After more than two decades leading the Great Plains Athletic Conference, Corey Westra has received national recognition from those who best understand the demands of his position.
An Honor from His Peers
Westra has been named the 2025–26 NAIA Commissioner of the Year, an honor determined by members of the NAIA Conference Commissioners Association. It is the first time Westra has received the award during his 23 years as GPAC commissioner.
“This is the first time I’ve won the Commissioner of the Year award in the NAIA, so very honored by that,” Westra said. “I work with a great group of people across all our NAIA conferences, so to be honored by that group is very, very special.”
Westra is the longest-tenured conference commissioner in the NAIA. He said the commissioners from around the country meet in person twice each year and have developed close relationships while working toward similar goals for their respective conferences.
“Collectively, the Commissioners Association is a really strong group,” Westra said. “So when they think that highly of you, that’s very, very special. Very, very humbled, but honored as well by their recognition.”
Growth and Change Across the GPAC
The award follows what Westra described as a year of significant internal growth for the GPAC. The conference added Katie Robson as a full-time employee, providing additional assistance with daily operations and conference championships while bringing the perspective of a former NAIA student-athlete.
Westra credited Robson with helping increase the conference’s social media presence, particularly on Instagram. He said her addition also allowed him to dedicate more time to developing corporate sponsorships.
The conference also completed its second year operating the GPAC Network.
“I’m really excited about how that has just taken off with the viewership and how people are just so interested in watching our games,” Westra said. “That’s a credit to the schools because they’re the ones that ultimately put out the product.”
Technology has transformed Westra’s position since he became commissioner in 2003. Conference standings once had to be updated manually, and information could take multiple days to reach its audience. Results, statistics and broadcasts are now available almost immediately.
That increased access has also created an expectation that information will be delivered without delay.
“Now everything is just instantaneous, and that’s a good thing, and it’s a bad thing, right?” Westra said. “The demand on time now is like, you’ve got to do it now.”
The scope of the conference has expanded as well. The GPAC now sponsors 22 sports, with women’s wrestling, competitive cheer and dance among the additions during Westra’s tenure.
Despite those changes, Westra believes the conference has remained successful by staying committed to its identity. He said the GPAC’s member schools provide student-athletes with an opportunity to pursue both competitive athletics and a high-quality education close to home.
“For people around here—Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota—the GPAC is a really big deal,” Westra said. “We’re kind of the Big Ten destination for a lot of student-athletes.”
He also credited the longevity of coaches throughout the conference, the Midwest’s passion for sports and the shared mission of its member institutions. Westra said he is particularly proud that the GPAC has remained consistent with its faith-based foundation during his tenure.
Northwest Iowa Roots and Lasting Relationships
Westra’s own path began in Ireton, where he grew up playing multiple sports before attending Dordt. He later remained at Dordt professionally, gaining experience that ultimately helped prepare him to lead the conference.
“I’m very, very proud to be from Ireton,” Westra said. “It was a great place to grow up. I always joke that the motto is always true: It’s a great place to live, trade and worship.”
Westra said the relationships formed through athletics remain the most rewarding part of his career. He also credited the extensive radio, television and newspaper coverage throughout the region with helping promote the GPAC’s schools and student-athletes nationally.
“Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing”
Looking ahead, Westra said the NAIA and GPAC must continue adapting to a rapidly changing college athletics landscape while remaining focused on their purpose.
“I think that we just have to keep the main thing the main thing and just keep moving forward. And if we’re going to change, are we changing in the right perspective and the right approach? Because that’s very, very important. This world with NIL and all these things going on, it’s a dog-eat-dog world right now out there in intercollegiate athletics. We just have to stay on top of who we are and what we’re doing.”
As the NAIA Commissioner of the Year, Westra will now be nominated for the Charles Morris Administrator of the Year Award, which recognizes outstanding administrative leadership and service throughout the NAIA.
