Chuck Mitrano entered his 25th year of service to the Empire 8 in August. A values-based servant leader, he has helped  distinguish the Empire 8 among its peer group for its national leadership in the NCAA and Division III with a laser focus on what is best for all student-athletes and installed systems with intention to facilitate development of future vale-based leaders aligning with the conference's mission "Tomorrow’s Leader Compete Here Today."

In 2024-25, the Empire 8 expanded to become the most diverse conference membership in the country including state, private, and faith-based institutions all thriving in the same supportive culture. Empire 8 is now the largest conference in Division III with 28 sports with its addition of Women's Flag Football. 

In January 2024, he wrapped up a three-year term as chair of the NCAA Division III Championships Committee and member of the DIII Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, an important dual role as DIII allocates 85% (roughly 3.66 M) of its budget on Championships. In that brief period as Championships Committee chair, he also led an effort to completely overhaul the NCAA Championships Selection process, leveraging an algorithm to rank and select teams in a transparent, consistent and equitable manner. The model is being considered by Division I and II. More importantly, the move freed up significant regional and national committee time to instead focus on how they can further enhance the student-athlete experience in DIII Championships and create balanced and competitive brackets. Under his tenure, the committee also increased its per-diem by 32.6%. He also guided the equity and inclusion review of NCAA Division III championships and was one of five members appointed to reimagine its Philosophy Statement. 

Empire 8 is recognized as one of the most influential conferences in Division III. Mitrano created the “Conduct Foul Program” which serves as an educational tool by tracking fouls in each sport deemed unsporting. The program was adopted by all of Division III 17 years ago and used within the NCAA for 10 years. The innovative program was adopted by Division II and various Division I, and high school programs currently use it nationwide. the ground-breaking effort was featured in USA Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Referee Magazine to name a few. 

Empire 8 has also been an active leader in the evolution of NCAA policy. Under Mitrano's leadership, the conference successfully proposed and passed various pieces of legislation focused on retaining and enhancing the student-athlete experience including: one-of-a-kind Student-Athlete Mental Health Hardship Waiver, Providing an Automatic Qualifier (AQ) in m/w golf and m/w tennis making a first-in-class culminating experience for hundreds of young women and men who otherwise would not have been selected for this experience; providing a Two-Year Grace Period for conference's that fall under the minimum of teams to provide stability for conference's across the division and encourage ethical exit practices; lowering the AQ minimum to 6 members for multi-sport and single-sport conferences to further stabilize conference membership and stability in a complex eco-system; and allowing student-athletes to compete in a triathlon without losing eligibility in their primary sport to name a few. 

Mitrano is responsible for overseeing the conference's senior associate, assistant commissioner, administrative support, select interns, 14 Supervisors of Officials, and various structures within the conference (AD’s, SWA’s, ADR’s, SAAC, FAR’s, Coaches Committees). He manages all aspects of the conference financials and ensures compliance with the E8 constitution, the conference's by-laws, code of conduct and the overall philosophy of the league.

Mitrano also created the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) and the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) and serves as Commissioner of both structures. 

Mitrano is also a highly regarded keynote speaker. His topic areas include: 
- Higher Education
- Leadership
- Sportsmanship: Student-Athletes, Coaches, Administrators, Fan Behavior, Officiating Support
- Ethics
- Institution Reputation or Image
- Team Building
- Team Captain Education
- Coaching Development
- Changing Team and Department Culture
- Meetings with Institutional Vice-President’s and President’s
- AD Support
- Sportsmanship Policy

He has served as the President of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA - encompassing Divisions I,II and III), the country's oldest college athletics oversight structure established in 1885. He was the first primary Commissioner to serve this role and transformed the organization during his tenure. 

Prior to his time at the Empire 8 Conference, Mitrano served as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Rochester Institute of Technology and began his career at the age of 21 when he was the full-time Sports Information Director at St. John Fisher University, the youngest in the country. 

Mitrano also serves as the Commissioner of the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) and the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC). 

Mitrano is also a highly-regarded keynote speaker. His topic areas include: 
- Leadership
- Sportsmanship: Student-Athletes, Coaches, Administrators, Fan Behavior, Officiating Support
- Ethics
- Coach Leadership and Development
- Team Captains Leadership
- Institution Reputation or Image
- Team Building/Coach Planning
- Changing Team and Department Culture
- Meetings with Institutional Vice-President’s and President’s
- AD Support
- Sportsmanship Policy

At the time of his hiring, he was the youngest Commissioner in the histroy of the NCAA. Prior to his time at the Empire 8 Conference, Mitrano served as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Rochester Institute of Technology and began his career at the age of 21 when he was the full-time Sports Information Director at St. John Fisher University, the youngest in the country. 

AWARDS & HONORS

• NCAA Think Tank on Campus Violence Prevention Participant

One of just 17 educational leaders across the nation selected to participate in this distinguished event hosted in Washington, DC in October 2012. The group delved deeper into issues of campus violence, and examined ways that athletics can take a role in preventing interpersonal campus violence. Mitrano was just one of two athletics administrators from NCAA membership that was selected for participation.

• Named one of the Top 20 Living Americans who has made significant contributions to the practice of fair play and has enhanced the national consciousness regarding the central importance of sportsmanship by the Institute for International Sports (IIS).

This prestigious list includes Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy, 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree Billie Jean King, baseball Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Cal Ripken, Jr., and golf legend Jack Nicklaus

• NCAA Bob Fredrick Award Winner

Inaugural recipient of this prestigious honor bestowed upon one coach, administrator or staff member who possesses a demonstrated history of sportsmanship and leadership. The honoree will have displayed the utmost respect for NCAA intercollegiate athletics and all who participate by leading by example and promoting positive fan, coach and student-athlete participation in and out of the competition setting. Like Bob Frederick, the recipient of this award will be known by his or her sincere passion for student-athletes and colleagues in intercollegiate athletics.

• Named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educator’s in America by the Institute for International Sport.

This list includes Pat Summit, John Wooden, Dr. Myles Brand, Dr. Richard Lapchik, Phil Jackson, Cal Ripiken Jr., and Donna Lopiano

• Founding Member of the NCAA’s “Respect” Sportsmanship Campaign

Empire 8 named All-American Sportsmanship Conference by the Institute for International Sport in October 2007. First collegiate athletic conference of any division or level to earn this honor

• Major Donald Holleder Award Winner, Rochester Press Radio Club

The Major Donald Holleder Award is presented to a person whose active life has exhibited the highest level of sportsmanship, character, courage, and achievement consistent with the name of Donald Holleder, a former Aquinas Institute and U.S. Military Academy football star who was killed in a Vietnam War battle while attempting to rescue several wounded members of his battalion.

• Other

- - 2008 ECAC Male Administrator of the Year becoming the first male commissioner in any division to earn the honor 
- - Selected as one of 12 national experts to participate in the NCAA Sportsmanship Summit in April 2006
- - Key note speaker at the 2005 St. John Fisher College Department of Sports Studies Graduation Dinner
- - Named 2005 St. John Fisher College Department of Sports Studies Sport Manager of the Year
- - Keynote Speaker at the 19th Annual SUNY Brockport Gerry D’Agostino Memorial Lecture.
- - Named 2004 Sports Ethics Fellow by the IIS. with Donna Lopiano and Mia Hamm
- - Named one of St. John Fisher Universities 15 Most Prominent Alumni
- - Greece Olympia High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee (2011)

Commissioner Mitrano Bio