|date=June 8, 2007 |accessdate=September 30, 2016}}
In 2007, after 10 years in the MIAA and 40-plus years in collegiate athletics, McFillen retired.{{cite news |last=Corbitt |first=Ken |url=http://cjonline.com/stories/100606/was_commissioner.shtml#.V-8CKaPMwy5 |title=MIAA commissioner announces retirement |publisher=CJOnline.com |date=October 6, 2006 |accessdate=October 1, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003070840/http://cjonline.com/stories/100606/was_commissioner.shtml#.V-8CKaPMwy5 |archivedate=October 3, 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Gulf South Conference commissioner navbox}}
{{Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association commissioner navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McFillen, Ralph}}
Category:Gulf South Conference commissioners
Category:Kansas State Wildcats football players
Category:Metro Conference commissioners
Category:Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association commissioners
Category:National Collegiate Athletic Association people
Category:People from Mission, Kansas