Tommy Sadler began his role as GSC Interim Commissioner on May 1, 2026 after being announced in April 2026.
A veteran collegiate athletics administrator, Sadler joined the Gulf South after a distinguished 37-year career at Union University (Tenn.), which included serving as the Director of Athletics from 2008-23. During his tenure, he helped Union join the GSC and led the transition from NAIA to NCAA, achieving full NCAA Division II membership status prior to the 2014-15 academic year.
Prior to a 15-year run as director of athletics, Sadler began his career in Union's athletic communications office before moving to fundraising and corporate partnerships where he spent the next 10 years. He then transitioned to the associate director of athletics role in 1996. Sadler was instrumental in expanding Union’s sports sponsorship as it added softball, men’s soccer, volleyball, women’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s soccer, and women’s golf. He also assisted in the fundraising and planning for the Fesmire Baseball and Softball Fields, Fesmire Field House, Smith Memorial Soccer Complex, and four renovations to Fred Delay Gymnasium.
In addition to his work at Union, Sadler made notable contributions at both the conference and national levels. Within the GSC, he served as the conference’s baseball administrator liaison for eight years and spent over a decade as Conference President for the TranSouth Athletic Conference when Union was a NAIA member. Nationally, Sadler was a member of a number of NCAA commitees including Division II Baseball South Region Advisory Committee (RAC) highlighted four years as chair, in addtion to four-year term as part of the DII National Baseball Championship Committee including one year as chair.
Sadler has been inducted into the Union Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 2021) and the Jackson-Madison (Tenn.) Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2023).