Beth DeBauche Resigns as Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner

Ohio Valley Conference commissioner Beth DeBauche has resigned, effective immediately, The Associated Press reported Thursday. DeBauche’s resignation was also announced in a statement released by the OVC board of presidents and chancellors.

Beth DeBauche Resigning After Her Father’s Death

The announcement said DeBauche made the decision to focus on family following the death of her father. Greg Walter was named acting commissioner while the OVC uses an outside firm to search for an interim commissioner.

DeBauche, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, native, left her position as director of NCAA Division I initiatives to replace Jon Steinbrecher as the OVC commissioner in 2009.

She became the first female commissioner of the OVC.

The OVC Board of Presidents has announced that Commissioner Beth DeBauche has submitted her resignation, effective immediately.

With the passing of her father, she will be spending time focused on family priorities.

Associate Commissioner Greg Walter has been named Acting… pic.twitter.com/fDQCKiUbnW

— Ohio Valley Conference (@OVCSports) October 23, 2025

The statement said DeBauche led the conference during a period of “significant changes” while maintaining “a steadfast commitment to student-athlete success.”

“Beth DeBauche has been a transformative leader for the Ohio Valley Conference,” John Porter, chair of the OVC board of presidents and chancellors, said in the statement.

“Her vision, integrity, and dedication to the student-athlete experience have left an enduring legacy. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and leadership.”

DeBauche previously worked at Vanderbilt as assistant athletic director for compliance (1994-96). Following that job, she worked as an assistant and later associate commissioner for the SEC until 2002.

OVC Awarded 2026, 2027 FCS National Championship Games

According to the NCAA, the OVC and the Nashville Sports Council are scheduled to host the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship game on Jan. 5, 2026, at Vanderbilt’s FirstBank Stadium.

Nashville is the 11th city to host the FCS championship since 1978.

“As a storied FCS conference, we are delighted to work with our partners to showcase our city and expose this cherished championship to a different region of the country,” DeBauche said after Nashville was awarded the 2026 and 2027 NCAA Division I Football championship games.

“We are committed to ensuring that the student-athletes competing in this premier championship event have an exemplary experience.”

The OVC has undergone radical changes over the last few years with the departure of programs such as Belmont, Austin Peay, Murray State, Eastern Kentucky, and Jacksonville State.

Tennessee Tech officials announced in August it will leave the OVC and join the Southern Conference in 2026.