Associate Commissioner
Sara R. Martin

Marking her 11th year as Associate Commissioner with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 2009-10 is Sara R. Martin, who has served as the league's women's commissioner since it's founding in July, 1999.

Among her primary responsibilities is overseeing the continuing development, administration and functions of the women's conference.

Martin has been extensively involved with college hockey for 19 years. She served as tournament director of the WCHA Final Five Playoff Championship in 1994, 1996 and 1998. She was the tournament manager for the 1997 NCAA Men's Frozen Four held at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee and was assistant tournament manager for the 1993 NCAA Men's Frozen Four, also held in Milwaukee. She was also the tournament manager for the 1995 and 1999 NCAA Div. 1 Men's West Regionals, held in Madison.

Prior to assuming her duties with the WCHA, Martin worked at the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department from 1990- 99. She began as an administrative assistant to the associate athletic director and moved into the department of facilities and events in 1995. In 1997 she became the Event Manager at the Kohl Center, where she stayed until June of 1999. While at Wisconsin, Martin was the tournament director for the Badger Hockey Showdown, held each December at the Bradley Center.

A native of Sheboygan, Wis., Martin earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1990 and a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from Minnesota State University in 1993.

Sara and her husband, Bruce, make their home in Middleton, Wis.

Assistant Commissioner of Operations
Carol LaBelle-Ehrhardt

As Assistant Commissioner of Operations for the WCHA, Carol LaBelle-Ehrhardt plays a crucial role in the multiple and day-to-day functions of the league and it's administrative office. She marks her 12th year with the conference in 2009-10.

LaBelle-Ehrhardt directly assists Commissioner Bruce McLeod with a wide range of duties in the overall management of both the men's and women's leagues. She is the WCHA's business manager, serves as Tournament Director for the highly-successful men's WCHA Final Five, handles eligibility record-keeping and student-athlete screening, coordinates league scheduling, and handles the set-up of numerous meetings and events – including the league's annual meeting.

In 2003, LaBelle-Ehrhardt – in conjunction with the WCHA – was awarded the (2002) Tourism Ambassador Award for St. Paul, Minn. The award recognizes the league as a whole, and LaBelle individually, for the on-going promotion and support of the St. Paul community and work with local merchants in relation to the WCHA Final Five. As Tournament Director for the Final Five, LaBelle-Ehrhardt has been partnering with the St. Paul community and meeting with local merchants the past seven years to create a mini-vacation for Final Five attendees.

Prior to joining the WCHA full-time, LaBelle- Ehrhardt was Assistant to the Athletic Director at University of Denver for five years.

A graduate of DU, LaBelle-Ehrhardt and her husband, Mark, live in Colorado. Carol is mother to married daughter Shaina and son, Brenton, who is serving in the United States Army and is stepmother to Tera and Tyler.

Supervisor of Officials
Greg Shepherd

A veteran and highly-respected ice hockey official with a long and distinguished tenure of service in and to collegiate ice hockey, Greg Shepherd was appointed Supervisor of Officials for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association by Commissioner Bruce McLeod in 1994. The 2009-10 season marks his 15th with the conference in that capacity and 31st overall working in the WCHA.

Coordinating officiating for both the men's and women's leagues, and long recognized as one of the top on-ice officials in college hockey, Shepherd has brought a wealth of expertise and experience to his position with the WCHA. He is respected by both his officiating colleagues as well as coaches and players across the country. Among the thousands of college hockey games Shepherd has refereed are 10 NCAA Men's Frozen Four championships.

Shepherd was a 36-year employee of Xcel Energy, in St. Paul, Minn., where he worked in Gas Construction. He was a former City Council person in West St. Paul, Minn., and served in the Armed Forces with the United States Navy from 1967-69.

Greg and his wife, Nancy, live in West St. Paul and are the parents of three children – Derek, Tiffany, and Brad. His two sons, Derek and Brad, have followed in their Dad's footsteps and both are now respected WCHA referees.

The Shepherds are also the grandparents to eight grandchildren – Austyn, Madison, Cameron, Lauren, Gabby Rose, Anthony, Joe and Ryan.

Associate Commissioner for Public Relations
Doug Spencer

Marking his 33rd season of publicizing and promoting amateur athletics overall and 23rd with the WCHA in 2009-10 is Doug Spencer, Associate Commissioner for Public Relations. Spencer has served the league over three decades, spanning seasons from 1986-2010.

Spencer has also been involved in publicizing and promoting college hockey over four decades dating to the early-1970s, when he was a student assistant SID at his alma mater, Western Michigan University.

For the WCHA, Spencer coordinates public and media information needs for the conference, assists in the general administration of the annual WCHA Final Five, produces numerous publications for the men's and women's leagues, issues regular press releases and statistics, maintains historical playing records, administers the league's web site and weekly radio show, and coordinates the league's postseason and player of the week awards.

Spencer previously had tenures as an Assistant SID at Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Wisconsin and was also a staff member at the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States where he served as Publicity & Publications Director and Editorial Director of American Hockey & Arena Magazine.

A native of East Lansing, Mich., Spencer earned his B.A. from WMU in 1976. He and his wife, Caroline have two children – Connor and Maggie. Caroline is a certified personal trainer who has completed six Ironman competitions and over 100 marathons. Connor is a high school student who is part of his football team and enjoys WWII history and computers. Maggie is a middle schooler who loves art and writing and participates in swimming, dance, piano and ballet.

Assistant to the Commissioner
Jeff Sauer

One of the most successful and distinguished coaches in the history of college hockey, the 'retired' Jeff Sauer continues to serve the WCHA as Assistant to the Commissioner. With the WCHA, his duties include league compliance, special projects, NCAA Rules, and support for the league's Supervisor of Officials within both the women's and men's leagues.

In addition to his work with the conference office, Sauer is involved with preparing and coaching the USA Deaf Olympic Team that will participate in the Winter Deaf Olympics. This is the sixth Olympic team he has been involved with. After winning the Gold medal in 2007, the team is now preparing for the 2011 Olympics in Slovakia. In April of 2009, Sauer coached the USA to a bronze medal in the first World Deaf Hockey Championships held in Winnipeg. Sauer is also a member of the USA Hockey International Council and the Disabled Hockey Committee.

Over 36 seasons as a Div. 1 hockey coach, Sauer recorded 655 victories (7th all-time) between 1971-2002 while heading up teams at both Colorado College and the University of Wisconsin. He was twice named WCHA Coach of the Year, won national championships as coach of the Badgers in both 1983 and 1990, won WCHA regular season titles and MacNaughton Cups with Wisconsin in both 1989-90 and 1999-2000, and guided his teams to six WCHA playoff championships and Broadmoor trophies. In addition, Sauer earned the John 'Snooks' Kelley Founders Award from the AHCA in 2003, presented to individuals in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

Jeff and his wife, Jamie, reside in Middleton, Wisc., and are the parents of married son, Chip, and married daughter, Beth.

Women's Public Relations Director
Bill Brophy

Bill Brophy marks his fourth season as Public Relations Director for the women's league in 2009-10, but he has a wealth of experience in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Brophy has covered the WCHA since 1974. He spent five years covering high school and college hockey for the Duluth News-Tribune from 1973 to 1978. Brophy served as the University of Wisconsin beat reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison from 1978 until 1984 before taking over as the State Journal sports editor until 1996. He also served as the radio analyst on Badger hockey from 1991 until 2003.

For ten years, Brophy was the communications director for the Diocese of Madison and most recently has done television work for "When We Were Young Productions", which produces high school and collegiate sports for Fox Sports North and Charter Cable. He also was honored as the American Hockey Coaches' Association Jim Fullerton Award in April of 2007. The Fullerton Award recognizes an individual who loves the purity of the sport of ice hockey – whether a coach, administrator, trainer, official, journalist or simply a fan.

A native of Minneapolis, Minn., Brophy earned his bachelor's degree from the College of St. Thomas. He is the father of two daughters, Katie and Kelly, and makes his home in Madison, Wis.