Aug. 31, 2005

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson announced the promotion of Bret Gilliland to Deputy Commissioner, and the hiring of Assistant Director of Communications Becky Motchan and Assistant Director of Communications/Multi-Media Coordinator Becky Olsen.

Gilliland was one of the original staff members when the Mountain West began operations in 1999, as Associate Commissioner. With over 20 years of experience in collegiate athletics administration, Gilliland coordinates staff activities, oversees the conference's football operations and is the primary ABC/ESPN/CSTV liaison for football television. He is heading up the MWC's instant replay experiment, and works closely with the MWC Joint Council.

Motchan earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and computer science from the University of Missouri. After graduating Cum Laude in 2003, she worked in the communications department for the American Junior Golf Association in Atlanta, Ga., before being hired as a media relations assistant at the University of Denver. Prior to being hired by the MWC, Motchan worked for Rocky Mountain PBS in Denver, Colo., where she was a publicist and editor for PROMO magazine. Motchan will serve as the primary contact for women's soccer, women's basketball, and softball, as well as assisting in the day-to-day operations of the communications department.

Olsen comes to the Mountain West after spending five years at Michigan State University, where she was the Sports Information Director. The 1992 Northern Michigan graduate was responsible for the media coordination of 26 sports and handled the day-to-day coverage of men's ice hockey, and men's and women's golf. Olsen will oversee all aspects of the Conference Web site and publications, and handle other duties as assigned. Prior to her time at Michigan State, she was an Assistant Media Relations Director at the University of Michigan and was the primary contact for women's basketball. Olsen has also worked in the sports information/communications departments for the Mid-American Conference, Lake Superior State University and Ferris State University.