Tom Jacobs is a sports industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience in the field of athletics administration. Most recently, Jacobs has been serving in the role of Senior Associate Commissioner/Chief Operating Officer for the Atlantic 10 Conference. Prior to the A-10, he was the Managing Director, Administration and Business Affairs, for Player Development at the United States Tennis Association and a former Director of NCAA Championships, serving for 17 years at the NCAA and for eight years at the USTA. He also previously served in various capacities at the Big Eight Conference (now the Big 12 Conference), the University of California, Berkeley and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Tom was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame in 2008 and is the 2009 recipient of the Jim Fullerton Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association.
At the A-10, Jacobs oversaw all twenty-one (21) Olympic Sports (regular seasons and championships). He also served as the managing director for the A-10 Men’s Basketball Championship. As a director of championships at the NCAA, Tom worked with a variety of championships during his tenure, which included Division III Baseball, Division I Men’s Soccer (College Cup), Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis and Division I Men’s Ice Hockey (Frozen Four), to name a few. During his 17-year career at the NCAA, he also worked with the sports of basketball, wrestling and water polo. Additionally, he served as a liaison to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet.
While at the USTA, Tom played a critical role in the creation of a new organizational structure for Player Development. He also planned, organized and executed the successful implementation of USTA Regional Training Centers and oversaw the addition of USTA Training Center-East in New York. He was a key player in implementing Player Development’s Team USA outreach efforts with stakeholders across the country. He also played a critical role for Player Development as part design and buildout of the USTA National Campus, “The Home of American Tennis”, in Orlando.
In his role on the College Baseball Foundation Board of Trustees, Jacobs has led or has played a key role in several projects, including CBF’s national search for finding a partner and permanent home for the College Baseball Hall of Fame, the Foundation’ strategic plan, the Annual Night of Champions and, most recently, the process to determine the Hall of Fame’s partner for the design and buildout of the museum-ready space at the Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park, Kan.
Tom received his degree in business administration from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in sports administration and facility management from Ohio University. He currently resides in Williamsburg, Va., with his wife, Lori, and will be relocating to the Kansas City area. They have three children — Connor, Derek and Emma. Derek was a student-athlete at Pittsburg State (baseball) and Emma was a student-athlete at Kansas State and Florida Atlantic (soccer).