CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher has announced the promotions of two members of the Conference office staff, effective September 1, 2026.
- Cooper Snyder – promoted to Assistant Commissioner / Communications
- Jonathan Lakra – promoted to Assistant Commissioner / Championships & Operations
Snyder has served as the Director of Communications since 2022 and oversees communications efforts for field hockey, men's basketball, gymnastics, women's golf and softball. Snyder also contributes to the Conference's creative and branding efforts, designing and coordinating signage, credentials and other visual materials for MAC championships and events.
He joined the Conference after serving as an Athletic Media Relations Assistant at Western Michigan University, where he handled communications responsibilities for women's basketball, gymnastics, softball and women's soccer. Snyder previously served as a Communications Intern with the MAC during the 2020-21 academic year. A native of Chardon, Ohio, he earned his bachelor's degree in Sport Administration from Kent State University.
Lakra has served as the Director of Championships since 2022 and will oversee the administration and execution of Conference championship events for women's tennis, women's soccer, women's swimming and diving and softball. Lakra also coordinates the Conference's branding and merchandise initiatives.
He joined the Conference after serving as a Championships and Basketball Operations Assistant at the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he assisted the with the planning and execution of their Basketball Tournament and Olympic Sport Championships. Prior to his time with the Atlantic 10, Lakra served as a graduate manager for the George Washington University men's basketball program. A 2018 graduate of Christ University in Bangalore, India, Lakra earned a master's degree in Sports Science from the Institute of Sports Science and Technology in 2019 and a Master of Science with concentration in Business Analytics from the George Washington University School of Business in 2021.
About the Mid-American Conference
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
Current full member MAC institutions include the University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, the University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Kent State University, the University of Massachusetts, Miami University, Ohio University, the University of Toledo and Western Michigan University.
