Commissioner Jay Poerner will serve his 10th year as Commissioner of the Lone Star Conference and 20th year as a member of the league's staff during the 2024-25 year. He was appointed Commissioner in June 2015, becoming just the third full-time commissioner in league history.
 
A native of San Antonio, Poerner joined the LSC staff as Assistant Commissioner in 2005, and added the title of Associate Commissioner prior to the 2013-14 academic year. He was named Interim Commissioner in July 2014.
 
As commissioner, Poerner serves as chief administrative officer of the LSC overseeing all daily operations and strategic planning. He is responsible for directing championship events, including the league’s 16-team neutral site basketball tournament.

Working with the LSC Council of Presidents, Poerner has managed expansion of the LSC in membership and championship sports. Twelve new members have joined the Conference since 2016 and with 18 members in 2024-25 and another slated for full membership in July 2025, the LSC continues as the largest conference in NCAA Division II. Championship sponsorship has grown from 16 to 19 sports, including the return of men’s soccer in 2019 and the inaugural season of STUNT in 2024.

Since moving into the Commissioner role, Poerner has advanced the LSC corporate partner program to include national brands such as Under Armour, Barnes and Noble College, Hometown Ticketing, Linius and Balfour.  
 
Poerner has increased the visibility of the league through the creation of the LSC Digital Network, the development of a refreshed logo, and the negotiation of a television partnership with Nexstar Media Group. The LSC hosted the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship (2016) and NCAA Division II Football Championship games from 2018-23 with two more football title games in 2024 and 2025.
 
In September 2024, Poerner joins the Division II Championships Committee and has served on Regional Advisory Committees for men's soccer and men's basketball as well as the NCAA Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee. Poerner chaired the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) in 2023-24 following a term with the organization's Strategic Planning Committee. He has been a member of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) Appeals Committee.
 
A graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Poerner excelled as a basketball student-athlete leading the squad in scoring and being named team Most Valuable Player three times. He was a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference pick and finished his playing career as the ninth-leading scorer in SMU history.

Poerner resides in Plano, Texas, with wife Dana and daughters Reese and Brooklynn.