Mike Daniels is in his 13th year as Commissioner of the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (formerly the Golden State Athletic Conference). He is responsible for all administrative duties for the league's 17 sports. Parts of those duties include providing a positive and fair experience for student athletes, rules interpretations, revenue generation, fiscal accountability and overseeing conference championships.
Recently, Daniels oversaw a restructure of the conference with a shift in its geographical footprint. As part of that, the conference introduced a new name and a new logo.
Over the past 12 years at the helm of the league, Daniels has created a strategic plan that has the interests of the student-athlete at the forefront. He has focused the membership efforts on creating memorable experiences through conference championships, the GSAC Champions of Character Award and the creation of the first ever Student Athlete Advisory Council.
On a national scale, Daniels has been involved in several NAIA committees, including a founding member of the NAIA Rise Committee, is a current member of the National Administrative Council and is on the executive team for the Conference Commissioners Association. He also serves on the NAIA's Champions of Character committee which recently went through a recent rebrand and revitalization. He is a member of the NAIA's Drug Testing Committee as well.
Daniels led a successful bid to host the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship and was instrumental in securing two presenting sponsors for the event.
Daniels has also authored legislation on a national scale including a selection committee model used to determine teams advancing to the postseason.
Daniels became the first full-time commissioner of the GSAC on July 1, 2012 and only the third commissioner in the 28-year history of the conference. He was preceded by NAIA Hall of Fame members Carroll Land (1986-91) and Cliff Hamlow (1991-2012).
Daniels has 30 years of experience in college athletics. Prior to the GSAC, Daniels was an Associate Commissioner of the Big West Conference, where he held several positions over a 14-year span. Daniels oversaw the league's sponsorship and marketing programs, coordinated nine conference championships, served as a sport liaison for ten sports and worked in media relations. A southern California native, Daniels developed conference-wide initiatives such as the Big West Tour and Basketball Shootout and was involved in the conference website and information technology.
Daniels earned his Bachelor's degrees in Communications and Political Science from UC San Diego in 1993, and then received his MBA from San Diego State University in 1997. He lives in Aliso Viejo, California, with his wife, Julie, and their sons Zachary, Matthew and Nicolas.