ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The South Atlantic Conference Council of Presidents have announced the hiring of Patrick Britz as the next conference commissioner.

Britz will come to the SAC after serving as the Division I intercollegiate programs director for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for the past three years.

He also has extensive experience in collegiate administration. He served as the senior associate athletics director for compliance and administration at Texas Tech University and worked for five years in the NCAA national office. He was assistant athletics director for compliance and student services at East Tennessee State University and began his career as assistant commissioner for championships and compliance for the Southern Conference.

"I am very excited and honored to be the second commissioner of such a well-established and respected conference like the South Atlantic Conference," Britz said.

Britz will replace Doug Echols, who is retiring after serving as commissioner for 19 years. Echols has been the only full-time commissioner since the league was formed as an all-sports conference in 1989. Britz will begin his duties as commissioner in July.