# Rick Chryst > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rick_Chryst > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rick_Chryst.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Chryst > Source revision: 1308267016 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American football commissioner}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Rick Chryst | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = [University of Notre Dame](/source/University_of_Notre_Dame), [Duke University School of Law](/source/Duke_University_School_of_Law) | player_years1 = 1979–1983 | player_team1 = [Notre Dame](/source/Notre_Dame_Fighting_Irish_baseball) | player_positions = | admin_years1 = 1983 | admin_team1 = [Navy](/source/Navy_Midshipmen) (assistant [SID](/source/Sports_information_director)) | admin_years2 = 1989–1992 | admin_team2 = [SWC](/source/Southwest_Conference) (Assistant commissioner) | admin_years3 = 1992–1999 | admin_team3 = [ACC](/source/Atlantic_Coast_Conference) (assistant commissioner) | admin_years4 = 1999–2009 | admin_team4 = [MAC](/source/Mid-American_Conference) (commissioner) | overall_record = | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Richard Chryst''' is an American former college football commissioner who now works in the private sector with Dietz Sports and Entertainment. He served as the commissioner of the [Mid-American Conference](/source/Mid-American_Conference) (MAC) from 1999 to 2009. ==College and early career== Chryst played [baseball](/source/college_baseball) at the [University of Notre Dame](/source/University_of_Notre_Dame) from 1979 to 1983. In 1982, he played [collegiate summer baseball](/source/collegiate_summer_baseball) with the [Cotuit Kettleers](/source/Cotuit_Kettleers) of the [Cape Cod Baseball League](/source/Cape_Cod_Baseball_League).{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.kettleers.org/all-time-alumni/ |title=All-Time Cotuit Kettleers Alumni |publisher=kettleers.org |date= |accessdate=May 6, 2020}} He earned a [BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) in [economics](/source/economics) in 1983. In 1983, Chryst was hired as the assistant sports information director at the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy). He then attended [Duke University](/source/Duke_University), where he earned a Juris Doctor from [Duke University School of Law](/source/Duke_University_School_of_Law) in 1989.{{Cite web |title=Team {{!}} Dietz Sports & Entertainment |url=http://www.dietzsports.com/team/ |access-date=2021-10-14 |website=www.dietzsports.com}} Later that year, Chryst worked in the administration of the [Southwest Conference](/source/Southwest_Conference) until it dissolved in 1996. He then became the assistant commissioner of the [Atlantic Coast Conference](/source/Atlantic_Coast_Conference). ==Mid-American Conference== On May 11, 1999, Chryst replaced [Jerry Ippoliti](/source/Jerry_Ippoliti) as commissioner of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).{{Cite news |last=services |first=News wire |date=1999-05-09 |title=CHRYST NAMED MAC'S (NEW) NEW COMMISSIONER |language=en |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/chryst-named-macs-new-new-commissioner/article_17b25fff-789e-578d-977a-09a575808aae.html |access-date=2021-10-14}} As commissioner, Chryst grew the conference's presence by signing a TV contract with [ESPN](/source/ESPN) to air MAC football games nationally and moving the football championship game to [Ford Field](/source/Ford_Field) in [Detroit](/source/Detroit), and the basketball tournament to [Quicken Loans Arena](/source/Quicken_Loans_Arena) in [Cleveland](/source/Cleveland%2C_Ohio).{{cn|date=October 2021}} During his time as MAC Commissioner, Chryst was also chair of the [Division I](/source/NCAA_Division_I) commissioners and president of the Collegiate Commissioners Association.{{Cite news |last=Chengelis |first=Angelique S. |date=2020-08-25 |title=Former MAC commissioner Rick Chryst: Pandemic is catalyst in reshaping college athletic landscape |language=en-US |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2020/08/25/former-mac-commissioner-rick-chryst-pandemic-has-reshaped-college-athletic-landscape/3431731001/ |access-date=2021-10-14}} Chryst announced in January 2009 that he would leave the conference upon completion of his contract on June 30, 2009. His tenure made him the conference's third longest serving commissioner.{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Graham |date=2009-01-30 |title=MAC commissioner resigns after 10 seasons |language=en |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=3870936 |access-date=2021-10-14}} ==Personal== He is the brother of former [Wisconsin Badgers](/source/Wisconsin_Badgers_football) head coach [Paul Chryst](/source/Paul_Chryst) and position coach [Geep Chryst](/source/Geep_Chryst). Their father, George, was an assistant at Wisconsin and then became the head coach and athletic director at the [University of Wisconsin-Platteville](/source/University_of_Wisconsin-Platteville). ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Mid-American Conference commissioner navbox}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chryst, Rick}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Cotuit Kettleers players Category:Mid-American Conference commissioners Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball players Category:Duke University School of Law alumni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rick Chryst](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Chryst) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Chryst?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.