BIRMINGHAM, AL (July 7, 2026) – The Gulf South Conference (GSC), one the premier Division II conferences in the country, utilized Collegiate Consulting for its recently completed commissioner search. The search culminated in the hiring of the Appalachian Athletic Conference commissioner William Popp.
Collegiate Consulting worked closely with the GSC search committee to create a diverse pool of applicants, which resulted in thirty-five applicants and providing support throughout the selection process. Additionally, the firm helped with development and distribution of the job description as well as candidate review.
“We were pleased to engage Russell Wright and the Collegiate Consulting team as part of our search process. They were extremely valuable in developing a robust candidate pool and providing vetting and expertise throughout the process and lead us to hire a fantastic candidate as our next Commissioner,” stated Auburn University at Montgomery Chancellor and committee chairperson Dr. Carl Stockton.
“We are grateful for the opportunity provided to us by Dr. Stockton and the GSC search committee,” remarked Collegiate Consulting Managing Director Russell Wright. “Mr. Popp will be wonderful addition to the GSC and has more than 35 years of intercollegiate athletic experience, including five as a conference commissioner.”
Collegiate Consulting has worked with more than seven hundred institutions since its inception in 2005 and the GSC search is the 10th search the firm has completed in the past 12 months.