JD Collins

HARTFORD CITY – J.D. Collins has announced his resignation as Commissioner of the Crossroads League effective June 5, 2015.

Collins stated, “It has been an honor to represent the Crossroads League and its 10 faith-based institutions. The League is filled with outstanding people. I have thoroughly enjoyed working for and with the coaches, AD’s, presidents and the many constituents that care for the League.”

Collins just completed his seventh year as Commissioner of the Crossroads League, previously called Mid-Central College Conference. Collins has accepted a position as the NCAA’s National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating. Collins stated, “I have been blessed to spend 25 years involved in college basketball officiating. The National Coordinator position is an influential position that can positively affect officiating. I look forward to the challenge.”

Collins was named Commissioner of the Mid-Central College Conference in June of 2008. He initiated a renaming and re-branding effort in the fall of 2011 to update and revive the identity of the Central Indiana based athletic conference. Collins was instrumental in the re-brand efforts as the MCC became known as the Crossroads League on June 27, 2012.

Collins said, “The Crossroads League is the best NAIA conference in the nation. The quality of the people in the Crossroads League cannot be matched anywhere else. I will miss the daily interactions but also know that I can call on any of them anytime. The Crossroads League constituents are my friends.

“Most people think that competition requires competitors to dislike their opponent. I have been blessed to see a camaraderie among coaches, AD’s and presidents that supersedes any competitive environment.”

Since Collins became Commissioner in 2008, the conference has seen four teams win NAIA National Championships: Saint Francis Men’s Basketball (2010), Indiana Wesleyan Women’s Basketball (2013), Saint Francis Women’s Basketball (2014), and Indiana Wesleyan Men’s Basketball (2014). Collins said, “It is amazing to have that many national championships in the Crossroads League. The commissioner has nothing to do with that performance; it is the commissioner’s job to provide the opportunities for the teams to respond.”

In addition, under Collins’ leadership, the Crossroads League has twice hosted the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. The Crossroads League has also been consistently named a Champions of Character Five-Star Conference by the NAIA.

Jim Carr, President of the NAIA, said, “J.D. has been a tremendous leader within the Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) and for the NAIA as a whole. We will miss him greatly and thank him for all he has accomplished during his time in the association.”

The Crossroads League COP will initiate a search for the first full-time Commissioner immediately.